Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-18

Mr.. Dawes-The more the pity then
Gaughter) [
Mr.. butler--I am not troubled about all
this. / say here that after Republican eau.
Gus was regularly called by the duly elected
members of the House, at which the action
| Of the caucus was to be acted upon, and had
l determined what measure should be put be.
fore the House for its consideration, then that
| was legislative trick by which the minority
| of the party sprung the question upon the
/ House,xhtch compelled the votes Of a portion
| Of the Republicans and gave seeming ma
| jority to a measure illusory in its character
| and useless in action, which had no majority
in fact in its favor, so the pleasure of the ma
| jority might be defeated by the aid of Dem
ocratic votes. These are the gentlemen all
| around me who did not feel at liberty to vote
| against the resolution when il was thus sprung
| upon them; who felt about it Just the same as
do, but obliged to vote for it lest they should
be compromised. That is what / mean by a
legislative trick by which seeming majority
was compelled where there is none in fact
l mean when man stays out Of caucus Of
the Republican party and that caucu& settles
a measure, and then comes in and undertakes
to thwart that party by aid of the vote of our
| opponents, whom expect to vote as they did
by offering measure they can support, and
he gets them to support that which the Re-
publican majority cannot, that say is a leg
| islatve trick, and ! say it with full knowl
edge of my responsibility. If it is not true
| in the judgment of the country | shall fail.
| fit is true then on the heads of those who did
it be the responsibility of loss of life, liberty
| and property of our friends, the loyal men OF
the South, unprotected and uncared for by
any aid they receive from Congress when our
hands are tied by this trick.
Mr.. Kelley of sylvania-Inasmuch as
am simply replying to an assault on protec-
| ZIONIST members of the House / ask the gen.
| tleman whether an examination of the record
| will not show that these Republicans who
| voted to repeal the duties on articles which
American labor produced, but vote against
| the repeal of the duties on tea and coffee,
| which do not compete with any of our in
| dustries, do not make the bulk Of the Repub-
| lican vote of which he complains, and whether
he does not saddle upon innocent shoulders
the offenses of the revenue reformers who
gave the Democratic party the ascendency in
this house and have maintained it.
Mr.. Butler-The vote upon the late meas
ures of the gentleman from Maine (Hale) in
reference to coal and salt, tea and coffee, by
no means show the tariff or revenue raSorm
strength in this House For one / voted
steadily against the repeal of the duty ON coal
although think the duty unwise. did not
vote on the salt question because did NOT de-
Democratic party in the House. If MAORI
ty of all the Republican party want to repeal
the duty on salt we will do it in our own way.
We will not follow the lead of the Democracy.
If we want to repeal the duty on coal we will
do it in our own good time and for our own
| purpose.
| We will not do SO under the lead of the De-
| mocracy as Democratic measure, if we
| want to repeal the duties on tea and coffee :;
Tsls Il. - Il 4 L., ~
| state of the treasury TO take of all these du-
| ties That was the feeling under which vot-
| ed. did so because I wanted the country
to see where our party would 60 if we contin-
| ued to follow the Democratic lead and vote
their measure. The difficulty is that am al
the time obliged to shape my action so as the
| majority of the House may carry on the leg
| islation of the country for itself and not per-
NIT Democratic minority by carefully and
| fully prepared resolutions of the Republican
| minority to do it as in this instance, and de-
| feat the will ofthe Republican majority.
Mr.. Dawes-Is there any better way than
TO acquiesce with the majority:
Mr.. Butler-Yes, sir; always acquiesce
with the Republican majority and never with
| the Democratic majority (Laughter.) That
is the way l understand acquiescence.
Mr.. Dawes-How do you cipher = to 30.
| daughter
| Mr.. Butler-I cipher s. to 80 By men who
were compelled to vote for this resolution or
| 10 compromise themselves. That was the
raeson why this resolution was 80 cunninZiy
| prepared.
Mr. Dawes-There does not seem 10 be
| sybody troubled but you.
| Mr.. Butler-I am not in the slightest troub-
! lie. l think somebody else will find trouble
when they reckon with the people for this de-
| feating legislation that would give peace to
| the South.
| Mr. Peters said the resolution proposing
| the Select Committee was written by his col
| league and friend, Mr.. Blaine. The friends
| of the resolution went about the House and
| consulted with other gentlemen. Many Re-
| publicans thought the resolution desirable as
compromise and ought to pass, even if 9TH
err legislation was to come. 1t was not
| sprung upon the House for all the notice was
| given that could be given in the way he just
| mentioned. 1t was also shown to the gentle
man from Massachusetts.
| Butler-What was the answer?
Mr.. Peters replied that he stated the fact
not being called upon to give an answer.
Butler-The answer was, on no condition
could l vote for it.
Mr.. Peters resumed, saying it was stated in
caucus that its action was not binding, but it
was understood that the bill for the protection
VI lUydl not De introduced
leaving all at liberty to do what they thought
proper. There was no trick whatever in the
case but acting on his own responsibility no
caucus determination would have restrained
| him from the right. He would however go in
to the caucus and bind himself for the organ
ization of the House. He would go into the
caucus, and if possible agree with his friends
| to q certain extent; but he could not be forced
| into voting against the measure because the
gentleman from Massachusetts opposed it OF
| gentlemen on the other side advocated it, He
could not be driven to vote for free salt OF
| coal because Democrats waited them He
believed the resolution salutary and he con-
graduated the House that it had been passed
by majority of all the Republicans and Dem
ocrats who voted.
Mr. Butler asked what the gentleman would
have thought of him or ten of his street friends
who having attended the caucus and agreed
upon nominee, should come into the House
and throw the Speakership into the hands Of
Democrats.
Mr.. Peters-I should suppose you had
l.Ak 4