Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1874-04-16
1 viii here copy the section on which this

| will here copy the section on which this
vote was taken-It reads as follows:
THAT after tbs passage of this act no
public lands of the United States shall
''be sold, except mineral lands aud town
sites, and all the public lands of the
United States adapted to Agriculture
shall be reserved for actual settlers under
1.-THE provisions Of the homestead laws,
''subject however to land warrants and
college Scrip issued by authority of
Congress, and the grants which Congress
shall hereafter make in the Territories
'and new States for tue purposes Of ed
''ucdtion."
The common school bill-see Manual
for 1s72,sago 1872 dedicated the proceeds
of the public lands to these schools. The
above proposed Amendment restricted
the sales to actual settlers, (homes for the
poor,) and in connection with the
bill reserved the proceeds for the educa-
tion of their children. Ga this propo-
Sition the vote stood, yeas, 1903. Nays,
II. r. Butler and others-Mmual 1872,
page 12S.
On the next day, Feb'y. s, the final
vote was had on the bill and stood as fol,
lows, yeas, III, nays 50, not voting r
r. Butler and others. See KaRaal 1872,
Page l%22>l23,
Now these are the simple facts which |
charge, and yet Mr.. Butler has the au-
dacity to say they are false,
As to the proposition to require Rail
Road Companies, to whom public lands
are donated, to sell to actual settlers at a
price not to exceed $3.50 pr d re, he al
nit that he did vote 9sainst it and in IA
vor Of allowing them to Sc Il at ably price.
lie has voted 50 often in this way
for he is seldom absent or sick when a
vote is to be given in favor of a rich Cor
p%oration or Company-ke could not deny
it, but excuses the folly of such votes by
intlmating that they were given after the
land had been donated. Now he knew
better, the record was before him.
On May 2Gth, 1870, the proposition was
bcfors the House to make an allihonal
donation of public lands to the Northern
Pacific Rail Road Company, to be ac-
cepted on condition that said company
would sell the same to actual settlers at a
price not to exceed $3.50 per acre. This
was a plain proposition to give tn csc
lands upon the condition specified. The
vote stood yeas 81, nays, Il, II. Butler
and others. ManunI 1870, page 500.
He gave many other votes of the same
sort, but | reserve them till he writes
another letter.
SUPPLEMENTARY CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.
Mr.. Butler says: 81 did refuse to vote
to take up this bill, not because | was op.
posed to it, but because | until it to
pass" In all candor must say that if
Mr.. Butler has no respect for himself he
ought to show some regard for his consti-
%tuents, such a statement is an insult to
the Intelligence of every voter in the dis
trict, both white and colored.
The motion was made by Mr.. Elliot
to set April the 10th as the day for the
hearing of this bill. Tie design was to
secure its passage as the session was draw
ing to a Close. Important bills are often
set for particular days to secure action on
them. Moreover this bill came up for
final action on April the Sth and the vote
stood as follows yeas 100, nays r. r.
Butler and II others, all de nocrats but
Mr. Butler. But he says the record is
incorrect, and that he was not there at
all, and wants to prove it by showing
simply that he did not vote on several
pages of the Globe about that date. If
not voting is evidence of his absence, |
think he can safely say that he can prove
himself absent from one third to one half
OF BIS time. But the case Is desperate
and he must resort to desperate means,
even to a denial of the records Of Congress
aud an appealto his friends at home to come
to his rescue, as he has done heretofore
in cases equally desperate and hopeless.
Ii he is SO much in favor OF the bill why
did he not vote favorably on some Of the
propositions before his alleged exit from
the city. The records of Congress will
stand as they always have as i~ndesputable
evidence Of the proceedings of the House.
This bill | want the reader to observe
which he now says he was SO much in fa-
vor of and was SO anxious to. have passed
provided for mircd Schools, and imposes
heavy penalties on teachers who should