Daily globe., 1878-04-09

whom, if you do not like to honor for what he
oid IN the war, you must honor for that
glorious charge at Cerro Gordo. He
Is before you for that Office. Il you
do not wish to stand by him on account of the
wound which he received from Stonewall Jack
SON brigade. you can stand by him on ac-
count of the copper bullet which he received
from the Mexicans. l say when such a man is
presented to you, do not try to strike him
down.
Mr.. Eden-Did the gentleman make any
complaint against the appointment of Gen.
Longstreet to ali important Office by Gen.
Grant.
! Mr.. Butler-I made no objection to his APP
pointnent and do not know that there was
any armed Union soldier who was seeking
for office at the same time.
Mr. Eden-Does not the gentleman from
Massachusetts know that Gen. Shields is not
seeking for this Office now?
! Mr.. Butler--I thank God that he is not, but
let me say further about Gen. Longstreet
Gen. Longstreet had repentedsfor more than
two months. lSneering laughter on the Demo-
cratic side.)
Mr.. Eden-His repentance suppose consist
/ ed IN his joining your party. If a confederate
general joins your party he is fit for Office, but
SO long as he remains with the Democratic
| party he is unfit
Mr.. Butler-Pardon me, I never knew that
General Longstreet had joined our party. I do
not care whether he did or not, he not only
1 pented but he gave works meet for repentance.
! Laughter). More than that, have talked too
long. My friend from New York said
the other day, that | was growing old
When have lived to hear in House of Repre-
sentatives of the American Congress, the fact
that man repented of his treason to his coun-
| try sneeed at and coughed down. fear l am.
Mr.. Clymer said the immediate business be-
| fore the House is the election of doorkeeper
to fulfil the responsible duties connected with
that office Our experience in the past has not
been fortunate, and we are here to endeavor to
repair past misfortunes. The gentleman from
Massachusetts, would have us elect the
person Of his choosing. I will
join with him in doing all
honor to the man who served in two wars, who
was a Senator from two States who, in every
relation of life, has performed his duties faith
fully and well. Let us ask the gentleman who
has spoken about the pension to be granted to
| Gen. Shields, whether he knows the fact that
within the last five weeks, while the matter
was pending in the Senate committee, the
pension was increased from $50 to $780, on the
ground in proof before that committee, that
SO that ne could not earn his livelihood, but in
addition, he required the services of
some one to take care Of him. Does he not
known that was the ground which the
| pension was increased. Now, say to the gen
tleman from Massachusetts, that when that
bill shall come up, l will join with him in
granting the request Of Gen. Shields to make
it $500, and l will go farther, I will, if the
gentlemen will join me, vote for bill to re-
store him to his place on the retired list Of the
| army, which will i've him $500 year for his
life. l will go farther, and vote to pay him
for the services which he would have rendered
| in that Congress from which he turned out,
though elected by majority of thousands by
| the Republican party, headed by the gentleman
1 from Massachusetts. (Applause on floor and
| gal c1 f.>f hat
| fear the Greeks bearing gifts Qaughter), and
l do not propose member Of the majority,
that he shall dictate who will be our officers.
When in the past history Of the gentleman has
he honored the soldier when that soldier
Democrat. Did not you and those that follow
ed you drag McClellen in disgrace and shame
from the army. Did not you cast Hancock
into exile. When along the whole line of glo-
rious men who suffered for the Union cause
have you ever honored them if they were Dem
ocrats? Never in all your history, and never
| would you 1T you did not conceive that at this
hour you could drive a wedge into the Demo-
! cratic party and rend it in pieces. We are
neither to be controlled nor frightened, and
when the gentleman appeals to me to others
from Pennsylvania, tell him that the red flag
which he attempts to haunt in eyes has no
terror for me OF forthe people which represent.
Among them the war is ended. To them peace
has come, and no agitation, such as the gentle
man from Massachusetts, would give rise to to-
day, could drive them from their instincts,
We are here to elect proper person for door
keeper. We will not elect who is utterly,
totally disabled to perform its duties, and we
will elect one of our party who is capable, as
know, honest, as I believe, and who will be
faithful to the high trust which the House shall
impose upon him, uninhuenced by the threats
of the gentleman from Massachusetts, ZAP
plause.
Mr.. Butler sent to the clerks desk and had
read copy of Gen. Shields petition for in
crease of pension, in which he states that he
was formerly brigadier general in thr United
States army and served as such in the Mexican
war, that at the battle of Ccrro Gordo on the
18th of April, 1847, while leading his brigade
against the reserve of the Mexican army un-
der the immediate control of Santa Anna in
person, he shot down in front
Of a Mexican battery of FIVE
Supposed be fSe ns ough 5hG @
body; that from that wound he recovered sufh-
GENTLY to enter the Valley OF Mexico at the
head of his brigade with the rest Of the army
and to lead his brigade at the battles of Con-
treras and Cherubusco; that he again
that ne continued to press forward into Mexico,
neglecting his wound, SO that it had begun
| to mortify, and he came near
losing his life; that he was
allowed a pension of thirty dollars a month,
and that he again took part in the last war,
of Winchester from fragment of shell having
shattered his arm and elbow; that he is not 81
years Of age; that he applied to the bureau for
an increase Of pension, but has been refused
because he was not totally help
less; that he is not totally helpless,
although unable to earn his livelihood
! by labor; that on the contrary he does every-
thing he can to help himself and hopes to do so
as long as he lives, but that his years are
growing upon him he appeals hopefully and re-
spectfully to the iberality of the American
/ Congress for such an increase of pension as will
save him from want in his old age.
Mr.. Butler, continuing-There is the old
mans story, and there is no evidence on earth
to go against that. He is lecturing in New
England acceptably to audiences, a thing which
neither of the three last doorkeeper's could do.
! Naughter.) He is not expected to and here
if he is elected deorkeeper. We have no armed
men. No, l take that back. We have no
armed men here with hooks to open the doors
for The Office of doorkeeper wants brains.
That is what is the matter. 1t wants honesty.
both the minority and majority of the COM
mittee, and you consequently drove him out.
It wants capacity for business, and all that
! Gen. Shields has.
Mr.. Butler then referred to the circumstance
/ of Gen. Shselds having been contestant be-
fore the House of Representatives some years
ago. for a seat from Missouri when report
was made against his election and ne said
that on that occasion the case against Gen.
Shields was SO clear that a division asked
on the question. He had, however voted
$1,000 to compensate Gen. Shields on that
occasion for his expenses III contesting the
/ election.
Mr.. Crittenden contended that on that oc-
casion the defeat of Gen. Shields was owing to
the fact that under the then existing Infamous
constitution of Missouri, not only all of those
| who fought on the side of the confederacy, but