The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-02-27

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and atroclous theory that men might com
NIT whatever crimes they pleased anc
that the House dare not investigate them
because these crimes occurred q day OF
two before they were members, then they
might bid farewell to all purity In legisla
ton. He and other members Of the com.
mittee believed that these Republican
house had the courage, foritude, virtue
and integrity to stand by the rights Of the
people, and by the tradition Of Republi-
can and popular government.
Recess until 7:S0 o'clock.
EVENING SESSION.
The House resumed the confederation
Of the resolutions for the expulsion oi
Ames and Brooks.
Mr.. Butler, Of Massachusetts, took the
floor, but yielded to motion to allow
the ladies' who were crowdiDg into the
corridors, into the hall Of the House.
Mr.. Randall said he had no objections
to that, provided 1t was understood that
no amendments would be voted on To-
night. If votes were to be taken, he
wished the members to be undisturbed.
The motion to admit the ladies was re-
jected; only 40 votes in the affirmative. i
Mr.. Butler then proceeded with his re-,
marks in defence ot Ames. BE said he
never had reason to take part many de-
bate, oppressed with such sense OF re-
sponsibility as under which, he now
/ addressed the House. He had spoken in
many forums, In those where the lives oi
men hung wavering in the scales OF JUS
tice, but never where he felt that the
precedent was being discussed Whlcn
must settle for all time the right
Of tho House Of Representatives ol
the United States; he stood here
TO say that the House had no
Jurisdiction over what it was now doing,
and that it had no constitutional or legal
right to expel any member Tor crime al
leSed against him. Five years ago there
was no precedent in this country for the
position taken by the committee, and
there was no precent in England except
| in Wilkes' case, and the record in that
case had been expunged as su6Verslve ol
English liberty. He believed that II these
resolutionsIwere adopted, he would live
to sec Tor his son would live to see) the
record expunged as subversive Of the lib
critics of all the people. The Chairman
of the Select Committee Poland) had told
the House yesterday that q murderer
would be eligible to election il the people
should elect the murderer. What bust.
ness had the House to expel him?
Mr., Bingham-Yes, sure enough, It IS
none of your business. II murder was
no disqualification Tor election, what
right had the House TO supervise II
on the statement of the accusers that
Oakes Ames was honest. On the slate
ment Of everybody he was an honest man
Was there a man in the House who did
not believe that Oakes Ames was an hon.
est and truthful man? Who was there
that did not believe every word he said 7
mot the committee) He had kept his
debt and credit account in his simple
blacksmith way, but with as much accu-
rscy as it would be kept in the first count
ing house Of the land. Here, then, was an
honest man, truthful man, patriotic
man, and they were asked to expel him
lest other members might be contamina-
ted with his honesty, his truth, and his
patriotism. Laughter and applause ]
His style OF bribery was the most pecg-
liar one he had ever heard OF. He reck;
oned interest on his bribe, and haggled
about the per centage Of interest, lie
bribed a man and asked interest on the
bribe. Laughter.
The hammer fell, but time was extend
ed for forty minutes, and Dir. Butler
went on with his argument. r..
What Oakes Amcs had exactly done,
VIVA this: he had said to the members,
this stock is valuable; l think We
have arranged it SO that it will be
valuable If We arc let alone; II
nobody is allowed to levy black.matl
on us, and therefore want TO have such
little modicum Of interest In 1t as that
you will prick up your ears whenever the
Union Pacific railroad Is mentioned. Was
that a bribe? What were these gentle
men to dor Ithad been found expressly
that there was nothing asked by Ames OF
them to take o bribo. he had to guar
antee ten per cent interest on the bribe
Whoever heard of such bribe as that
before9 he had redeemed his guarantee
afterwards because Ames' word was as
good as his bond. If every man con-
nected with the matter had stood where
Ames stood, with Gods truth, this storm
would have blown over, and would hardly
have made ripple on the political sur
face. There was not q man present who
did not know that the truth was that
men in the political canvass got shaky
and incautiously denied it. Laughter on
the D Democratic stde.l
MIR. Bingham, risiDg-l did not deny II
and did not get shaky. Continued
laughter. 14,
Mr.. Butler-I am inculpatng nobody;
but l say that what has troubled the pub
lie conscience Of the right, true thinking
men Of the country is not the Credit
Mobilier stock, but the lies that have been
told about it. Laughter and applause ]
And because you have got one truthful
man among you, you want to get rid OF
him, More laughter.l He had no more
idea OF bribery than he had Of lying.
These records do not belong to him.
Thank God, he told the truth. That is
the kind OF men whom we raise in Massa'
chusetts. Laughter. lam endeavoring
to roll back the lid Of intamY thrown on
an old man. The outsideworld thinks he
is O Mephistopels. He has been compared
to Satan; but he was only to be COM
pared TO Satan before Satan fell.
You know him, o simple-hearted, kind.
hearted, broad.hearted, benevolent, truth.
full and honest old man, and yet the press
that damnable engine OF slander and
llibel-has libelled him all over the coun'
try, until that honest mans name has be-
come by.word and reproach, and the
newspapers tell us what we shall do
under these circumstances. How did this
Credit Mobilier matter get out? a
newspaper reporter stole the document
ana sold 1t to u newspaper, which pub
lished II. 1t began with the receiving ol
stolen goodv, let the press expcl that
member and then we will listen to lis
suggestion. l aA not to be frightened.