The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-06-09
ANOTHER FIELD DAY,
MIR. TarbOX Makes d Per-
sOnaI Explanation.
An Interesting COllOquy between
Him and Messrs. Blaine
and Frye.
The Caldwell Telegram Again.

To this question of consideration was raised
by Mr.. Lord, but Speaker Cox ruled that PEI
sonal privilege always took the precedence OF
other matter.
Mr.. Tarbox CONNIE need his speech BY quot
ing from Mr.. Blaine's speech of Monday last
in which he stated that he (Tarbox) had in
formed Frye that the resolution offered by him.
was not aimed at Blaine, but that Blaine had
regarded the assurance with some degree of
incredulity. He tTarbox) did not rise with any
purpose of convincing the incredulous mind of
tie gentleman from Maine. What that gentle
mans opinion might be as to his (farbox 81
sincerity or any other quality was as lmmateral
to the public as to himself. The whole tenor
of that genteman's speech, however, was that
the resolution which put that investigation in
progress was conceived in partisan malice and
was prosecuted in political malice toward him.
Personally, in vindication OF his own CTar-
boxs good fame, it was proper the House and
country should be put in possession of some
facts about it. Alter the conspicuous, not to
say ostentatious, championship of inviolability
of private correspondence by the gentleman
from Maine, he (Tarbox) was surprised that a
private communication of his to the gentle
mau's colleague, (Frye) made in courteous
and obliging spirit, was made use of by him in
a manner entirely uncalled for, and of vulgar
impertinence. BY the law, as laid down by
that gentleman, that conversation was his
Democratic sde.) 1t was communication
between him and the gentleman's colleague
in the frankness and privacy OF personal and
private intercourse, and therefore 1t was as
much entitled to immunity as though it was
written by a pen. According to the gentle
mans (Blaine's) theory, prisoner in the dock
would have the right to take from a witness
letters and documents that might tend to his
conviction and hold them, despite of the court,
jury and witness, and yet having laid down
that rule he (Blaine) had violated for his own
purposes a conversation between him (Tarbox)
and the pentleman'S colleague,
He would now give to the House the history
of the resolution embraced by him. Tarbox
then related how when he had first offered his
resolution it was objected to and that he had
given notice he would offer it the following
Monday; how he had been waited on by Frye
in regard to it, and how he hal said to that
gentleman that the investigation proposed by
his resolution would not involve Blalne's in
tegrty. and how Frye had stated to him that
for reasons he did not like 70 explain, but not
the absence of bis colleague, he preferred the
resolution would not be offered until the follow
ing Tuesday or Wednesday, and that then no
objection to it would be offered on the ReDub-
lican side of the House. Soon afterwards Frye
had come to his desk and asked the privilege
of examining the resolution and retired with it,
for what purpose he (Tarbox) did not know ex-
cept as he inferred from subsequent events,
and then he returned it to him with the state
ment that hs withdrew all objections to his
presenting it.
At the time he (Tarbox) had meant by the
resolution just what appeared on the face and
nothing more. He had spoken with entire
frankness to the gentleman from Maine frye.
He did not suppose he was doing the gentle
man (Blaine) an ill service when he set that
inquest on foot or that the gentleman would so
esteem it. As a man of integrity who had no
stain to hide he thought the gentleman would
desire it as much as he had the Credit Mobilier
investigation, which he had himself putin mo-
ton. However later revelations had influence
10 To rtnv cl linda 10 ~
templated when he offered the resolution that
the inquest would if ordered involve Mr.. Blaine
disreputably.
Tarbox continued: AT that time he had some
vague tradition of Caldwell as celebrity of
doubtful fame in New England business circles
and who was conveniently beyond the seas
where be was safe in his enjoyment OF the ina
lienable right of liberty and the pursuit of
happiness Bat he had not had the slightest
hint that the gentleman (Blaine) had been
either in confidential business relations with
Caldwell or ALI operator in that class of secur-
tiles which figured in the suspicious transac-
tons with the Union Pacific Railroad Co, so
he could not have designed any injury 10 the
gentleman from any disclosure in that line. III
he had known what he knew now he might
have agreed in his (Blaine's) opinion as to
where the resolution would hit, but he had not
had that gentleman's consciousness. The gen.
tleman bad charged that this was persecu-
ton of partizan malice, but he asked what was
the history of the case.
He then recounted the history of the $640G0
bond matter and claimed that the suspicion
against Mr.. Blaine originated with his own
party, and contended that the method of the
committee in investigating the case shew no
partizan malice and no scheme to injure the
character or political aspirations of Mr.. Blaine.
The real question was, he contended, whether
there was or not probable cause for the investl-
cation. The history of the public rumors con-
Meeting Mr.. Baine's name was notorious to the
country and the world.
He himself had protested that the investiga-
tion should not he prosecuted as personal
matter, but generally as a matter of public
inquest into a transaction by a corporation
which was in some respects amenable to the
government for its honest management. T1at
was his entire connection with the matter He
wound up by saying that the investigation had
originated not in spirit Of malice by any man
WHO had doubtful Union record, but it had
originated with one who had not only not
served in the Confederate army, but who had
not served in the Union army by substitute
alone. (Laughter.)
Mr.. Tarbox resumed his seat at this point,
and apparently to the disappointment of his
audience, who seemed TO have expected some
thing OF more exciting character.
Mr.. Frye Immediately rose and catechsed
him in relation to the communication between
them, but there was nothing of special interest
on that point. Mr.. Frye then went on to state
a suggestion which he said presented itself to
his mind, and which he had no doubt had
occurred to the minds of very many gentlemen,
that the position taken by the gentleman
(farbox) Of the sacredness of conversation was
sadly at variance with that gentleman's own
conduct in reference to speech made by Mr..
Blaine some months ago. That he said, was a
printed speech, one copy of which had been
surrepttiousy taken from the possession of his
colleague or the printer, and he had learned
on good authority that while his colleague was
making his speech, that printed copy SO sur
reptltionsly taken was on the desk of the gentle
man, tTarbox) who at once proceeded to reply
to It, Ihe suggestion as to the sacredness of a
private conversation, as argued by that gentle-
man, had amazed him (Frye) while that fact
was in his possession. (Plaudits and encour-
agement from Republican members)
Blaine took the floor, but Tarbox rising at
the same time, Blaine yielded to him.
Tarbox-I do not know what relation the re.
marks of the gentleman from Maine tFrye)
have to the subject matter of the privileged
question to which l rose. l am quite unaware
IN what school of propriety the gentleman has
charges upon me. 1 do understand what he
intimates. suppose it is that by some i'm
proper method obtained possession of speech
which the gentleman from Maine (Blaine) in
tended to deliver as his best counsel to his
countrymen on subject affecting deeply the
public welfare, and that L made some improp-
er use of that paper. have simply to reply
that what be states is utterly untrue. ZAP
plause on the Democratic side and laughter on
the Republican sde.)
While the Speaker pro TEN. was admonish-
ing the House and galleries for this violation of
order, Blaine called over to Frye in an under
tone, Frye, ask him If he denies that he had
a copy Of it,"
Tarbox just as the Speaker pro tom. had an
nOunced that this was deiberative body broke
in with the remark lin answer to something
else, but apparently to what the Speaker had
said,) mot by any means" The appostness
of the remark was greeted with a roar of
laughter on the floor and galleries, while the
gavel of the Speaker kept up a continuous
hammering which only added to the uproar.
After order was partly restored Tarbox dis
claimed charging Frye with any intentional
untrHth He supposed that gentleman had
spoken from rumor or perhaps out of suspi-
cious temper or prehaps out of some irritation.
Frye-Irritation at what? Laughter)
Tarbox latter pause)-All the irritation
can conceive the gentleman to feel in regard to
the discussion OF the question is, that by GER
tain circumstance, deiverance on a public
question that was made for personal purposes
and not from patriotic consideration for public
good which contained within it that which was
calculated spoken by statesman) to mislead
his countrymen, was not permitted to 60 forth
to the country without certain of its misstate
ments having been refuted on the spot. laugh
ter on the Republican sde.)
Frye-I desire to ask the gentleman Gas he
says that what said was untrue) whether he