South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1871-04-07
Scene in the Senate.

day between Mr.. Garrett Davis aud General
Butler, which, while it lasted, created pro-
found sensation, especially in the galleries.
Mr. Davis had been speaking for some time
upon Mr.. Sherman's resolutions instruciing
the judiciary Committee TO report Ku-
klux bill, and had worked himself up into
considerable passion at what be considered
the unjust charges Of disorder made upon
the South, when General Burler came into
the Senate At this point Mr. Davis vas
facing his Democratic colleagues, and was
apparently exhortiGg them.
General Butler, observing who was speak
ing, marched over in that direction and
took seat directly next to the Kentucky
Senator. Then, stretching his legs out, he
wheeled bis chair around, threw his head
back, and looked at Mr. Davis with an ex-
preston on his face of ming ed insolencc
and contempt. The galleries, thinking il a
mere piece of bravado, enjoyed the tbing
hugely. Mr. D., whose back was still turn
ed, had reached that point in his speech
where he was claiming that the stories Of
Southern Cutrages were grossly exa, gerated
They are more" said he, "they are the
vile inventions of uDprincipled adventurers
and heartless scouGdrels, made 10 continue
their ill-gotten hold on political power they
are and here, turning around in the
warmth of his feeling, he behed General
Butler almost at his very elbow, looking
straight at him with face immovable as
stone. Mr. Davis Immediately paused in
his halt-hnlshed sentence, placed both hands
on his desk aud glared at Mr. Butler al
most with tho fcrocity of a tiger. Butler
returned the Kentuckian's look uDflnch-
ingly, only growing a triho paer.
The tableau continued for several mo-
ments without either changing his attitude
a particle, while the galleries looked on in
painful suspense, and the surrounding SEN
atOrs held their brcaths and affected an uu-
concern which no one felt. Finally Mr..
Davis drew himself mp, thIus. his clenchcd
fist almost in Mr.. Buffers face, and said
"iIere, here Is the man This is the class
OF men who Concoct stories Of diabalical
Southern outragcs, and then ask for uu-
limited power 10 suppress them. Look at
the scouudrel Here he is" and, his ex-
ci'cmcnt becoming too great for him, he
sank back into his seat, while the Chair
promptly suppressed some threatening dem
onsirations which were attempted in the
galleries.
IL being one Of those things where in-
reference was very delicate matter. no
one had attempted anything Of The kind
thus far, and those present breathed more
freely when MIR Davis dropped into his
seat Still, Mr.. Butler never budccd, nor
altered the expression of his face, although
"A thBnSaDH u J.
Mr.. Davis was no sooner in his chair than
he wheeled 1t round, and commenced to
draw 1t up by short jerks in the dircc-
ton Of Nh. Butler, until the distance be
tween them was almost imperco ptible, when
he burst out again with, "Oh, you scoun-
drel You rascai - with a few strong al
jecliyes prcfacing each epithet. Did you
come here to insult me ?"
Mr.. Butler replied, "Go away from me.
What do you suppose | care about YOU
Gro away" Mr.. Davis was Just about to
raise his arm to strike Mr. Butler when
Senator Wilson left bis own side hurried
over to the scene of the threatened conflict.
and, placing himself between the two men,
stopped the disgraccful proceedings al once.
MIR. Davis, upon being appealed to in a
CAIN, consiucratc way, cooled down at once
and retired into one Of the Senate ante
rooms. Mr.. Butler, however, stalkcd a
round the Senate chamber for several min
utes laughing aud talking to this one and
that as if nothing whatever bad happened
When Mr. Davis was asked, later in the
evening, why he gave way to bis prcjudices
in such conspicuous manner, he replied
that it was very evident to him that Mr..
Butler took his seat there for no other pur-
pose than to insult him, and he would al
Iow no man to do that. Mr. Butler, how
ever, says that lie DO more thought of Mr..
Davis when be sat down Than he did of the
man in the moon, and never had the least
idea Of insulting bin. The general verde,
to night seems to be that it Mr.. Butler
must have disturbances be had better keep
on his own side of the house