Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-04-21

/ vi euhucHhIcHicllt anu perjury. daughter ana
| great eXcitement) That was all he had to saw
Mr.. Butler remarked that he held in his hand
| the report of the military committee, made last
session. and would read the closing paragraph
| of it as an answer to all the advertised calum-
! ny which might be put out against him any
| where. The paragraph which he read, states
| that the committee were convinced that the
funds of the national asylum for disabled sol
| diers had been faithfully applied by the board
| of managers, and that the general manage
ment of the several branches of the asylum had
been efficient; also, that the committee had
come to the conclusion that the treasurer, hay
ing accounted for all the funds of the asylum
that had ever come into his hands, was 10 be
entirely exonerated from any charge or sus-
picion of incorporation, neglect or miscon-
duct in the discharge of his duties.
Mr.. Butler said, in conclusion, under that re-
rort he branded as false and calumnious every
thing that could be said against the president
and treasurer of the national asylum. 1t was
for the military committee to say whether its
members had been corrupted under his Buffers,
lead. They could vindicate their own honor.
tie had not their honor in charge. Their report
was shield to him against the attacks of any
man. He had no words for a characterization
of that attack. Gentlemen should Judge for
themselves, coming as it did under the guise and
false pretence of personal explanation. There
were twelve or fifteen gentlemen in the house,
whom he had taken 10 Fortress Monroe, and to
whom he had shown the property which he had
sold TO the national asylum, and every man who
saw it would admit that, in that transaction, he
had given $4,000 to disabled soldiers.
MIR. Farnsworth-"The member from Massa-
chusetts Swore in the investigation, that he did
not sell it; his brotherin-law sold it," laugh
ter)
Mr.. Butler-"Ohl pshawl pshawl Qaughter.)
That was one of the cheats in the statement. 1t
was put into the hands of my brother-in-law as
security for money which he lent me-"
Mr. Earn brot Ia,
he did not lend you any money" Uaugher.)
Mr.. Buter-'l cannot have any controversy
with that man, whom would not believe under
oath" daughter and hammering from the
speakers gaveD. Referring to the witnesses
who swore against him in the investigation, he
said one of them was a runaway marine de-
serter, whom lie had been trying to find to put
a ball and chain around his leg, and another
was Baltimore man who had once served with
him, Butler, for supposed gallant conduct, but
had since gone down, lower, lower, lower, until
he had sunk to the position of being a witness
for the member from Illinois. uaughter)
Mr.. Farnsworth-"And other witnesses were
the member from Massachusetts and'his brother
in-law." tRenewed laughter and other mani
| festatiOns Of thorough enjoyment of the scene.)
Mr.. Butler remarked, in conclusion, that he
| would never again be drawn into a controversy
on the subject. What was the use, he asked, of
an investigation and of a report generating
a man from all blame, when such exoneraton
was made only foundation of fresh charges
and fresh calumnieS, direct from hell. (Laugh-
ter.)
Mr.. Beck asked and obtaned leave to make
statement, on behalf Of the senator from Ken
lucky, who he said, had been so foully de-
nounced by the member from Massachusetts,.
That senator and that member had had CON
troversy on the floor of the senate.
e Mr.. Butler-"0h mol | had no controversy
with him."
Mr.. Beck-"The senator denounced the mem
Der, on the floor of the senate, as damned
scoundrel,' and would characterize that as
controversy. Uaughter.) They had quarrel
| on the floor of the senate Ii ought 10 have
| ended there, and would have ended there but
| for the fact that the member from Mas 'achu-
| sets saw fit to come on the floor of the house.
| and use language grossly offensive to the sena-
| tor from Kentucky, and it was after the
| senator had pronounced the speech which had
| been quoted by the member. The member from
Massachusetts, if he had personal explanation
to make, should have made it at once; but he
had waited until last Tuesday the day that con-
gresS was to adjourn, and then asked leave to
make it, having sent printed slips of it, in adj
vance, to Boston and to the New York Her
aid, knowing that the senator would have left the
city before he could have seen it in print. There
| upon, objected, because it had been held up so
long, and not because did not want to give the
gentleman chance TO- replication"
| Mr.. Butler-interrupting- reason given
|
speak SO long as an Indictment against his state
| continued"
Mr.. Beck-"IfI had an OppoI tunity TO reply
to that Indictment would have done it in a
way which hope would have been worthy of
the state. When the gentleman was irving to
| get leave to-day, asked him whether he would
| assail the senator from Kentucky, and he re-
| piled that he would not, and. on that statement
the members on the democratic side voted to
give him the privilege. did not believe what
hn gaIA md fhnraI .nrarr GOD -
ter.) When the member arises and announces
that tie senator from Kentucky has been guilty
of falsehood, deny it, | hurl it back and say
that the character of that senator is as good as
that OF any man upon earth. He never did
| wlfully tell lie, and no man before ever ac-
| cused him OF it. When the member said that
| the senator is shielded by his age and that he
| did not seek the proper redress, have only to
| say that, while my senator is neither bully nor
| blackguard, the member can got any redress
from him that be seeks, outside Of this hail. or
anywhere else. Q4aughterJ do not believe it
lies in the mouth of the member from Massa-
chusetts to talk about my senator beng shielded
by his age or not seeking proper redress,
! have witnessed scenes With that member
which satisfied me that he would not seek the
redress TO which he alludes (Laughter.) He
does not forget that | have, in the presence of
fifteen members of the house. seen the member
from Illinois, Mr., Farnsworth, put his fist in
the face of the member from Massachusetts de-
n0unce him In every way one man can denonnce
another, until had TO say to other members of
the committee, standing by, that did not think
one white man would take it without a fight
and decent negroes in New York state would
fight over it," (pproarious laughter)
Mr., Farnsworth-- deriSively-'It was on ac-
count of his extreme old age, perhaps" (Sbouts
of laughter.)
Mr. Butler-pointing to Mr.. Fansworth-
"He is not white man."
Mr. Eldrdge-"Now is the proper time to call
in the chaplain" Continuous laughterl.
Mr. CoS-"The coroner should be also sent
for"
Mr.. Stoughton, a member of the military COM
mittee of the last house, defended the action
and report Of that committee, and stated that
the vouchers Of the gentleman from Massachu-
sets, i'll reference to the national asylun had
been submitted TO the committee. and showed
that he had fairly and honestly expended every
dollar he had received from the treasury of the
United States.
It was true that the committee did not require
Gen. Butler TO produce his private bank account.
but there was no pretence that he had converted
dollar of the public money to bis own use He
had deposited money in bis own name. but the
committee had come to the conclusion that he
had night TO deposit it, tho only difference be-
ing that it the money was lost, he would be per-
sonally responsible for it. There was no pre-
tcnce or proof that he had misappropriated a
dollar of money.
At this point of the discussion, and while the
house was quite amused and excited over it, the
speaker hammer descended, and he announced
that the first session of the house of representa-.
uVes iOr the AID congress was adjourned, with
out day. '''