The Portland daily press., 1877-12-10

conspiracy to disfranchise race and crush by
brute force whole people," Much of the re-
port and accompanying testimony is devoted to
the alleged election of General Butler as Sena-
tor and his completely in the Hamburg massa-
cre' and considerable surprise is expressed
among Republicans that the facts and argu-
ments were not more fully used during last
weeks discussion on Buffers right to his seat
some misunderstanding, however, arose in the
committee, and very few of the Senators had
seen the report or knew of its existence. Upon
the circumstances of Buffers election the COM
mittee report that the body which elected him
was without pretext of being the Senate at the
Iime, ana tnat 1t was unable, for this reason, to
perform any legislative functions. except the
minor function of adjourning from day to day,
Thls was fact of public notorety. The DEM
ocratlc Senators who voted for General Butler
10 the Hampton body recognized the legality OF
the Chamberlain Legislature by participating in
its debates, by voting every day in its Senate,
and by receiving certificates of pay for their
services in it. One hundred pages of the report
are devoted to careful and exhaustive ANALYSIS
OF the testimony relative to the facts of the
Hamburg massacre, and the findings of thu
committee implicate Senator Butler as the
chief organizer and responsible leader of the
AFFAIR Buffers own theory of the affair is
reviewed, and the report says it is not
sustained by evidence or events. Both the
words aud acts of white men indicate that this
event was political massacre preconoerted
with the intention of striking awe into the
hearts of the Republican voters of the State.
The committee say that the evidence could have
consigned the Hamburg Buffers, father son
and son-in-law to the scsffold, if presented be-
fore jury in any orderly and civilized commu
nifty In Christendom. The testimony of many
witnesses. some of whom saw and recognized
General Butler, others hearing him give orders
TO Kill prisoners, is introduced and the entire
transaction of hat night is detailed with great
minuteness. Some of the witnesses saw Butler
as late as three or four O'Clock il the moraings
and heard him give orders to place prisoners iD
the dead ring. The Ellenton massacres are
also discussed with great th0roughness, and a
letter written by Attorney General Deveus, a
few days since, is appended to the report in
which after stating that enly one Indictment
had been tried, the evidence seemed to him
quite conclusive OF the guilt of the defendants.
Senators Angus Cameron, Christiancy and
Merrimon compose the subcommittee
LONG RECESS.
The recess of nearly four weeks provided by
resolution adopted by both branches of Con-
eress is one of the longest ever known, and ex-
ceeds any for the past fifteen years. This ac-
ton makes it practically certain that no impor-
tant legislation will be enacted before the first
of February The Senate Finance Committee
has not yet taken up the resumption repeal bill,
and will probably hold but one more meeting
this session. Discussion on the silver bill will
beglO on Tuesday in the Senate, and as it is re-
ported that fully two-thlrds of the Senators ex-
pect to make set speeches ON the subject, it is
not likely much progress will be made with the
main proposition. The silver men are exceed
ingly impatient for vote, but they will not
violate the courtesy of the Senate, which allows
discussion to continue until every Senator has
exhausted himself on the question. In the
House the appropriation bill will be ready soon
after the recess, the subcommittee will be at
work in the meantime.