Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-02-28

BEN BUTLEn's GREAT EFFORT TO EsTABLIsH oAKEs
AMEs' GOOD oHARAoTER-wHAT OUR ooRREs-
PoNDENT THOUGHT OF 1.-THE DRLIBERA-
TIVE RANDALI.-No SMILES FOR HIM.
Special Correspondence Of The Commercial.
WASHINGTON D. c., Feb. 27.
Well, after mnch patience we have all heard
the " gentleman from Massachusetts - = the
i" member from the Essex district" That long
looked for and anxiously awaited speech, the
hope of hearing which induced number of per-
SONS to sit for two days in the crowded and ILL
ventilated galleries of the House, has been
made, and venture to say, that there was not
person present who will not remember the occa-
sion. The Capitol, like it has been since the re-
port of the Committee, was crowded, and at the
hour for assembling-half past seven--there were
hundreds unable to get near the doors OF the
fort ts was s'n made to have the ladies' admitted
were not permitted to do so. That
high toned representative of the aristocratic LIST
District Of your sister city Of Brotherly Love,
| Sam. J. Randall, objected, and persisted in his
objection, because 1t was utterly impossible for
| them to deliberate" as they should deliberate
with the fair creatures in the hall. He was eus-
tanned by few more old fogies, and finally sue
ceeded in defeating the proposition. Noble
/ samuel Let him deliberate
General Buffers speech was great effort and
| ry many, it is considered to be his greatest sue
/ cess. For nearly two hours he held the listening
| throng enchained. Perfect quiet regned, broken
only by his own witty salies, or temporary inter
/ ruption Of some member whom he had thrust too
deeply. II was a defence of the report, submitted
| by him from the Judiciary Committee, against
| the power of the House to expel q member for
| what had been done years back as well as de-
| fence Of the actions of 0akes Ames To the
former he devoted the most time and argument,
believing as he did that the House had no con-
stitutonal right to so expel. He took the cases
| cited by the Poland committee and ondeayored
/ 10 prove that in none of them was the expulsion
for deeds done before the parties were elected
but for other reasons, given in the copious ex-
tracts that he read. and dehed any member OF
that House or Of the Senate, or any lawyer, to
find precedent for the course proposed by the
Poland Committee. He then named several ca
| ses wherein members of Congress had been
charged with misdemeanors and Investigations
had been asked for but upon finding that
the same had occurred prior to the election
of the member. the Committees had
in every instance declared that the House had
no Jurisdiction. Referring to the case OF O. O.
Bowen, he said Bowen was charged with muir
der and yet the committee on elections then
declare him entitled to his seat. Why was not
Bowen expelled. He was convicted OF bigamy
in this very District and was still permitted to
sit in the House for months to the great danger
Of centaminating every married man IN IT,
(Langhter.)
Throughout, he spoke of Ames as " Honest
Oakes Ames,' and in reference to the charge OF
| his colleague, Gen. Banks, that the testimony
| of Ames OF itself condemned him, he sad that
was where the trouble was. Had Mr.. Ames
, lied as did some Others, when they found an in
vestigation was likely to be the result OF
, certain newspaper reports, there never
would have been any investigation OF
or resolutions of expulsion. But no: he was
too truthful, and now the committee come be-
, fore this House ana ask 1t to expel man who
was truthful and honest enough to tell the
, truth at the risk even Of being expelled, and
} say nothing about the others who lied and
exposed themselves to get out Oh IT, he ue'
| MES that Ames bribed any one. Alludlng to
3 the newspapers he said this whole affair was
. originated by the stealing of some papers by a
{ | newspaper correspondent who sold them to al
{ | editor. Let the newspaper fraternity expe
| that reporter and then they can with more pro-
priety demand the expulsion Of Mr. Ames. Talh
|. about olamor, by the press. What dld ne
Q that God made him, and not the news'
a papers That portion Of his remarks wherein he
: spoke Of the life of Mr.. Ames, from blacksmith
| up to the builder OF one OF the greatest rail-
: roads known to the world, was particularly af
4 fecting. Twice he was overcome and ceased tol
II the moment, whilst Ames for the second time
Q during the discussion bowed his head an6
wept. It was scene diihcut to describe, ana
. do not attempt il further.
: The result finally reached-oensure and no
/ expulsion-has been expected here, whatever
: may have been looked for by people generally
. and to no one are Messrs. Brooks and Amei
!. more indebted than to Ben. Butler, for hit
great effort OF last night "A resolution OF censnrC
n | offered by Mr.. Spear of Pennsylvania, in th'
y y case of VIM. d. Kelley ID now being discussed
i but with the defeat of the resolutions of exput
!, sion public interest is almost entirely subsded
N and with 1t close my letters upon Credit MO
bilier." hENNAr'