The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-04-01
BUTLER AND GARRETT DAVIS.
Butler Leads Garrett into Temptation
An Extraordinary Scene IN the
Senate. ~ .-"l' 81 ''

Butler Leads Garrett into Temptation
An Extraordinary Scene III the
Senate. - r''-'i' '''I
{ WASHINGTON, D. G., March 80.
q. A very extraordinary scene took place
inth6 Senateto day, between Carrot Da.
Wis and Ben. Butler, which while it lasted,
created profound sensation, especially
in the galleries. Garrett had been speak
ing for some time upon Sherman's reSolu.
ton instructing the Judiciary Committee
to report q Ku.Klux bill and had worked
himself up into considerable passion at
what he considered the unjust charges Of
disorders made upon the South, when
Ben. Butler came into the Senate. At
this point Davis was facing his Demo-
cratic colleagues, and was apparently ex.
horting them. Butler, observing who
was speaking, marched over in that direc-
ton and took seat directly next to the
Kentucky Senator; then, stretching his
legs out, he wheeled his chair around
threw his head back and looked at Davis
with an expression On his face Of mingled
insolence and contempt The galleries,
thinking It mere piece Of hraVado, en-
joyed the thing hugely Davis, whose
back was still turned, had reached
that point in his speech where he
was claiming that the stories Of Southern
outrages were grossly exaggerated. "They
are mOre,P said he; "theY are the VilG in
yentions Of unprinclpled adventures and
heartless scoundrels, made tn continue
their ill.gotten hold Id political power;
they arc" and hore, turning around In tho
warmth oil his feeling, he beheld Butler
almost OF his very elbow, looking, straight
at him with q face immovable as stone.
Davis Immediately paused In his half fin.
ished sentence, placed both hands on his
desk, and glared at Butler almost with
the feroclty ola tiger Butler returned
the KGntuckian's look untlinchingly, only
growing d trihe paler. This tableau
continued for several moments, neither Of
the men changing his attitude a particle,
while the galleries looked on in painful
suspense, and surrounding Senators held
their breaths and affected an uncOncern
which no one felt. Finally, Garrett drew
himselfup, thrust his clenChed fist almost
in Buffers face, and said, %Herel here Is
the man. This Is the class Of men who
concoct the stories 0f diabolical Southern
outrages, and then asked for unlimited
power to suppress them. Look at the
scoundrel here he Is" and his excitement
becoming loo great for him, he sank back
in his seat, while the Speaker promptly
suppressed some threatening demOnstra.
tons which were attempted 10 the CALLER.
les. llbeing one Of those things where
interference was u very delicate matter,
no one had attempted anything Of the
kind thus far, and those present brGathed
more freely when Garrett dropped into his
seat. still Butler never budged or altered
tho expression of his face, although o
thousand eyes were turned upon him.
Garrett was no sooner in his chair than
lie wheeled it around and commenced to
draw It up in short jerks in the direction
Of Butler, until the distance between them
was almost imperceptible, when be burst
out again with "Oh, you ScOUndrel you
rascatw with a few strong adlectiVes pre-
facing each Of the above epithets. odd
you come here to insult me? Butler re-
piled, "Go away from me. What do you
suppose care about you? Go away"
Garrett was about TO strike Butler, when
Henry Wilson left his own seat, hurried
over 10 the scene of the threatened con.
fliCt, and placing himself between the
two men, stopped the disgRcelul pro-
ceedings ut once. Davis, on being APP
pealed to in u calm, conslderate way,
cooled down ut once, and retired into one
OF the Senate antG.rooms. Butler, how
ever, stalktd arounl the Senate for sev.
eral minutes, laughing and talking to this
and that one, US II nothing whatever had
occurred. When Davis, was asked, later
in the day, why he gave way to his pre-
iudices in such q conspicuous manner, he
replied that it was very evident to him
that Butler took his seat there for no
other purpose than 10 insult him, and he
wonld allow no man to do that, Butler,
however, says that he no more thought of
Davis when he sat down than he did OF
the man in the moon, and never had the
least idea Of insulting him, The general
verdict tonight seems to be that IT But,
Ter must have rows, he had better keep
on his own side Of the house.