Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-03-21
GEN. BUTLER AND TIE soUTH.

Alleged Outrages- Why Gen. Butler Re.
fuses to iSerUe as Chairman.
General Butler, it appears, cannot retain his
pent-up wrath against the Southern people.
He has written a letter to the republicans in
the United States House of Representatives,
giving his reasons for declining to serve on the
committee, appointed by that body, to iBvss-
tigate the condition of the late insurrectionary
States aud to report the result at the Decem-
Der session. Gen. Buffers circular states his
reasons for declining to serve on the commit.
tee as follows
First-Because this COMMITTEES was forced
upon the republicans by the nearly unanimous
vote OF the democratic party in the House.
aided by some twenty or thirty republicans
only, against the decision of the majority of
that party in duly called caucus of the mem.
bers Of the House,
Secopd-Because this committee was raised
% combination Of the high-tarif republi>
cans with the democracy, the one class viii.
ling to permit the slaughter aud extermiua-
ton OF their POLITICAL friends In the South if
the tariff could be saved, even for nine months.
by an early adjournment of Congress, and the
democracy acting with them in pursuance Of
deliberate plan, carefully concocted, in NV
oeNet, to murder and outrage enough Union
men OF the South to overcome by fear, in.
timIdation, and injury the republican majority
At the next presidential election, we'll knowing
that this committee can do them no harm. and
that It will furnish IN excuse to the tariff re.
puoNcans to vote with them for an early ad.
tournament without Legislation TO protect
Union men in the rebel States.
Ihlrd-Because such committee would be
wholly powerless for any good purpose Sit
unS In the vacation, it can have, under Ear
hmentary law, no power to compel the attend.
ance OF single witness who does not choose
to come, or an answer from one when he does
come. NN'
fourth-Because my service as chairman
OF tho committee would furnish the best cleo
pioneering document that could be placed in
the hands of the democracy in the coming
contest, in this, that the report of the com.
mittee would be wholly nugatory, iIIusOry.
aud useless to show the exact state of thio@s
at the South. Whenever aud wherever the
committee would go there would be sunshine
ana peace, and we should be compelled so to
report.
Fltth-Because with these views of the
efficiency and powers of the committee NV
services would be useless, and am not accus
tomea 70 undertake to do that which l feel
pllsh and It Is parliamentary practice which
has lately been illustrated in a signal instance
in the Senate, the chairman of a COMMITTEES
should be In harmony with the majority who
constitute 1t, and there is no element Of har.
mony between me and the democratic party.
largely composed of secessiOnists, old whigs
and know nothings, who arc the majority that
constituted this committee.
Slxth-Because this committee was brought
into being by legislative trick-aud not n
credItable one at that-by which the wishes
OF the republican majority of the House have
been thWarted by n republican minority, by
the aid OF democratic votes, with which pro
ceedIng, a. republican, desire to divorce
myself.
Seventh-Because the very resolution
"hicn authorized the committee was so framed,
and, in my belief purposely, in the interests
of the democratic party, that such COMMITTEES
cannot report, under the rules of the House
in the face Of the democratic opposition. and
by their position, in more than a year from
this time, the penal power not being inserted
IN IL 10 report at any time, and being a special
select committee 1t cannot under the rules of
the House, be called in its turn.
Ei9hth-BecauSe the passage of the resolu.
ton is seeming discourtesy 10 the other
branch of the Legislature, the Senate having
taken up an investigation through its own
committee, having proceeded to q very con.
siderable extent in it and made a report in
part which certainly, to every republican
mind' shows state of crime and horror sui,
hcient to justify legislative action.
The letter concludes with this assault on
the Speaker:
81 am compelled to take this mode to nd
dress you in declining to serve, because the
announcement Of the committee was not made
by the Speaker until after the vote of adjourn.
ment had been taken, and Immediately there.
upon his hammer fell, by which he adj Ourned
the House, SO as to preclude the possibility of
res'gninS the place, and was attempted to be
forced upon me at the time. believe can
demonstrate, even if majority of Il parlia,
mentaTy body can fOrcc a Massachusetts, man
on committee at pleasure, that it is quite
another thing for the Speaker to force another
on committee against his consent"
the ENFORCEMENT ACT, which de-
prIves the States of all control over elections