New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-01-22
ONLY AN HOUR OF DISCUSSION.
MIR. POTTER AND MR.. HEWITT ON THE DEFENSIVE
THE RTPCBuCANs DO nor OPPOSE IHE REsO
LTIoN-GENrRAL BUrLEP.

MR.. POTTER AND MIR. HEWITT oN THE DEFENSIVE
THE RrPCBLICANs DO NOT OPPOSE TuE REsO.
LUTION-GENrRAL BUTLEP.
Try TEtEGRAPH To- THE rEIrUSEl
WASHINGroN, Jan. 2l.-The cipher dispatch in.
yesiigaton was ordered 10y the House OF Represeu.
tatives to-day. To vote for the resolution which Mr.
Potter reported from his committee 10 most Of
the Democrats like eating large dish Of crow but
they swallowed it with WY faces, insisting that the
meal should not be necessarily prolonged.
Mr. Potter took pains to wash hIs hands Of al,
individual responsibility for setting this inquiry on
foot Ic sad that he reported the resolution SIM.
ply because he was instructed 10 do - by his Com
mttcc. and so far from showing any reason why Il
should BE- passed, ne devoted great part Of his
speech to explaining why he did not and would
not voluntarily have called the attention Of rhe
House to this unwolcOme subject Among
these reasons We're his preference that
the inquiry, If made at all, should bc
entrusted to some other committee, the misrepre-
sontation to which lie said he had been subjected on
account of his connection with the committee, and
personal motives growing out of his relations with
Mr.. IIden. Mr. Potters speech was an honest one.
lie did not pretend that the inquiry upon which hc
IS about 10 enter Is pleasant Onc or that he eX-
pectcd his party to be benefited IN any way by il.
He dill not pretend that his duty to-day was any
thing except unpleasant, but he did II brayely
nevertheless exciting in his hearers a feeling Of
sympathy for him in hi, atilicton.
Mr.. Potter's explanation of the way in which ho
happened To have anything 20 do with the lnvesti-
cation that has taken his an interesting
contribution to the political history of the tunes.
He sad he took the place reluctantly the invita-
ton OF he commit ee Of the joint Democratic eau
Gus. and had held no communication with Mr.. ! lden
on the subject. Mr. Potter also appealed to every
one who knew anything about the investigation TO
testify that he had conducted il with the greatest
fairness. This 10 VIII dispute: but hIs COM
mittce has done some things, against his Judgment
and vote to be sure, that cannot be a. easily de-
Tended.
The speech that had been most advertised. and
which the hundreds Of people vino filed the gal
lcries went TO the House TO hear to-day A. that OK
General Butler in opposition to the resolution. The
General began by saying that lie had neither
friends To reward nor enemies 10 punish IN this
matter. and then went on to make what
sounded rather strange coming from HIM
plea for the inyiolqbHty Of the letters.
dispatches and actions of private individuals. IL
dispatches shOud disclose crimes against the laws
he said those guilty OF them can be punished with
out the nterposti0n Of Congress. end If they do
not disclose crimes, then Congress can make nc
cx post flcto law 10 declare the acts 20 be
such To punish vIndcatc any body was not
the business of Congress The House hadnorgl', in
his opinion, to spend the public money for any such
PURPOSE General Butler did not ATTEMPT 10 defend
Governor Tden or his agent, for the acts disclosed
by ne cipher dispatches ont rat her hnt,d that an
investigation would probably leave things
IN worse condition than they now are. Iie
was opposed to spreading those scandals
upon the record; it would De better to leave
them ~ the emanatlon, Of sensational. press. Tho
only result that could How from an investigation,
be said would be 70 stir mp something that had bet
ter not be- SEEM felt smelled. "GINe this $4,000
20 some poor woman he said
Thc-c fragmcntary sentences give fair dea Of
the whole Il General Buffers speech. II was not
strong. either in argument orIn language. and even
with his seeming threat that both parties would beg
injured BY the inquiry was almost without effect.
With General Buffers Worldwide reputation
for ability 70 make the worse appear thc better side,
his speech to-day was disappointment 10 th0se
who heard il. one little piece Of news General
Butler disclosed, and that was that lac was in
no way responsible for the publication OF the cipher
dispatches, and hat no copies of those ~ his
possession had been made by anybody since they
have been IN liz, hands. H. closing romlrk thau
there i one man who /, in such position a. not to
be influenced BY any party considerations was re-
cpivcd with great laughter Oh OOtn sides Oi tho
House.
The most striking part Of the speech % Mr. Hale,
VITO took the aOor next was his sarcastic deserip-
ton of the simple Old man Of Creamery Park,
dragged FROM his privacy by his oyer-zealous
friends, forced into the candidacy for
the Presidency against hls will taking
10 part in the campaign, and after
the voting was over. waiting quietly in his
closet for the result TO be announced. II was tho
best Of it, kind that has been heard in the House
for many a dsv. Nothing short OF verbatim re-
port OF ~ could do It Justice.
NJ Congcr krp, thc Republican side Of the House
in roar Of laughter for few Minutes with has
emitting remarks but the Democrats did not seem
20 enjoy them. lie was cut of in the midst OF his
speech bv the expiration Of his time and closed by
saving: " On another occasion Will continue these
rcnrirA..' This was sand m such provoking and
comical way that il was very amusing.
Nj. Hewitt appeared not only as the defender Of
tie Democratic party and ia organization.
Of which he was the head in 1876, bat also,
much 70 the surprise of everybody, Of Mr.
Tilden himself. He announced, as he said, on
authority, that the cipher- were sent and re-
cc.yeI without consultation with the
knoWiedg e Of the Democratic candidate for the
Presidency After making TIN, announcement,
Mr.. Hewitt went on 70 argue the question and to
uroe that if Mr. Tillen had concluded to buy vote
70 would not br reasonable 10 suppose tlat the bar
gain would have failed for want 81 money, ~ the
negotiations disclosed by the cipher dispatches
seemed To him 10 have done.
A. this ponr Mr. Martin | Townsend interrupted
with an lu0uIrv ~ TO whether money did not 90 Ia
or .ron-an inquiry which Mr. Hewitt did not stop
! tO an ,Wcr.
s.Itlons that the Republicans got the Presidency ny
! fraud. and that they have not only taken every
! means m their power 10 cover that fraud mp ny
| giving the agents through which u vas committed
with one exception. offices under the AdmInistra-
! tOn, but by attempting IL lasten fraud upon VIZ.
Tidcu and the Democrats. This part oi me speech