The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-23
.rw ORLEANS, APRIL ~, 1870.
nEN CHALMERS AT FORT PILLOW


I'm Tuesday last Gen. Chalmers. goaded by
Che malignant ISLANDERS OF the Republicans,
tack the floor VI the House on question ~
r,riviIage and demanded an investigation oI
lta conduct at Fort Pillow. He had read an
n,t,ele from the Cincinnati Gdsette, wherein
ye was alluded 10 as one OF the NOTORIOUS
and boody-handed murderers Of the forever
infamous Fort Pillow massacre. and which
oiao contained extracts from report upon
sh.t affair made to the Thirty-eighth Con-
.ress during the war, by Ben Wade, In the
SENATE and Representative named Gooeh.
In the House.
dan. Chalmers also had read an extract
srom n speech made by Ben. Butterworth, 3
member Of the present Congress from Ohio,
IN which he was commented on as the hero OF
Trort Pillow Since the charges against him
were based on an official report to former
r,onpress, and were thus perpetuated In the
government archives, he thought himself
iustiHed in demanding nh Investigation Of
Them. and He accordingly asked for COM
mittee for that purpose, to be composed en-
t,rely OF old Union soldiers, aud majority to
be Republicans.
tlen. Chalmers, speaking to his resolution,
tooR the correct position that the House was
Aha indigo Of the qualifications as well as the
election OF Its members and II one-half the
charges made against him Ia the report to the
Thirtv-eight Congress were true, he was q
murderer and unfit To associate with his fell
low-members. his election was a Disgrace to
mississippi and his presence In Congress a
stain on American houor. The report had
been made In the heat Of civil strife and was
based On the OK parte testimony Of ignorant
men. none Of whom ever professed TO know him
by sight He had never referred before to this
report because he had believed that all Its
charges had been fully and publicly refuted,
sud because they were 90 shocking to
humanity, 80 incredible, that no respectable
man In the country would give eredence to
. them. During bis service OF two years In
Congress no member Of the House had ever
intimated before, by word, action Or insin-
uation, that he believed him the monster OF
cruelty pictured in that report. But since
these charges had been renewed by partisan
press and a member Of the House, he de-
manded an investigation and the vlndication
III the truth of history Ia the records Of the
country.
Garfield thought there should be limit to
the appointment of committees to Investigate
unofficial charges against members. Gentle
men should take their personal vindications
into their own hands. Yet, he was manly
enough to say. that since the charges against
Gen. Chalmers were contained In an official
report to former Congress, he thought that
his demand was a just one,
Butterworth erawled out OF the dilemma by
saying he was not familiar with the charges
against Gen. Chalmers; had merely general
Idea that the Fort Pillow affair was dis
graceful one, and that Gen. Chalmers had
something to do with it,; In short, that nc
knew nothing OF what he was talking about
and, further, that he did not mean what he
had said. and had not said what he was re.
ported to have said.
Under the circumstances, Gen. Chalmers IL
certainly entitled to the committee he asks
for, and to full vindieation against the
charges under which he rests, and which now
stand recorded In the annals OF Congress, \
those charges be false and eaIumnious His
confidence In his ability to disprove them Is
shown In the character of the committee he
asks for. When q man asks an investigation
and vindication at the hands OF his political
enemies In these times, especially man sc
conspicuous and pronounced In his views and
80 bold aud aggressive In his utteranees
as Chalmers il and has been, there
certainly can be but slight grounds
Tor the charges against him. SO long as the
charges In this report remain uncontradieted
and every partisan malignant can renew
them and cite an official report Of Congress
to substantiate them. 4 great outrage 10 per
petrated and the usefulness of an able and
true man seriously impaired.
As Gen. Chalmers says, the investigation Is
due to himself, to his State, to the constituency
which elected him, 70 his party and to the
character Of the American soldier.