Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-04-25
Mr.. Beck's Answer to Butler.

MIR Beck, Of Kentucky, got leave to reply
to Butler in defence of the Senator of Ken
lucky Garrett Davis) who had been so fully
denounced by him. That Senator and that
member bad had controversy on the floor Of
the Senate.
Mr.. Butler (interrupting) -Oh, no; | had
no controversy with him.
Mr.. Beck-The Senator denounced the mem
Der on the floor of the Senate as id scoun-
drel, F" and | would characterize that as con-
troversy. (Laughter.) They had quarrel on
the floor of the Senate 1t ought to have end
ed there, and would have ended there but from
the fact that the member from Massachusetts
saw fit to come on the floor of the House and
use language grossly offensive to the Senator
from kentucky, and it was after that that the
Senator had pronounced the speech which had
been quoted by the gentleman from Massachu-
settles. 1t he had a personal explanation to
make he should have made it at once, but be
had waited till last Tuesday, the day that Con-
gress was to adjourn, and then asked leave to
make 1t, having sent printed slips of it to Bos-
ton and to the New York Herald, knowing
that the Senator would have left the CITY be-
fore be could have seen it In print. Therefore,
| objected because it had been held up SO long,
and not because | did not want to give the gen.
tleman chance OF replication.
MIR. Butler (interrupting The reason given
by the gentleman was that he would not let NE
speak so long as the Indictment against his
State was continued
MIR. Beck-If had had an opportunity to
reply to that indictment would have done it
in a way that hope would have been worthy
of the State. When the gentleman was try
ing to get leave to-day asked him whether he
would assal the Senator from Kentucky,
and be replied that he would not and on that
statement Democrat after Democrat voted to
give him the privilege. | did not believe what
he said, and therefore voted against it, Laugh
ter.)
When the member rises and announces that
the Senator from Kentucky has been guilty of
falsehood | deny it. | hurl it back, and say
that the character of that Senator is as good as
that Of any man upon earth. He never did
wlliully tell lie, and no man ever before &C.
cused him of it.
When the member said that the Senator was
shielded by his age and that he did not seek
the proper redress, | have only to say that
while my Senator is neither bully nor black
guard, the member can get any redress from
him that he seeks outside of this hail or any
where else. (Laughter.) L do not believe
that 1t lies IN the mouth Of the member from
Massachusetts to talk about my Senator being
shielded by his age or not seeking proper re-
dress. l have witnessed scenes with that
member which satisfied me that he would not
seek the redress to which he alludes laugh
ter. He does not forget that [ have, in the
presence Of fifteen members of the House,
seen the member from Illinois (Farnsworth)
put his fist in the face Of the member from
Massachusetts and denounce him in every way
that one man could denounce another until |
had to say to the other members of the COM
mittee standing by that did not think there
was any white man that would take it without
a fight, and that the decent negroes in my
State would fight over it. (Uproarious Laugh
ter