Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-04-21
Forty-Second Congress-First Session.


Messrs. COnkling and Davis, of Kentucky,
were appointed to wait on the president and in
form him that unless lie had some further COM
munication to make congress was now ready to
adjourn.
On motion OF Mr.. Scott, all bills on the table,
petitions, etc, were ordered TO be referred to
their appropriate committees
Mr. West introduced bill to incorporate the
Louisiana, Kansas and New Mexico railroad
company. Referred.
AT 1920 the senate went into executive ses-
sion.
The house met at halfpast ten o'clock and re-
ceived message from the senate, announcing
its agreement to the conference report on the
kuklux bill and the passage of the concurrent
resolution for the final adjournment at two
O'Clock to-day. The house proceeded to con-
slider the conference report on the kukluX bill.
Mr. Poland, OF Vermont, who presented the
report, proceeded to explain and advocate it.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Poand's remarks,
Mr. Cox, of New York, remarked that the sec
ton submitted for Mr.. Sherman'S amendment
did not mean anything.
Mr.. Scoield, of Pennsylvana-"Of course it
does not, and was not designed to-"
Mr.. CoX-"Go on with your music" laugh
ter)
Mr.. Shellabarger, of Ohio, thought it was
quite unfair to the true effect and scope of the
substitute to say of it that ii did not mean any,
thing and was not designed to mean anything,
and proceeded to explain the provisions and
effect of the substitute. He thought there was
much virtue in it, and that it would be a benefi-
cent and restraining element in the bill.
MIR. WhithOrne, minority member of the
conference committee, said he had not signed
the report particularly on account of its retain
ing the section for the test oath to jurors, a
measure which the democratic side of the house
regarded with more horror than it even did the
Sherman amendment. He appealed to the house
to before il to tI,o
people of the south, and not irrtate and provoke
them more.
Mr.. Beck, in the course of his remarks in op-
position to the report, argued that the effect of
the clause relative to jurors oaths in the bill
would exclude every honest white man from the
jury, and to pack juries for political purposes.
MIR. Butler of Massachusetts, denied that the
law was properly subject to the construction
Mr. Beck gave it, 1t was not enough that per-
sons had fed or clothed confederate soldiers II
was necessary to show that it was done for the
purpose of aiding the rebellion. 1t was the act
of rebellion, and not an act of charity, that
would keep them out of the jury box. He ridi-
culed the constitutional objections yesterday to
Mr. Sherman's amendment, and said he had
Known men who had mistaken dyspepsia for
conscience, and doubts and qualms for constitu-
tlonal law. He looked upon the substitute for
the sherman amendment as utterly fruitless and
useess-a mere illusion. The effect would be
as absurd as to bring a suit against three hun.
a remedy for burning corn. As far as he knew
they were the original kuklux. daughter
There was not the first pretense of remedy in
that substitute. There was not a man who be-
lieved there would be verdict under it. The
object was merely to throw dust in the ewes of
the people, But, after all, he should go for it,
Just as often as he had to 90 for the deficiency
bill, because they had to he passed. He would
therefore, take this bill with the iload
Mr. Garfield Of Ohio replied to Mr. Beck's OBJ
jectlons in regard TO the jury test oath, and re.
minded the house that In that respect it was a
remedial measure, as 1t modified the existing
law on the subject, In reply to the remarks of
Mr.. Butler, he reminded the house of the mytho-
logical god who ate up his own children as fast
as they were born into the world.
After further discussion, the house. by q strict
party vote of 93 to IA, adopted the confer
ence report on the kukluX bill,
Mr.. butler finally obtained an opportunity to
make his personal explanation
Assuming Mr., Davis own description of the
occurrence to be true, Mr.. Butler submitted to
the candid Judgment of the house, and all Just
men, which of the two had, in the affair, PLAYED
the part OF courteous gentleman, and which
the part of a blackguard. Davis was shielded
from responsibility for what he said by his age,
and his senatorial toga, and, thus shielded and
protected, he had injected the effluvia of his re-
venge after the most heightened manner of chiy-
airy.
Mr.. Beck submitted whether Mr.. Butler had
not violated the pledge he had made TO the dem,
ocratit side of the house, when he got its con.
sent 10 make the explanation, that he would say
nothing personally offensive to Mr.. Davis,
Mr.. Butler denied having given that pledge.
he had merely said he would make no attack
upon MN. he had, for nearly nine years. suf-
fered from assaults and charges of having an
propriated to his own use small amounts of
money IN Louisiana; and now he would answer
them, once for all. He had captured and levied
assessments on rebels in Louisiana to the
amount of nearly three million of dollars, and
he charged himself with the amount on the
books of the department. Those books had been
open Tor nine years, and even his detractorS had
not said he had not fully accounted for the
amount Referring to the investigation at the last
session into the management of the national aSy.
lunl, he accused Mr.. FarnSwOrl of having pub, |
lished in the globe a speech not delivered and |
nlgAly slanderaus TO him, Butler. BY that act |
that gentleman had put himsefout of the rule of |
civilized warfare, and be would never hcnceforth |
consider that gentleman's tongue or pen Il Sian. |
der upon anybody, certainly not on himself
Mr. farnsworth asked and obtained permits
SION TO make q personal explanation, in reply |
to Mr.. Butler. He said it was too late in the
DAY TOR that gentleman to put on airs, and pro-
tess a rule of non-intercourse. He trusted shat |
ms, Farnsworths, great age had not anything |
10 DO with such non-intelcourse, as was sug-
gested by him in reference to the senator from
kentucky In reference to the Investigation as
70 e; me management of the national asylum for
disabled soldiers, ha complained that the COM
nlttee had not acted fairly in the matter, in
refusing, among other things, to require the |
treasurer of that institution, Butler to produce
his bank book, which would show that he had
constantly on hand from 100000 to S150,000 of
government money, which he kept in his own
private bank, in his own name, and with which
he specialized,
Mr.. Butler made q point Gf order that this
was an attack upon blpl instead OF personal
The speaker-"wil the gentleman from Mas
saehnsetts state the words to which he objects,
and the chair will rule on the question,
MIR. Butler-T should say pretty much all |
of it (laughterl When am told | have gorged |
myself with public money, suppose that does |
not require point of order to be made"
The speaker ruled such language out of |
order.
Mr.. Farnsworth--"1he member from Massa |
chusetts alluded to my speech, as published |
In the Globe and am only recounting the points |
of it, to show that it was not unparliameptary. |
The speaker said he had no doubt the Ian |
guage of the gentleman from Illinois was mn |
parliamentary, and so ruled without hesitation
Mr. Farnsworth was allowed, by vote of the |
house. to proceed.
Mr. Banks remarked that it was not proper
for member to ask unanimous consent to
make personal explanation, and then make
criminal charge against a member
The speaker said he entirely agreed with the
gentleman from Massachusetts
Mr.. farnSworth remarked that he also agreed
with the gentleman from Massachusetts. Laugh
teri He went on 70 speak of the transaction for
tne sale o. piece OF property at Hampton, Va,
for national asylum, the property having been
owned by Mr.. Butler, but transferred by him to
his brother.ln.law, Mr., Hildreth. to cover over
appearances. ln conclusion, he said, il that
transaction and the testimony given by Mr.
Butler before the committee on military affairs.
xrnro hafor t... II ~