The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-04-06
THE BEAST FLAYED BY SPEAKER BLAINE

Beast Butler in the House of Representatives,
publish portion of it in this issue. The de-
bate was caused by circular or printed
pamphlet distributed by Butler, which was
anything but complimentary to Mr.. Blaine:
Mr.. BUTLER, of Massachusetts,. l am not
here to retail private conversations.
Mr.. BLAINE. Oh, no; but you will dstrib-
ute throughout the entire country unfounded
calulnnies, purporting to rest upon assertions
made in private conversations, which, when
called for, cannot be verified.
Mr.. BUTLER. Pardon me, sir. said there
was caucus--
Mr.. BLAINE. hope God will pardon you; +;
but you ought not to ask me to de it! Laugh
ter
Mr.. BUTLER. will ask God, and not you.
Mr.. BLAINE. am glad the gentleman will.
Mr.. BUTLER. / have no fav0rs to ask OF
the devil. And let me say that the caucus
agreed upon q definite mode of action.
Mr.. BLAINE. The caucus! Now, let me
say here and now that the chairman of that
caucus, sitting on my right, "a chevalier" in
legislation, "sdRs peur ct sans reprOche," the
gentlemaa from Michigan, Mr.. Blair, stated
as man of honor, as he is that he was bound
to say officially from the chair that it was not
considered and could not be considered bind
ing upon gentleman. And more than that.
Talk about tricks. Why, the very infamy of
political trickery never compassed design So
foolish and so wicked as to bring together
caucus and attempt 10 pledge them to the sup
port of measures which might violate not only
the political principles but the religious faith
oi men-to the support OF bill drawn by the
al. -. p.ft
whichinight violate the conscientious scruples
of men. And yet, forsooth, he comes IN here
and declares that whatever q caucus may de-
termine upon however hastily, however crude
~. however wrongiuy, you must support it!
Why. even IN the worst days of the Democra-
cy, when the gentleman himself was 10 the
front rank of the worst wing of it, when was
il ever attempted Ia say that n majority OF
party caucus could bind men upon measures
that involved questions oil constitutional law,
of personal honor. OF religious scruplesi
The gentlemen asked what would have been
dune--he asked my colleague Mr.. Peters
what would have been done in the case OF mem
bers of a party voting against the caucus nom-
inee for Speaker. ! understood that was in-
tended as a thrust at myself. Caucus nonina-
tions of officers have always been held as bind
ing But just here let TIE say that if minor
ity did not vote against the decision OF a caucus
that nominated me for Speaker, in my judg-
ment, it was not the fault of the gentleman
from Massachusetts,. Applause. If the re-
Qusite number could have been found TO have
gone over TO the despised Nazarenes on the
opposite side that gentleman would have led
them as gallantly as he did the forces in the
Charleston convention. Renewed applause, ]
Now. Mr. Speaker, nobody regrets more SIM
cerey than | do any occurrence which calls
me to take the floor on questions of propriety.
appeal To members on both sides OF the
House. and they will bear me witness, that the
circulation of this letter in the morning prints,
its distribution throughout the land by tele-
graph. the laying it upon the desks OF men,
bers, was intended to be by the gentleman
from Massachusetts, not openly aud boldly. but
covertly-I will not use stronger phrase-an
insult to the Speaker of this House As such
| resent it. | denounce the letter in all its es
sential statements, and in oil its misstatements,
and in all its mean differences and meaner in-
uendoes. denounce the letter as groundless,
without justifcation and the gentleman him.
self, trust, will live to see the day when he
will be ashamed of having written it.
Mr.. BUTLER. BY the ancient parliamentary
law, of which / confess my ignorance and of
which, if full knowledge of it leads to such
speech as we have just listened to, l will be
glad to remain in ignorance. Some one per-
son shall be Speaker of the House, to speak
for the House. Does Mr.. Speaker now do so
The Speaker has left his place and his gavel
for the first time for two Congresses. Was it
to speak upon any great measure of fnancei
Mr.. BLAINE would like to say that the
preceding incumbent of the Chair, Mr.. Colfax,
now Vice President, left the Chair to chastise
the insolence of the gentleman.
Mr.. BUTLER. / am now upon the floor.
During this or the last Congress for the first
time has the Speaker left the chair. Was it to
speak upon some great measure of finance, of
revenue, of protection to the loyal people of
the South, or OF reconstruction Have we
heard his clarion voice in behalf of the great
measures of the Republican partyi No; up
to this time he has only been speaking to the
House through q wooden gavehead upon a
wooden box He has now left the chair for
the floor. Upon what great and permanent
measured None; solely to attack fellow.
member who sat down to write letter ex-
pressing his views of public duty, who was
careful to draw his letter so as not in any way
to touch the Speaker of the House, but purely
and concisely to state the naked facts Of his
action without word CT comment or inuendo,
if for no other reason, because he was aware
of the consequences to an humble member Of a
quarrel or any unfriendiness with the Speaker
of the House. He had been made painfully
aware of it in the last Congress and in this.
and he knew the risk that he ran II he reused
that anger. He knew the man, and he felt