The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-03-07
HOT WORDS in THE SENATE.
The Passage Between Senators Conkling
and Burnside.


and Burnside.
It was during an executive session
and the cause of the disturbance was an
unimportant Collectorship in which
Gen. Burnside was interested. This
appointment had been referred to the
Commerce Committee, of which Conk-
ling was Chairman, and an adverse re-
port made upon it. Mr.. Conkling on
several occasions had asked to take up
this report and dispose of the case, but
Gen. Burnside had repeatedly asked
that it be laid over. So, when Mr..
Conkling arose and said that he was
tired of delay in this case, and that at
the next session he should move for its
prompt consideration, Gen. Burnside
sprung to his feet and began an attack
upon the report of the committee, and
denying that he had asked for any de-
Law. He mumbled his words SO at first
that few could hear what he was saying.
The story of what followed is thus mar
rated:
Mr.. Conkhng in particular appeared
near to Gen. Burnside, said, in slightly
arrogant way: What do you say? I
don't understand you'll"
Gen. Burnside flushed red to the
eyes, thinking that Mr.. Conkling was
DESTROYS of interrupting him, and he
abruptly raised his right hand, warning
off Mr.. Conkling, as he said: Il decline
to yield; decline to allow you to say a
word, sir, until have finished what / am
SAYING His manner was the height Ct
discourtesy, and Mr.. Conkling returned
abruptly to his seat and waited until he
sat down.
Then Mr.. Conkling stood up and inn
mediately the Senators turned their at
tention to him. A few crossed over to
seats near him. Mr. Conkling was per-
fectlS cool and self-possessed. His
manner did not betray the slightest irri-
tation. In bis most sarcastic tones he said
that he had generally believed that the
Senators observed in their ordinary usage
the courtesy that was due between gen.
tlemen 1t was subject of deep,
heartfelt regret with him that the Sen
ator from Rhode Island had forgotten
to use even the courtesy of gentle
man. However much of struggle it
might have been over his ordinary ma
ture, he had approached the representa-
tive Of the proud and cultivated intel
lect of Rhode Island with what he had
thought was the proper amount of de-
ference. The gifted Senator's dis
course, he said, was uttered in that key
that had made his valued utterances
unintelligible to his patient admirers.
He, the humblest of his admirers, had
presumed to timidly ask what train of
thought, or what statement of fact, had
been presented by the gifted Senator,
and when rerelled by boorish brutality
he could but charitably hope that the
gifted Senator was not really him
self He would add that the gifted
Senator from Rhode Island was
as much mistaken in his assertion of
facts as he was in his lack of manners.
He asked in season and out of season
that this nomination be postponed, and
it had been out of pure courtesy to the
gifted Senator'S request that this post
ponement had been made.
Such talk as this aggravated Gen.
Burnside nearly into a fit of womanly
Mysteries. He blushed, stammered,
bowed, and hemmed, and the moment
Mr.. Conkling sat down he was prompt
ly on his feet. Mr.. Conkling had been
very careful in his language to keep en-
tirely within parliamentary bounds.
Gen. Burnside completely lost control
of himself, and at once got raped
across the knuckles by the Chair, who
called him to order. Gen. Burnside
was very angry as he asserted that what
Mr.. Conkhng had said was not true.
He did not give the lie direct. but so
plainly insinuated it that Mr.. Hoar
called him to order.
Mr.. Conkling paid no further atten-
ton to Gen. Burnside. He deliberate
ly trimmed his nails as Burnside foun-
dered on, saying that he had never
asked this nomination to be laid over,
and any one who said so had stated
what was untrue.