The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-04-25
THE DOORKEEPER DEBATE.
A Little Piece of Demagoguery In which
Ben Butler s. Co. were Badly Worsted.

having just decided the resolution to he
question of privilege, the resolution
was before the House.
1t is in these words:
Resolved, That the House proceed 70
the election of Doorkeeper, and that the
true, Union manned soldier, Brigadier
General James Shields, of Missouri, be
chosen to that Office.
Mr.. Clymer, of Pennsylvania, asked
Mr.. Butler to allow him to offer substi-
tute for the resolution, and offered the
following:
Resolued, That the House proceed to the
election of Doorkeeper.
Mr.. Butler wanted Mr.. Clymer to insert
the name of his candidate, but Mr.. ely
mer declined to do so. Mr.. Butler then
withdrew his proposition. Mr. Butler
then read q letter from General Shields
asking him to aid in having his (Shield's)
pension increased to S100 per month:
Mr.. Eden suggested that if he Mr.
Butler) would offer that as an amend
ment every Democrat would vote for it.
After some discussion Mr.. Eden said
Does not the gentleman from Massa.
chusetts think that General Shields would
be better suited to fill the position Of
Postmaster General than that of Door
keeper of the House, and does he not
think with his great influence with this
administration he could succeed in get
ting him into that Office?
Mr.. Butler-Oh | ironically my great
influence with this administration
Laughter The gentleman must Ger
tainly have hardly got over the festivl-
ties of Saturday.
Mr.. EGen-I did not go to Chester.
Mr.. Butler went on to criticise Gener'
raj Field for entering the service of the
Khedive of Egypt and for-swearing his
allegiance to the government of the
United States, and appealed to t1e
House not to strike down Shields, the
veteran of two wars.
MIR. Eden of Illinois-Did the gentle.
man make any complaint against the
appointment of General Longstreet to
an important Office by Gen. Grant
Mr.. Butler-I made no objection to
his appointment, and do not know that
there was any one-armed Union soldier
who was seeking for the same Office at
the same time.
Mr.. Eden-Does not the gentleman
from Massachusetts know that General
Shields is not seeking for this office
now
Mir. Butler-I thank God that he is
not. But let me say further about Gene.
raj Longstreet. General Longstreet had
reponted for more than two months,
[Sneering laughter on the Democratic
side.
Nr. Eden-His repentance, I suppose
consisted in mis- joining your party. Liza
Confederate General joins your party be
is fit for office, but so long as he remsins
with the Democracy he is unfit.
Mr.. Clymer would join the gentleman
from Massachusetts in making General
Shields pension $100 per month. He
continued IT will go further, and vote
to place him on the retired list, where he
would get $4,000 year. will 60 fur.
ther, and vote to pay him for the services
which he would have rendered in that
Congress from which he was turned out,
though elected by majority of thous.
ands, BY the Republican party, headed
BY the gentleman from Massachusetts,. y
IApplause on the floor and in the gal.
leries. IT wish to say to the gentleman
that I fear the "Greeks bearing gifts, "
1laughter,] "and I do not propose, az
member Of the majority, that he shall
dictate who shall be our officers. When
| in tie past history of the gentleman has
he honored the soldier when that soldier
was a Democrat Did not you and
those that followed you drag Mcclellan
| in disgrace and shame from the army
Did not you cast Hancock into exile
When all along the whole line of glori.
Gus men who suffered for the Union
cause have you ever honored them ifthey
| were Democrats Never in all your his
tory, and never would you if you did moi
conceive at this hour you could drive 9
wedge into the Democratic party and
rend it in pieces. We are neither to be
| controlled nor frightened, and when the
gentleman appeals to me and to other'
from Pennsylvania, I tell him that the
red fag which he attempts to faunt in
our eyes has no terror for me or for the
people which I represent. Among them
the war is ended to them peace hal
come, and no agitation, such as the gen
tlernan from Massachusetts would givt
rise. to to-day, could drive them from
their instincts. We are here to elect 9
proper person for doorkeeper. We vii
not elect one who is totally disabled Il
perform its duties, and we will elect ont
of our party who is capable, as l know
honest as believe, and who will be faith
ful to the high trust which this Hous'
shall impose upon him, uninfuenced By
the threats of the gentleman from Mas
sachusetts. Applause.
Mr.. Butler then had General Shields
petition for an increase of pension read
and said he was now lecturing up in New
England, which neither of the three las
doorkeepers could do.
Mr.. Bragg, of Wisconsin, offered as
substitute g joint resolution placing
General Shields on the army retired lis
with the rank of Brigadier. Applaus'
on the Democratic side.
Mr.. Butler refused to accept the sub
stitute. He said: "When you put taaI
in order; when you wake up to you
duty, i will vote for it; but you canno
put it in here now, in order to get in
| Confederate General. Applause on tn
Republican side. That Confederate
General never could ride upon old Shield
back and never shall with my consent
| Laughter l move the previous ques
tion."
The House refused to second the pre-
vious question-110 to 120.
Mr.. Cox of New York, after referring
to the fact that the war was over, asked
Would not the honorable gentleman b.
entirely satisfied with this House granting
that pecuuiary aid to General Shield
which General Shields himself requests
| Mr.. Speaker, that is rather too thin
The whole business becomes evanescen
as you approach it. This House has no
been unfair toward Union soldiers
How is it organized? To-day we hav
northen man for The Speaker; we hav
Union soldier from Kentucky as GU
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