The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-04-11
RICH SCENE IN THE SENATE.
Garrett Davis, OF Kentucky, and the
Massachusetts Beast.
What Comes Of Butler Airing xzis
xnsOlence in the Senate Chamber
he Gets Some Very Truthful
Epithets.

A very extraordinary scene took place
IN the Senate Last week between Garrett
Davis and Ben Butler, which, while its
lasted, created a profound sensation, especi-
ally in the galleries. Garrett had been
spsakisg for some time upon Shermans
resolution ins,ructing the Judiciary Com
mittee to report q Ku.Klux bill, and had
worked himself into considerable passion
at what he considered the unjust charges of
disorders made upon the South, when Butler
came into the Senate. At this point Davis
wac facing his democratic colleagues, and
was apparently e1horsing them. Butler,
observing who was speaking, marched over
in that direction and took seat directly
next TO the Kentucky Senator then
s,retching his legs out, he wheeled his chair
around, threw his head back and looked at
Davis with an expression on his face OF
mingled insolence and contempt. The gal
leries, thinking it q mere piece of bravAdo,
enjoyed the thing hugely. Davis, whose
back was still tOrned, had reach
ed that point in his speech where
he was claiming that the stor-
les OF Southern outrAges we're grossly
exaggerated. "They are more,n said he
"they are vile inventions of unprincipled
adventures aud heartless scoundrels made
to continue their ill-Hottsn hold on political
power they are"--(snd here turning round
in the warmth Of his feeling, he beheld But
Ter almost at his very elbow, looking straight
at him with face as immovabe rs stone.)
Davis Immediately paused in his halt fin
ished sentence, placed both hands on his
desk, and glared at Butler almost with the
ferocity of tiger. Butler returned the
Kentuckian's look unainchingly, only grow
ing a trihe paler. This tableau continued
for several moments, neither of the men
changing their attitude a particle, while the
galleries looked on in painful suspense, and
the surrounding Senators held their breaths,
and affected an unconcern which no one
felt. Finally Gsrret,d drew himself up, thrust
his clenched fist almost in Buffers face. and
said, "Here, here is the man; this is the
class of men who concoct stories of diaboli-
cal outrages, and ask for unlimited power to
suppress them. Look at the scoundrel, here
he is," and his excitement becoming too
great for him, he sunk back in his seat
Some threatening demonstrations were
of those things where interference was q
very delicate matte, no one attempted
any ching of the kind thus far, and
those present breathed more freely
when Gsrret dropped into his seat
Still Butler never budged nor altered the
expression of his face, although thousand
eyes were turned upon him. Garrett was
no sooner in his chair than he wheeled it
around and commenced to draw it no BY
sharp Jerks in the direction of Butler, until
the distance between them was almost i'm
peroeptble, when he burst out again, "Oh,
you scoundrel you rascal" with few
strong sdjectives prefaoing each of the
above epithets, "Did you come here to insult
me?"
Butler replied 600 away from me. What
do you suppose care about you? Go
away"
Garrett was ust about to raise his hand to
strike Butler, when Henry Wilson left his
OWE seat, fastened over to the scene of the
threatened conflict, and placing himself be-
tween the two men, stopped the disgrAcefu
proceedings at once.
Garrett, upon being appealed to in calm,
considerste way, cooled down at once, an
rereated into one of the Senate ante-rooms
Butler, however, stalked around the Senate
for several minutes, laughing aud talking to
this and that one rs if nothing whatever had
occurred. When Davis was asked, later in
the day, why he gave way to his preJudices
in 50 oh = conspicuous manner, ne replied
that it was very evident to him that sButler
took his seat there for no other purpsse than
to insult him, and he would allow no man
10 do that.
The general verdict to-day seems to be
that if Butler must have rows he must keep
on his own side of the House.