Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-04-08
The Contest Over the DOOrk eePer.
shin To-day.

Immediately after the reading of the jour
nal in the House to day the Chair stated the
regular order to be the settlement of the queS-
tiOn whether the resolution of Gen.. Butler to
proceed to the election of a doorkeeper, was
or was not a question of privilege. 1t was
4, the House decided it to be question or
privilege. Gen. Butler then offered the resolu-
ton that that MANNED Union soldier, zen.
Shields be declared the doOrkeeper" Mr..
Clymer, of Pa, submitted substitute, simply
declaring that the House proceed to the cleo
tion of doorkeeper. Gen. Butler then had
Boston, asking him to use his influence to get
his pension OF fifty dollars per month increased
to $lO0: Gen. B. said he had kept the letter
until he found a vacant office, and the Oppor
tunity was now presented to give him an office
worth $20Oper month. As to Gen. Fields, he said
he had given allegiance to the Sultan of Turkey,
ana 1t was an open question If he was really
citizen of the United States. .Stenger, of
pennsylvania, asked Gen Butler, if he did not
know that the Office of dOOrkeeper would only
Ia, last year, and it would be betterto give Mr..
me- Gen. Butler replied, If we get into
power we can keep him, and give him a pen
sion beside. Mr.. Hnnton, of Virginia said
s KSne TefR Gsn Of g hs did
tract that he was not to renOunce his allie
glance to the the United States: This Butler
met with the reionder, that Field only had
MS pOllilcal disabilities removed two months
ago and owed no allegiance to the United States
before that time. Eden, of Illinois, asked him if
he protested when President Grant appointed
not. but that no one armed Union soldier was
connecting for the place. Moreover, he
ao' added' Longsreet had repentedt and
Mr.. Clymer then made a speech, stating that
General Shields had had his pension increased
by the Senate from thirty to fifty dollars
month because it was represented that he was
too old to earn a livelihood and had to employ
some one to take care OF him: that the rcpub-
llcans of the House were once given an oppOr
tunltyt to give General Shields. not reward,
but his just dues, by seating him in Congress
to which he was honestly elected, but they had
driven him out General Butler met the charge
that Shields was not able to take care of him.
self by stating that Shields was now lecturing
for living in New England, which was more
than the two last dOorkeepers We're competent
t0do.. MIR. Frye, of Maine, said that the dem
Congress when they knew they were in help
less minority, but by system of fraudulent
registration had Sweled the votes three thou
sand more than ever was polcd in the district
before or since
SUBSTITUTE OFFERED AND DECLINED.
Gen. Bragg, OF Wisconsin, said to stop the
clap-trap,. he would offer substitute. 1t was
read, and was a joint resolution to place
Shields on the retired list with the rank of
brigadier general. Gen. Butler declined to
accept the substitute, remarking that no con
tsderate Ehat, general had eyer yet ridden on Cen
him at this late day. Talk about clap-trap,''
said he, adding That after hearing the reso-
luton read he would like to know If there was
not good deal of clap trap i'll it. He was glad
the other side were waking up
At :i5 O'Clock Gen. Butler demanded the
previous question on the adoption of his reSO-
ton. No roll call vote under the rules of the
House can be taken on secOnding the demand
Tor the previous question, but by vote by
tellers, which was a strict party vote, the
House refused to. second the demand the
vote beng-yeaS 10, nays 120. The question
then recurred on the substitute of Mr.. Clymer
to proceed to the election of q dOorkeeper
This gave him the control of the floor for an
hour. He yielded to Mr.. Cox, of New York,
whose speech was mainly directed to show
that Gen. Shields claim to 4 seat in Congress
was not based on fraud, because after he was
denied his seat the House voted him 5000 for
his election eXpenSeS-a republican House.
too, which would hardly have done so if his
claim had been fraudulent.
AT twenty minutes after two o'clock Mac
MahOn, OF Ohio. was given the floor for twenty
five minutes to reply to the speech of MIR.
Frye, delivered Il few days ago on Doorkeeper
P0Ik'S roll.
THE VOTE.
The direct vote on Fields election will not
be taken until after three o'clock. but he will
undoubtedly be elected as the vote refusing
to, second the demand for the previous queS,
tion on Shields nomination puts him out of
the race.