New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-08-04
KNOTT pPOPPED orr.

The Hon. Proctor Knott of Kentucky made
, finish of himself in the House yesterday.
Mr.. Blaine bad left but little of him IN the
pass,ce-at- arms on the floor relative to the
Caldwell dispatch some weeks ago, but what
little remained Mr.. Knott himself made way
with Yesterday. Where only yesterday was a
Knott. REGARDED by himself apparently rs very
toueh and wcll-scasoncd Knott, and ut times on
account of his brilancc ap!nc knot, to-day there
is, for all practical purposes, so far rs charac-
ter, position. and Influence are concerned. only
4 Knott hole. Knott has dropped out. lie
can hardly be said 10 have been punched out.
He shrunk up, looscncd, and ratified out HIM
self In his first encounter with Mr.. Blaine
he had been so severely handled as to arouse
compassion; the spectacle he made oi hlnlS'ii
Yesterday excited only feelings OF contempt
and disgust on the part of bis audience
With a committee report under consideration
which was intended to eNcnemte HIM OF
blame and restore him rs Il were To the Eood
craccs and the confidence OF his fcliow-nlcm-
hc;s-a report which had been signed by all
the members of the committee regardless oi
party. and would have been adopted by the
House without discussion or dSScnt-thiS man
con,rivrd to pat himself in such an attl-
tude In the course OF an uncallcd Tor
and indecent speech of an hour and bali rs to
turn the whole sentiment of the House against
himself, compel his party friends To withdraw
the report in his favor, disgust all who listened
10 linn, and make of himself most Illuminating
>pcctaclc before the country. Congress has
not been lacking in scenes which have
brought the blush of shame TO tn"
4 ,,,,,.,.t;,,., paIripts American
citizens have had occasion before this 10 hang
their heads in modification At the perform
anceS of some OF their representatives; but
this exhibition 10y Mr.. Proctor Knott was for
coarse and cowardly abuse. low and mean IN
situation and Misrepresentation, total diSie-
| gard of propricty aud deccAcy, ylndicuvc
malice and deliberate brutality, beyond any
! fling ever witnessed in that line
No wonder his own party friends were
! ashamed of him. No wonder that the report
| of theGommittec was recOmmIttcd, so that the
gentlemen composing it could have IN oppor-
tnni;y of reviewing their opinion oi Mr.
/ Proctor Knott upon his own exhibition ard
| Illustration of himself. And no wonder that
| Ncssrs. FRYE and Hale and ll0ar felt called
upon 70 administer deserved caStiSation 10 him.
| II was not merely breach of dccorum OF
! violation of the rules Of ordinary courtesy oil
a sudden outburSt of passion III bad taste and
worse temper. II was something much worse
| than this for it was deliberate, cold-hloodcd
rcycugeful, with nothing in the occasion, the
/ circumstances. the time, or the place to excuse
or palliate it. but everything rather to aSgIa-
waite its indcccucy and meanncsS. Had
| there been no word of protest or re-
! bike uttered, and had the discussion
stopped with Knots wild harangue, he would
/ have been diSgmccd and diShonored in the
/ Judgment of the public. The shamcfulncSs OF
| his conduct did not need to he pointed ont.
! His own uttcrances made il sufficiently patent,
! There Will be no doubt in the pubic mind as
| 10 the Justice and propricty of the remarks
of Mcssrs Frye, Hale. and Hoar in his con-
J domination. His humiliation was made
complete by the action of his colleagues, who
so far from giving him any countcnancc OF
| support voted almost 10 a man 10 rccommi'
| the report, and withdraw for the present, al
! least. the cxoncration they had been ready &c
/ give him. Good by. MIR. Knott.
4