The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-03-21

From articles recently published in
the papers, we fear OLr friend w. Z.
Whitthorne, member of Congress from
the Maury district, has been gully OF
an act of folly, not to call 1t by any
harsher name, in ''correspo@dence,
which he endeavored to set up with
Gen B. f. Butler. in regard to ISLANDERS
alleged TO have been uttered by the
latter. The correspondence had the
smell "villainous saltpetre" about II,
and looked very much as II our trleL
"Whit" wanted old "cOck eyes" gore.
He didR't challenge oil Ben, but the
note said to have been addressed to han,
had decided squirting at pistols and
coffee" for two or more. we gave
Whitthorne credit for more d secretion
than that act mplies.-JdckSOn Why.
Gross injustice is done our representa-
tive i'm the above article. There was moth
ing in his letter to Gen. BUTLER, which
looked at all like an intention or desire
TO fight duei-quite the reverse. In
friendly and courteous manner he calls
the attention of Gen. BUTLER to report
ofhis speech in the RePubttcGR, which
was incorrect, and unjust to both. The
letter stated that the writer did not under
stand Gen. BUTLER to say the words i'm
puted to him by the Repubticdn reporter.
If Gen. BUTLER has any of the spirit OF
fair dealing in him, he was thankful to
wHITTHoRNE for calling his attention to
a very incorrect report of his speech ,
We are at loss to understand in what
consists our representatives. folly" III
the matter. A representative who would
allow his good name 10 be abused by a
distinguished Congressman with impu-
My would, it seems, be after the Wings
own heart. but We are certain he would
be scorned by the people of tins Congress
ional district. Weare opposed to duel
ing, but we can see nothing more in
what Gen. WHITTHoRNE did than any
southern gentleman would have done.
'The correspondence between Gen.
WHIFrHoRNE and Gen. BUTLER came
about in this way: Gen. WHTTHoRNE's
bold speech against the Credit Mobilier
crew fell upon the House like bomb
shell, and BUTLER resorted 10 his low
cunning to parry the blow. In his
speech he took the ground that Con
gcess did not have jurisdiction over the
actions ola preceding Congress, and
iutimated that if it As decided that
Congress could punish it's members for
their past conduct, Gen. WHITTHoRNE
might find that his association with
Gov. HARRIS, as his Adjutant-G eneral,
IN 1862, when he hed the stats and stole
the school fund, might not bear investi-
CATION. Gen. WHITTuoRNE told BUT
LER his charge against Gov. HARRIS was
not true; whereupon BUTLER said that
WHITTHoRNE held his seat n the floor
Of the House by the clemency OF the Re-
publican party. Gen. WHrrTHoENE
replied that he had much mistaken the
spirit with which the pardon was grant
cd him, if he was expected 10 compound
a felony. The Beast found he could
make nothing in parrying blows with
blade as keen as his own, and changed
his line OF attack. The report of BUT
LkR's speech appeared in such a distOrt
ed condition that Gen. WHTTHoRNE
felt compelled to notice it.
Gen, WHITTHoRNE is the only South
ern Congressman, we believe, who spoke
and voted against the infamous "back
pay" bill, and was among the few Dem
ocrats who had the moral courage to come
out boldly for the expulsion OF all Cong
ressu,en connected with the corrupt
Credit Mobilier business. 1t is proud
record, and we feel proud of him, as our
representative at the national Capital.