The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-03-18
Gheqnteltigence1r:
HIGH TIMES IN CONGRESS.
The Fight Over the Ku.KIux Ques-
tion..Thursday's Exciting Discus
sion Between Butler and Blaine.

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tion..Thursday's Exciting Discus
sion Between Butler and Blaine.
? y WASHINGTON, D. c., March TO-
There have been many exciting scenes
on the floors OF Congress this session, but
nothing else in either House that equalled
the conflict in the Representatives Hal!
this afternoon, and once more General
Butler has received q set back from which
he will not Immediately recover. The
appearance Of his letter TO the members
OF Congress in one Of the morning papers
occasioned a great deal of comment be
fore the meeting OF Congress, and the
members whose motives and acts during
the previous day were assailed in it were
in q state Of high indignation. When the
House assembled, each member found up
on his desk neatly printed copy Of the
letter, and it quickly became known thai
II had gone FIR and wide to the press o.
the country. There was busy Caucussing
and comparison Of notes, and the whole
aspect OF affairs was onlinous OF storm
Immediately after the reading OF the jour
nal, Mr.. Kelley, Of Pennsylvania, got the
floor 10 make u personal explanation, and
took occasion to ask to be excused from
service on the set committee appointed
the previous day, on account Of his intirm
health. Then he referred 10 Buffers res
Olution, and the charge therein that Pc
ters's resolution was introduced and pass.
eddy q conspiracy of high tariff mer
with the Democrats. Butler began tC
show excitement, and to state what he
understood TO be the case. Peters wanted
TO know Of Butler whether majority Oh
Republicans did not vote for his resOlu'
ton. Kelley denied and srcpudiated the
assertion, and the insinuAtiOn OF Buffers
letter, and, taking the offensive, declared
the only alliance of Democrats with Re-
publlcans this session was that which the
revenue refOrmers had made. I#
Interest in the discussion sprung up at
once, and when Butler took the floor to
reply 10 Kelley, halfOt the members were
out Of their seats and in the neighborhOOd
of the contestants. Butler rolled the
word trick under his tongue, applying IL
as often as possible to the course Of those
Republicans whose actions had defeated
him. Dawes wanted TO know what he
meant by calling an action supported by
filty.eight Republicans majority OF
those voting ick,and Butler retrGatcd
into the.caucts agreement.
During Buffers speech the Speaker
called Mr.. Wheeler to the chair, and took
the seat Of Mr.. ShellabArger. Then 1t
was ut once suspected that he intended to
take hand, and expectation was alert.
Butler went on for some moments, keep.
ing all the time prominent the idea that
tho caucus decision was binding, and he
had been betrayed, the Speaker being en-.
gagged in the plot When he concluded,
all eyes were directed to Speaker Blaine,
and no one else attempted TO get the floor,
Ho began by inquiring whether the gen.
tletah from Massachusetts did not know
he (Blainc) had written the resolution and
procured tito be offered, and il he had
not the right TO offer tho resolution ?
Butler denied that he knew Blaine had
written 1t, And then with manner ex.
pressive ofall indignation and contempt
for his opponent and assurance Of his own
ground, Mr.. Blaine delivered such n
speech rs perhaps has not been heard in
the House since that day years ago when,
as the member from Maine, he logged the
member from New York, who now holds a
seat in the Senate, which incident has
been often referred to to-day. He made
it very evident to the House that Butler
was the man against whom the accuse.
ton Of triCkGry might most justly lie,
charging that In the matters of obllga.
tons of the caucus, of the introduction OF
tho resolution, Of tho party relations Of
members who voted for it, and of the ma.
ture and effect Of the resolution, he had
misrepresentCd the facts, and not hCsi.
tating 10 declare that 1t had been done
with the intent 10 deceive both the House
and the country. Mr. Blaine spoke with
such bOldnGss, power and passionate clio.
QuenCe that members were reused TO a
high degree Of enthusiasm and excite.
ment, several times breaking forth in loud
and prolonged applause. Butler was dis.
cOmhtted, and became quito enraged be,
fore the Speaker finished hurting at him
his impetuous and singing sentences
The Speaker was too much borne away
by the torrent Of his own passion to strict.
" observe the rules Of parliamentary
language, but no one presumed to call
him to order, or even to interrupt him,
except his victim, who occasionally Kissed
out some eXasperating retort.
When Mr. Butler arose to reply he
threw out IN intimNtiOn that the Speaker
had violated precedents by leaving the
chair to take part IN debate on the floor.
Mr.. Blaine Immediately reminded him
that his predecessor, Mr.. Colfilx, had once
considered it duty to do the same thing,
and then, too, for the purpose Of rebuking
the insolenCe Of the member from Massa.
chusetts. Buffers speech did not so much
attempt 10 answer Blaine's points us to
injure him by covert insinuations and
abuse, and came far short Of vindiCatiOn
Of his course. The Speaker then resum.
ed the chair, but other members took up
the theme, and for an hour and q hall
there was what would have been, except
for what had preceded it, a lively and en-.
tertaining exchange Of compliments.
Messrs. ShellObarger and COburn declined
serving on this committee, the former for
reasons entirely personal, the latter for
reasons similar to those alleged by Gener.
al Butler. Mr.. Shellabarger voted for
the resolution, and made strong speech
in defense OF his action. Mr.. Blair, oil
Michigan, who presided over the caucus,
made statement which toppled over all
Buffers piled up agony over the alleged
iaithlesSness to the obligations Of that
caucus,
Mr.. Dawes made q calm and earnest
protest against the assumption of his col.
league, that any Republican not in favor
Of his measures was therefore hostile Ia
Republican ascendancy, and indisposed
to do anything for the relief Of suffering
loyal men in the South, and expressed his
belief that the evils in the South were not
likely to be cured or ameliorated by any
such legislation rs that proposed by But.
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