The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-04-25
THE CLOSE OF CONGRESS-.
Il RED-HOT PERSONAL SOUABBLE
IN THE LOWER H0USE.

IN TIL 10 HOGSA.
The Spicy Encounter Between Butler.
the Sp0on-Hero, md Farnspvorth-
Terrible E1eorsation or b utler by
Beck, OF Kentucky-Pistois for Pwo.
The closi8g:hours Of the session OF Congress
which endedson Thursday last were marked
by an angry and somewhat remarkable dis
eussion, which was but briefly alluded to In
our kilograms. We now queue from the full
report.of the proceedings:
BUTLER's PERSONAL EXPLANATION.
Mr.. Butler tRep., Mass.) proceeded to ad-
dress the Hotise in references to the scene
which took place in the Senate between him-
self and Senator Davis, OF Kentucky. Assnn-
ing Mr.. DaVis's " description OF the OCCUR
renee to be true, Mr.. Butler submitted to the
candid Judgment OF the House and of all just
men, whicR-ot the twohad in the affair played
the Mart of the courteous gentleman,
which the part of the blAekglard. MIR. Davis
was shielded from responsibility for what ne
said by his age and by his senatorial toga, and
thus shielded and protected. he had elected
the efauvia Of his revenge after the most high
toned manner Of chivalry.
Mr.. Beck (Dem., Ky.) submitted whether
Mr.. Butler had not violated the pledge he mad
made to the Democratic side Of the House,
when he got .its consent to make the explana-
ton, that he would say nothing personally
offensive to Mr., Davis.
Mr.. Butler denied having given that pledge.
He had merely said that he would make no at
tack upon him. Hehad for nearly nine years
suffered from assaults, and charges Of ssVing
appropriated to his use small amounts Of
money In louisiana, and now he would an
swer them, once for oil. He had captured and
1.-1.l nm thu rahOlpn f TLnntS1QnQ
to the amount of nearly So, 600, 600, and be had
charged himself with the amount on the DOCKS
of the department. These books had been
open forsnine years, and even detraction mad
not said that he had not fully accounted for
the amount. Referring TO the .investigation.at
the last session into the management of the
national asylums, he accused MI. FarnsWorth
OF having published in the Globe o speech not
delivered, and
HIGHLY s%LiNbERous
to him, Butler. BY that act that gentleman
had put himself out of the rules Of civilized
warfare, and he would never henceforth con-
slider that gentleman's ongue or pen q lander
upon anybody. certainly not on himself. !.
Mr.. F%arnsworth, .(Rep., Ill., asked and OBJ
tanned permission to make a personal explaua-
ton in reply to Mr.. Butler. He said 1t was
too late In the day Tor that gentleman to put
on airs and profess the rule OF non-intercourse.
He trusted that his (Mr. Farusworth's) great
age had NOT anything TO do with such hen
intercourse as was suggested by him In fe'e-
Haughter.l In reference to the investigation
as to1be management Of the National Asylum
for disabled soldiers, he complained that the
committee had not acted fairly in the matter,
in refusing, among other things, to require
the treasurer Of that institution INT. Buher)
to produce his tank book, which would SHOW
that he had constantly on hand from SlO0, 700
tn S150 mn nf GOVERNMENT mOneV. which ne
Kept IN his own private bank IN his own name,
and with which he speealated.r o.
Mr.. Butler made the point Of order that this
was IN attack upon him instead OF being a
personal explanation.
The Speaker. Will the gentleman from
objects? and the chair will rule on the CUES
Nh. Bitter. I should say pretty much all of
it llsughter;3 when / am Told that / have
* aokeEp MYSELF WITH PUBLIC MONEY.
.Isuppose that that does not require q point OF
order 10 be made.
ont OF order. .s.
Mr.: Nrnsworth was allowed, by a,vote Of
the House, to proceed in efder. He went on
TO speak Of the transaction for the sale ora
piece OF property at Hampton, Virginia, for q
national asylum. the property having been
owned by Mr.. Butler, but having been trans
ferre6 BY him 10 his brother-in-law, Mr.. Hill
dreth, to cover appearances. In conclusion,
he said that Ii that transaction and the testi-
mony given by Mr.. Bntler before the commit
tee on military affairs last session were before
any petit Jury OF the United States, 1t would
convict him (Butler) Of embezzlemeat and
perjury. Laughter and great excitemeDrl
That was all he had to say.
Ar. Butler. Icanuot nave any controversy
with that man, whom / would not. believe I'M
der. oath. Laughter and harnnerfng from
the speakers gavel.1 Referring TO the wilt
nesses who swore against him in the inVesu-
cation. he said thai one of them was
RUNAWAY MARINE. %DEsBRTER,
whom he had been trying 10 find to put a ball
and chain around his leg, and that another
with him (Butler) for supposed gallant con-
duct, but had gone Down lower. lower, lower,
until he had sunk 10 the position Of beingta
witness for the member from Illinois. Laugh
teri .4c..
Mr., Farnswor,h. And the other witnesses
were the member from Massachusetts and his
brother-iniaw. ERenewed laughter and other
scene.1
Mr.. Butler remarked In conclusion that he
would not again be driven Into q controversy
on the subject. What was the use. he asked,
of an investigation and of a report generating
q mar from all blame, when such exoneration
was maze Only Tie IOUuUHtfOu VI lTtSu Cldi
and fresh calumnies direct FROM he'll Laugh
teri
Mr.. Beck (Dem., Ky.,) asked and obtained
leave TO. make q statement on behalf OF Inc
senator from Kentucky, who, he said, had
been so. foully denounced BY the member from
Massachusetts. That senator and that meIh-
Der had; had a controversy on the floor OF the
Senate.
Mr.. Butler, Oh, no.: I had no controversy
with him.
Mr.. Beck. The seaator denounced the
member. on the floor OF the Senate as:
A D@D SCouNDREL,
and l would characterize that as a controversy.
ILaughter.l They had a quarrel on the floor
of the SenaLe. It ought to have ended there,
and would have ended there but for the TACT
that The member from Massachusetts, saw ut
to come on the floor OF the House. and use
lanSnaye grossly offensive to the senator from
Kentucky, and it was after that that the sena-
tor had pronounced the speech had
been quoted by the member. The member
from Massachusetts, II he had q personal eX-
PLANTATION to make, should have made it at
once. but he had waited until last tuesday,
the day that Congress was 10 adjourn, ana
then asked leave to make it, having sent
printed slips of it in advance 10 Boston and TO
New YORK, knowing that The senator would
have left the city before he could have seen 1t
in print. Thereupon / objected, because 1t
had been held up so long, and not because l
did not want to give the gentleman a chance
for replication.
Mr.. Butler (interrupting.) The reason given
by the gentleman was, thai he would not let
me speak so long as the Indictment against his