Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-06

WASHINGTON, April 5.-The Senate Joint reso-
luton providing place for the deposition of
records of the proceedings of the electoral COM
mission, was passed.
Mr.. Baker, of Indiana rising to a question
of personal privilege, read note in the Wash
ington Post from George H. Widderburn, who
Baker charged with an understanding he should
receive good position under Polk, in which he
refers to Baker as lunatic, and charging
falsehood. Baker renewed the charge that
Widderburn dropped out of the canvass on the
corrupt condition that he sould receive posi-
tion with larger salary than authorized by
law.
MIR. Butler OF Massachusetts put in nomina-
ton for the position Of doorkeeper Gen. James
Shields, of Missouri, a Democrat. long and
exciting debate ensued on point of order,
participated in principally by Butler and Cox
of New York, the Democrats resisting the
right to make the nomination as q question
of privilege, and the Republicans trying to
force the issue on the House. Mr.. Butler
said if he had believed that the majority of the
House would have selected Gen. Shields he
would not have pressed his motion. That gen
tleman had been shot in the Mexican war, and
he had had his arm shattered in the late war
He was an old man-had been a member of the
House, and United States Senator, and was
now without the means of support.
MIR. Cox-Why have you not provided for him
in all these years? There was no intention to
throw dishonor on Gen. Shields by the action
of this side of the House, but the gentleman
on the other side had had the disposition of
10000 offices, and why had they not discovered
that distinguished soldier until this emergency?
Mr.. Morrison, Illinois, Ito Butler) Why did
you turn him out of Congress when he was
elected by majority of thousands?
Mr.. Townshend, Qllinois) HAS the gentleman
from Massachusetts any authority from
General Shields to offer his name?
Butler-I never ask authority to do honor to
a gallant, manned soldier. I have general
power of acting in that connection.
Mr.. Eden asked if Mr.. Butler had not helped
to drag General Shields from the House and
put Republican in his place?
MIR. Butler-I answer to that that nobody
suggested his name
! Mr.. Eden-The people of his district sug-
gested his name at the time to which refer.
MIR. Butler-It was question of election.
MIR. Eden-Three or four Thousand majority
voted to elect him.
MIR. Butler-Dont howl; that was question
| OF election and a man sometimes votes accord
| ing to partisan views on questions of elections.
Mr.. Butler denied that he sought any clap
trap popularity by offering the resolution. He
simply desired to provide for an old soldier.
He was surprised that he should be reproached
/ by the other side of the house because by vot-
ing for Democrat in contested election case,
he had followed the dictates of his conscience
and ne had no thought he should live to hear
again in the House attack upon him by the
gentleman from New York, Cox. He thought
that on former occasion that gentleman had
learned enough not to do it again. But he
Butler, would be merciful now. Gaughter)
Mr.. Cox-I don't want any. Laughter
Mr.. Butler-"Shoo fly, don't bodder me-
4 [Great Laughter.1
Mr.. Butler-It issaid by the gentleman from
New York (Mr. Cox that we did not take care
of Gen. Shields before. To that, I answer thai
the Democrats have had two Congresses, this
one and another one. They have caucuses
where we did not interfere with them, and why
did it not occur to them to take that gallan
man for doorkeeper instead of the gentleman
whom they deserted yesterday. Again, VIII,
need any caucuses on this question? Why sa.
we will do something for him some other time