Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-02-04

foor and characterized Mr.. M'Lean's
language as improper, ungentlemanly,
ruffianly, and said the time had gone by
when such language could affect him.
Mr.. Lamar asked the speaker if the
language Of SIR. Butler was parliament
ary.
Mr.. Butler-I have spoken to nobody.
say the day has gone by when that
| kind OF language can affect anybody.
Mr. Randall-The whole thing does
not amount to shucks. Let it go.
Mr.. Cox to Butler-DOn't make any
fuss about that. You are beaten at
home, and we are ell right here.
Mr.. Butler-We are sll right here, too.
Mr.. M'Lean-The gentleman Butler]
spoke of the southern people as banditti,
horse-thieves and assassins. If / mis-
understood him, withdraw my remark,
out il l did understand him, then l reit-
crate my remark, and do not retract
anything. Let him understand that.
Mr.. Butler-Csn it be possible that
any man ON this floor could have under
stood me rs saying that all the people Of
the south were murderers or horse
thieves? l said that the minority there
was attempting to rule by such means.
After a scene Of excitement and con-
fusion, the Objectionable words used by
Mr.. M'Lean were reduced to writing
| and read from the clerks desk, when
the speaker ruled them out of order, and
remarked that if he had heard them ut
tered he would necessarily have called
the gentleman to order.
Mr.. M'Lean-I addressed that remark
to the gentleman himself, and not to the
house.
The Speaker-The gentleman had no
right whatever to do that.
Mr.. Butler-I think L ought to be per-
mitted that, il | had understood the re-
mark. So far from taking Offense at
being told that l had hung q man in
New Orleans, ] should have glOried In
it. The trouble with the country is that
| did not hang more, as / ought to have
done. LApplause, and cries OF THAT is
goOd."]
Mr.. Lamar insisted that the speaker
should rule on Mr.. Buffers language
characterizing M'Lean as ruffiarly.
The speaker remarked that the gen.
tleman Butler] must know that it was
not parliam entary.
Mr.. Butler pleaded that his words
were Characterization of language and
not OF man.
Mr.. Lamar asked the speaker whether
a member had right to characterize
the language of another member as i'm
proper. ungentlemanly, and ruffianly.
Ee made the point from no other mo-
tive than that OF regulating the decorum
and proprieties of debate.
The speaker remarked that it was
clearly parliamentary, no matter what
the provocatiOn was.
Mr.. Butler-Which of the gentleman's
[M'Lean'sl associates called him to or
der?
MIR. Glover-Which of the gentle
mans Butler's associates called him
to order?
Mr.. Cox-MT. Thompson, an allusion
to Mr.. Buffers successor. Laughter
Mr.. M'Lean-I have Withdrawn the
remark, and l inquire whether the gen.
tleman Butlerl has withdrawn his?
Mr.. Storm-Ihis thing has gone far
enough. insist on the regular order.
Mr.. Butler yielded the remainder Of
his hour to Mr.. Lynch, who proceeded
to advocate the bill in a written
speech. He declared that the col
cred people did not want any
social rights. They had enough OF
them slready. What they wanted was
protection in their public rights. If on
bis way between Mississippi and
Washington he passed by railroad
through the God-forsaken States of
Kentucky and Tennessee he was not
treated as human being, but as brute,
and was compelled to occupy the smok-
ing-car night and day with drunkards
and gamblers. If the coIored people
were not protected in their public rights,
then our boasted civilization was fraud,
the Republican institutions failure, the
social system disgrace and religion
farce.
Mr.. Fenck argued against The bill as
a violation of the principles of the con-
stitution. He characterized the propos-
ed legislation as vicious and hurtful;
there had not been a single instance
brought before cOngress.of any southern
State denying to colored citizens any
! political privileges or immunities. This
| bill, however, sought to establish social
equality. The great danger to the
country was the usurpstiOns Of the gen.
eral government, both in a civil and
military sense, and the only safety was
in coming back to old parties.
The house then took recess till half
past one O'Clock, the evening session to
be exclusively for debate on the civil
rights bill.
EVENING SESS1ON.
There was an immense crowd in the
galleries to listen to the debate on the
| civil rights bill, but only few members
were present. Mr.. Parker Mo. Oceu-
pied the chair, and Messrs. Storm and
| Whitehead opposed the bill. Mr.. Cain
advocated it, and sneered at the idea of
there being bad blood between the races
| in the south. Statistics showed there
were one million seven hundred thou
| sand mulattoes in the country. That
| was not much evidence of bad blood.
| Laughter If the negroes would
| cease to be Republican and vote the
/ Democratic ticket there would be no
| bad blood between them. AS to social
/ equality he derided as bugbear. Why,
said he, do you suppose that would in
| trOduce into my family q class of white
men whom / see in this country? Do
| you suppose 80 for one moment? Why,
! sir, there are men who occupy places on
| this floor, for whom have respect, and
yet whom l should be very careful howl
should introduce to my family. Laugh
/ ter should be afraid that their old
| habits, acquired beyond Mason and Dix
/ on's line might return, and with great
dramatic effect stir up bad blood. Loud
/ laughter.
! Messrs. Harris, Rsiney, and Rapier
/ spoke in favor Of the bill. Mr.. Lamar
made a protest against the bill, as dis
astrous to the peace, prosperity, and
happiness Of the people.
Adjourned.
-SS~