The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-31
WASHINGTON.
Passage Of the Legislative ApprOpria-
tiOn Bill in the Senate.
Beck's Cotton Tax Refund
ing Scheme.
Southern Soldiers Of the War Of lslg to
Get Their Pensions.
BEN BUTLER ACROSS THE "BLOODY CHASM."
The Coatumacious Stewart Before the
Bar of the House.
He Makes a Speech and is Com
mitted for Contempt.
the CREDIT M0BILlER INVESTIGATION.
"A Lobby Organized in the Steamboat Inter-
est and to Pass Dangerous Bill.
.uvvrr ar1urOAr ut ATnru CONTRADICTION
The Coatumacious Stewart Before the
Bar of the House.
He Makes a Speech and is Com
mitted for Contempt.
the CREDIT MOBlLlER INVESTIGATION.
"A Lobby Organized in the Steamboat Inter
est and to Pass Dangerous Bill.
THE MEXICAN CLAIMS COMMISSION.

THE MEXICAN CLAIMS COMMISSION.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 80, 1873
Southern Soldiers of the War OF 1S1x to
Receive Their Pensi0ns--Ben Butler
Applaudod by the HOuse-Stewart,
the Consumacious Witness, in Com
tempt-A Disgracefuj Scene.
A bill amcndatory OF the Pension laws permit
ting soldiers Of the War OF 1912 who reside in the
South and may have sympathized with the late re-
bellion to receive pension gave rise to slight
breeze in the House to-day. Hawley, OF Connecti-
cut, opposed the BILL and declared that while he
was willing to forget and forgive he was not will
ing to pension men who raised their hands against
the nag. He asked whether, In the opinion OF
Willard, who reported the bill, JEFF Davis was en-
titled to pension for his services in Mexico Gene
raj Butler who Is not supposed to be in love with
Hawley, spoke in favor of the bill. He gave some
"reminiscences OF New Orleans while under his
military authority, and exclaimed with dramatic
effect LET us forget the New Orleans of 1862, and
remember only the New Orleans Of 1927" But
ler's eloquent speech was applauded by the men,
bers who grouped around him. This opportu nity
was too good to be lost with Farnsworth, who took
occasion to fire another shot at his old foe, and he
denounced the practice OF dragging in the name of
JEFF Davis like red flag to deter timid men and
partisans from acts of kindness and mercy. He
said that there were plenty Of hgh-strung radicals
who, had they lived in the South, would have been
glad to have occupied JEFF Davis position. He
said the South was not entirely to blame for
the rebellion, and that, though he never voted
for JEFF Davis for President, he did not
know but what, If he were an old man
Of eighty and applied for a pension for
his services in Mexico, but what he would grant it
to him. The fight was keen, but it must be admit
ted that Butler did himself honor by his generous
sentiments, and, what has not happened before in
the House OF Representatives Butler found him.
Self applauded by the democrats-a circumstance
Reemingly not unpleasing to him, although he
tainted Speaker Blaine receiving similar ap-
pause twelve months ago. The bill passed by a
large majority, which shows that the House is no
longer under the influence OF sectional hatred, at
least for the present. General Hawey made very
favorable Impression on the House at first, but he
Is hardly justifying first impre ssions He is too
clever man to make 1t necessary for him to de-
scend to the tricks Of the demagogue or assume
the CASTOR garment OF the fanatic in
order to gain public attention or political
advancement. After the disposal of the Pension
bill the grand performance announced yesterday
came of. Mr.. Wilson, chairman of the Credit Mo.
bilier Committee No. 2, and asked that the
cOntumacious witness, Stewart, be brought before
the bar Of the House for his refusal to answer the
Speaker instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to pro-
duce the body OF said ]. B. Stewart and he shortly
alter appeared with his prisoner at the main en-.
trance in front Of the Speakers desk and marched
down the aisle until he reached the space In front
OF the Speaker, where he hated-the object OF at
traction to all eyes in the House and to the vast
multitude In the gallery, which was even more
dense than yesterday, not seat being vacant |;
even the passages and doorways were crowded
This was undoubtedly the great event Of Stew.
arts life; the one that shall embalm his
name in history and hand 1t down side
by side with that OF Pat Woods. who
had the temerty to place his boot In too intimate
relationship with that portion of Congressman's
sacred person which fills the Congressional chair
Stewart felt all this. He realized that few Con.
gressonal bockheads, under pretence OF protect
ing the rights OF citizen and the prerogatives of
counsellor, honored him, the acknowledged recipi-
ent Of a vast sum OF money which was to be used
for purposes OF corruption, by bringing him on the
noor OF the American House of Representatives to
deliver himself in the presence OF vast multi.
tude, of long-winded grafton remarkable for its
efrrontery and false legal assumptions. IL was a
most Illuminating spectacle to behold him strutting
for full hour on the floor of the House. glorying in
his shame. He declared before God ''that never.
never would he dvuge the secrets or business of his
clients" He even went so far one time as TO tell
the committee that he would not change places
with any OF them. Before he had spoken for thirty
minutes feeling OF evident disgust took posses
sion OF several members, ana Lynch of Maine
and C0burn, OF Indiana endeavored to cut him OF
by claiming that he was out OF order and that he
was not combining himself to his defence. The
Speaker however, overruled the point OF order
and the hero Of the hour proceeded to speak his
piece.
Ne fo mo nf of,f Cd foo fxxo
with broad, square shoulders, an ungainly person,
and the uncouth voice OF backwoods lawyer. His
head Is small, though pretty well developed in
front; face without refinement with all the evi-
dence OF good living in the fat chops and the ruddy
color OF the nose. The Sergeant-at-Arms, who is
quite large man, looked small beside him.
what thoughts may have passed through the
minds OF those who put this last humiliation upon
the american Congress is hard to say; but heard
'hat several members OF the House tonight were
hcaru 10 express themselves in terms Of great dis
oa's'acuoh Win the whole proceedings. After
stewart finished bis harangue the Speaker nut the
question 20 him which he had rafnsed 20 apswor
when before the committee stovor. ro,terotaa |
bs refusal, after which he was ordered tn be re- |
moved by the Sergeant-atArms The chairman NJ |
the committee, Mr.. Wilson, offered n resolution
that Stewart be committed TO the custody of tho |
Sergeant-atArms until he purged himself tron,
contempt Sargent, OF California, moved nm
amendment that lie be committed 10 the
common jail. Kerr, OF Indiana, proposed a
somewhat similar amendment when the law
yers got at 1t again, all helping to be.
fog themselves and everybody who listened.
Sargent, o. California, got into a controversy with
the Speaker and appealed from his decision, but
the Chair was sustained by large majority. After
over the various amendments for an
hour Wilson's resolution was finally adopted; not
that the sentiment pt the House was not ia fayor.