Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-08-10
PROCTOR KNOTT.
He Makes . Cowsrdly Attack on
Mr.. Blaine.
And Disgusts His Own
Party.
4 Siiawi0g Rebuke from Messrs
Frye nmd Hale.
W ARLINGTON, Aug. 3

WARRINGTON. Aug.3
Mr.. Hurd, from the judiciary committee.
submitted the unanimous report Of that com.
mitiee in regard to the Caldwell telegram. en-
tirely exonersting Mr.. Knott, the chsirman.
PoI.,is mom the knowiedsr or the committee a i,e
Of the House.
Mr.. Knott. the chairman OF the COMMITTEES.
said be had had no intention to speak on the
subject. As he was perfectly satisfied with the
report Of the committee exoneratiug him from
all suspicion. either for mistake In judseme mt
or OF having been adjusted by an unworthy
motive, but he had seen an article lately pub
lished 10 the Philadelphia North American re-
asserting that the Caldwell despatch had been
UNANIMOUSLY suppressed by him tknottl aud
holding up to the contempt Of the country a
man who should so debase himself by conceal
ing proof OF the innocence OF political foe and
he felt called upon TO speak in hi. own behalf
II was, however, peculiarly painful for him 10
speak on the subject In the absence Of the gen
ucanen from Maine (Bisine). ~ho had found II
necessary for the promotion Of his own persol
nj ends TO make an unjustifisblc and disingsn-
uous impuIaiion on him tkno,tl Notwith-
standing the erroneous impression with " hi.h
the popular mind had been fillei by that sub
lime piece OF acting. Notwithstanding the flood
of situpcraiion and calumny which was hurled
at him KNOTT by The Republican press, and
conscious Of the rectitudc Of his int sniions
conscious OF the correctness Of his judgement.
conscious OF having done his duty 10 his CON-
mittee. conscious that he had done nothing
more than he ought TO have done he waited pr
tently for Mr.. Blaine's appearance in the House
before opening his lips 10 his own yindication.
He had waited only to be disappointed BY the
news Of Blainc's resignation. IL was the hand
ofGod was upon him that be was sick. Wheth-
er he was really affected In body and mind.
whether he was really prostrzted BY an sttzcK
OF sickness or whether he was only acting q
In he tpr fb.,t
ular interest had subsidized, he (knottl did not
know.
4. He only knew tina, the gentleman from Maine
was not present. He reviewed the ac,iou Of the
committee In the action OF the Little Rock a
Fort smith bonds. and alluded to the tesiimo-
ny Of some of the witnesses. particularly to
than Of +. ii. Rollins, late treasurer OF the I'm
ion Pacific Railroad Company. now the sens
tor elect from New Hampshire. lie spoke OF
the very convenient memory Of Mr.. Roiin.
and said no unprcjudiocd mind could read the
record OF his testimony without arriving at the
conclusion that he considered himself under no
legal obligation TO remember any fact which
could not be proved by some other witness but
his testimony taken IS whole had corrobora-
ted the leading statement Of Mr.. Harrison be-
fore the committee, aud hAd besides left the im-
pr, ssion that there was something Beyond,
something "rottea in the state Of Denmark"
"somethng which no fellow could find out
The testimony before the committee had
-b'' a "a VI AL Hl'u On tAkD nat. BIAlDf was
Inc most interested In having Josiah Caldwell
brought before the committee II his testimony
could b. procured 10 anylpossible manner. II
CALDWELL had refused TO come that. Of course,
would be an end OF II. IL might BE- that II b.
had come his testimony would have vindIcstel
and not convicted Mr.. Blaine. Ia any event
Mr.. Blaine would have occupied the attitude OF
challenging all the testimony that could be pro-
cured against him. In the light OF subsequent
events he lknottl thought IL probable that Mr..
futF. - n. a
string that Caldwell should be disturbed in the
retirscy OF his foreign home. Caldweirs ts.ii-
either Tor the complete exculpaiiop Of Riaine
or 10 show the nature and exien. OF his impIi-
cation in the transaction. The question Of
sending despatch TO Caldwell requesting him
10 return TO this country and testify had been
brought before the committee on the 2sth OF
May, and the proposition had been sedulously
and earnestly opposed on the part Of Mr.. Blaine
He went on TO rehearse the story Of the Caid-
well telegram, and said that a soon a. he re-
eeived II thought II extremely dshy." and II
then occurred 10 him that IL was = scheme con-
cocted on this side OF tue Auaulic TO make the
Judiciary Committee and House itself the In
stroment Of perpetratins fraud on the Amer
lean people. tie was convinced Of IL, he said.
on hearing Muliigau relate the circumstances
OF his famous interview with Blame, wherein
the latter grovelled abjecily the dust .implor-
log Mullgan not to destroy him. and where In
the face OF the pledge to return the letters, Mr..
Blaine cody put them in his pocket. He sub
mttedltbat siter that he had ample grounds Tor
believing that Blaine would be 4 party TO the
connecting Of the Caldwell telegram or any
thing else that would tend to promote his pri-
vate or political ends.
Passing on TO the dispatches sent to Caldwell
under what he called his "mellihuous pseudo
nym" of"FAyo." he ssid that "Fayo'' was the
Italian word for houeycomb. and be considered
the name very appropriate in con. dersiion OF
the honey HIGH AID ell IA al On her
the instrument Atty Of his arch-broker, James
u. Blaine. and Of his being the gushing recep-
taeie OF the previous treasures extracted from
him by the active and dislnterested Blaine.
Caldwell had adopted the despatch concocted
for him but he would just As readily adopt
despatch requesting him TO Say that Blaine
stood by and gave directions when God Al
mighty wheeled the dirt of which the world
was made.
Frye OF Me-. replied to Knots speech. He
said be did not know when he WAS more panied
than he was to-day, or when his feelings had
been so wounded as they had been to-day. An
attempt by him 10 review the testimony under
the Tarbox RESOLUTION was entirely unnccessa-
~. anu an attempt 10 review II and pronounce
judgment on il by the gentleman from Ky,
(knottJ, when that case had been postponed till
next December, was without the slightest JUS
LITIGATION In honor or in parliamentary law.
That testimony, when II was reported TO the
House, would convince beyond . doubt the
honest seeker alter truth that Blaine never had
aught 10 DO with the $4,000 Of the Little Rock
and Fort Smith bonds that were purchased by
Mr.. Scott, OF Mr.. Caldwell. and sold to the I'm
ION Pacific Railroad Company.
None but y mind filled with Jealousy, filled
with malice. filed with wicked purpose. would
dare pronounce judgment on \ peer Of his on
the floor Of the House on any such tsstimny as
that. tie did not propose to review the test-
but he asserted that it failed to show anything
whntever Of Biaine's inspiring, or sending, or
seeking TO have sent any despatch to Caldwell.
He repeated what himself and Blaine had again
and again said to Mr.. Knott, that he might pur-
sue the investigation TO the very bitter end, and
that At that end he would not find the Hon.
James q. Blaine. No mind that was not made
reckless by bitterness, by malice, by wicked
PURPOSE, would ever dare assert that Mr.. Blaine
instigsted. stood over or helped on Mr.. Cald-
When Mr.. Blaine was on the floor the gentle
man from Kentucky had not attempted to
make any attack upon him, but he had under.
taken feeble and unworthy defense against
Mr. Blaine. The friends Of Mr.. Knott had ask.
ed him TO agree TO report that should exeul-
pate him. They said that he desired exculps-
ton because he had unfriendly looKs and I'm.
friendly criticism from his own side OF the
House. He had learned gradually to have con-
fdence In that gentleman, to admire him and
said that he had kept back that telegram In good
faith, but the exhibition Of malice which the
gentleman from Kentucky had dared TO make
In the absence Of Mr.. Blaine had sstisfed him
be bad not learned or known him.
That gentleman (nnott) in the deep rscssses
OF his heart, that gentleman knew that God
had struck down Mr., Blaine, that for two and
halt days be had never uttered one word. and
never recognized his vile and child, had never
closed his eyes, and yet he stood up In the
House and 10 the absence Of Mr.. Blaine inslnu-
.ted that it was all part OF the play, that
Blxins was great and leading character in Il,
and that be played In his part admirably. A
gentleman who would do that showed malice
filling his heart, driving out discretion, driving
out justice, driving o0t affection, driving out
ell that is good and pure and holy, aud filling Il
with liz own devilish wicked form. IL II Wss
there today in f1ii growth. in Vigorous lite. II
was there thsn when the telegram from Csld-
we'll Vas received originally. II Il was there
then, b. would say 70 the Republics members
Of the House that they would Be justided in
voting to man that the report Of the Judicis-
~ Committee was not . righteous, just and
fair report, and thsftt ought TO be reconmitted
To the cOmnfffee for aunAndmenl = g