Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-08-04

Mr.. Frye (interruptiDg)-Did / NJ
say "Spy gentl man with an honest, al
prejudiced mind?" announcement O
the Republican side.
Mr.. Hunton-D, es the gentlems
mean to say that / sm on that list?
Mr.. Frye-You may s,draw your ow
inference.
Mr.. Hunton-Ifh he does, pronounC
Il 8 pause, during which Mr.. Hsl
sought to take the fioor.l desire e
answer from the gentleman from Main,
Does he mean to say that am not hor
tst?
MIR. Frye-You heard the remark
which / made. II you deem it nece;
sary, you may draw an inference.
Mr.. Hunton-Did you intend that in
ference to be drawn?
Mr. Hoar-I rise to question of oTde
It is not in order for one gentleman
address another directly.
Mr.. Douglass, who was standing be
side Mr.. Hunton, audibly suggested
him to insist on categorical answer.
Mr.. HuntoD, to Mr.. Frye-Answe
cRtegorically.
Mr.. Frye-The one hour which wa
given to this side of the house is beinj
Consumed by the gentleman from Vir
ginia without any right.
Mr.. Hunton-I trust this time will no
be taken from the other side OF tht
house. again desire to call the stten
tioa of the gentlemen from Maine to thu
fact that before had answered what ht
said, he interposed remark from which
an improper inference in reference tC
my character might lie drawn.
Mr.. Fyre-We1l, now, what does ths
gentleman from Virginia desire me t.
say?
Mr.. Huuton-I desire to ask you, cat
egoricslIy, whether in that remark you
meant to reflect on my character?
Mr.. Frye-I mean to say, sir, that in
my honest opinion, from the commence
ment Of this Investigation of Mr.. Blaine
down to the time of Mr.. Blaine's attack
upon you, there was, perhaps, no more
than an ordinary prejudice in your
mind, resulting from the attack which
Mr.. Blaine made on the floor OF the
house against the Democratic side; I
mean to say further, that after Mr..
Blaine made his speech in this house, on
the Monday after he read the letter of
Robinson, stating that he had been
called by you into your room, and had
been questioned for a long time, and af-
ter you replied to Mr.. Blaine, tnat your
mind from that time to this has not
been without prejudice against him.
Mr.. Hunton-And that is all which
you mean to say?
Mr.. FTye-That is all mean to say.
Mr.. Hunton-Very well. Now 1 de.
sire to 60 on and state what rose to
say. The gentleman Mr.. Frye1 stated
that he was sure there was not a men,
Der of this subcommittee who had lin
gering suspicion in his mind that Mr..
Blaine had the remotsst connection with
the Little Rock aud Fort Smith railroad
bonds. That remark going to the coun.
try and not responded to by me would
seem to be an assertion that had come
to conclusion on the subject. I have
to keep my mind clear of
conclusions until the testimony is all in.
That testimony is not all in. 1t has been
by motion to postpone on
the part Of Mr.. Blaine. The testimony
not being all in, 1 have come to no con-
clusion OH the subject.
Mr.. Frye-If that is true, do you JUS
tify the chairman of the judiciary com.
mittee in bringing that matter before
the house?
Mr.. Hunton-I have nothing TO do
with it. The chairman Of the judiciary
committee acts for himself, and act for
myself.
Mr.. Frye-Answer me categorically,
now do you justify him?
Mr.. Tucker-I call the gentleman to
)rder; he has no right to address my
colleague directly.
Mr.. Hale criticised at length the
course of Mr.. Knott, and said that it
vas breach of good faith, such as no
on the Fl Jor had ever been dis
yraced by participating in. There was
10 man present who had not been
1ained by the exhibition of to-day. He
appealed to both sides of the house to
7Ote sgainst the report Of exonerating
Mr.. Knott. The report was made up
on technical grounds, but it
vent farther; it did not negative the
Droposition that there was malice in the
leart of Mr.. Knott, and no man who
lad listened to his speech would doubt
hat that was what was moving him to-
ay. 1t was malice that had been i'm.
'edded in his heart for weeks and
months; it was malice that lay in wait.
n conclusion he said that If my COL
eague had sat here in his seat, the gen.
leman from Kentucky Kuott1 would
ave no more dared to make thatspeech
han the musing owl dsres to venture
0rth when the eagle is abroad soaring in
is pride. [Applause on the Republican
lde.
Mr.. M'CraIy, member Of the judiciary |
ommittee, expires sed his regret that the |
hartman of the judiciary committee |
ad taken advantage Of the opportunity |
Finished him by the magnanimity of |
is colleagues, and had discussed the |
1hole subject of investigation. He COM
ared the treatment received by Blaine |
nth the generous treatment accorded |
v the Republican side of the house to |
lr. Kerr, and declared that MI. Kerr's
indication was not so complete nor so
borough, nor so overwhelming as was
be vindicatioR of Mr.. Blaine.
Mr.. Hoar, of the same committee, |
aid that he had assented to the report,
ause he had deemed the gentleman |
.om Kentucky incapable of the act of |
Impression charged against him. He |
ad thought 80 because that gentleman's |
ign POSITION as representative from the |
onored State Of Kentucky, and as
hartman of the judiciary committee OF
ne house, had outwejghed any suspicion |
rowing out of the facts before the com. |
littee. He had listened to the speech
( that gentleman with profound sorrow
nd shame, and il he had heard 1t be- |
,re signing the report he should not
ave signed it.
Mr.. Lawrence, from the same COM
littee, also expressed his regret at the
witnessed by the house, and
aid that he w,uld now insist that the
sport, which he had signed, should he
committed to the judiciary committee
II review.
Mr.. Hurd, who had presented the re.
ort, said that the gentleman on the
Ummittee who had just spoken did not
egret more than he himself did what
ad transpired; that he had presented
} the house the report unanimously
greed to, and to which he had supposed
lere would be no discussion or debate.
Ie had, in conversation, given his word
[ honor to Mr.. Frye that there was to
Q no discussion of the report, as he had
opposed that all that was intended to
e said was that which related to the
hartman Of the committee, and that
,ss necessary for his individual excul-
alton. He regretted the debate because
had compelled those gentlemen who
ad so kindly and generously signed the
sport, and agreed TO its being presented
} the house, to withdraw their |
pproval from it. He was
OF here to express any opinion as to
that had been said by the chairman Of
ne judiciary committee, or as to the |