The weekly Arizona miner., 1879-02-14
A LIBEL REFUTED.
Speech of Hon. Tom Fitch
Delirerea iH ths House of Representatives, Feb. 10Lk, 1879, ta aNsrer tO q ScHTri-
 lots Article in Me s. F. Post.
Mn. SPEAKER-


 .(The Clerk read the article in question:
 Mir. Speaker:- rhis is not the first time that those who stand behind the woman whose name is appended to this unjust and attrocious llbei, have made an asSaulton me rough the press, but it is the first tune that any newspaper, other than a professional black mailer, has loaned it's columns to their uses, and propose to break the silence l have imposed upon myself for years, and give the truth tn the world; and l ask, here, because the remarks am about to make will be published-I asK here that those newspapers in California and elsewhere which may have published or may hereaf- ter publish the lie will aleo publish my an swer to IL.
 state first, that with the passage ot the bill that divorced w. F. Smith from hls wife had nothing to do directly or mdl rectly. l neither promoted nor encouraged it. I never asked a member to vote Tor It. Its introduction was ;urpTise to me, aod appeal to the gentleman who introduced the bIll in question, the gentleman from una Mir. Purdy, who is opposed to me in poll tics and with whom my relations m other matters have neither been close nor cordial, but who, I am sure, will do me an act oi simple justice to rise, now, in his place and answer if had anything to do directly or indirectly with this Smith divorce.
 MR. PuRDY.-Mr. Speaker-In reply to the remarks made by the gentleman from Yavapai, NIT. Fitch, upon question of priv Ilege, srate upon my honor az man, that Co my knowledge, in the matter of the dl- vorce of Dr. Wm. F. Smith, he used no ef- forts in its behalf. l, alone, Sir, am resDon- sible for the introduction of the bill, and, as is known by every member of this house, 1t took its course with the omnibus divorce bill alluded to by the Hon. gentleman, and under the tacit understanding among mem bers. passed this Assembly without notice and with no individual opposition.
 Upon my honor, Sir, did not know that Dr. Smith was even an acquaintance of MT. Fitch until after this bill passed both hous- es. and I consider the article in the San Franeisco Post an unwarrantabe attack up- on the character of Mr. Fitch and most scur- riIous, ungentlemanly attack upon the rep utatiOn of lady. Mir Speaker-The House is familiar with my opinions upon the subject Of dlvorces in general, under consideration by any Leg ! isIatiye Assembly, but members are smena' ble to the desires of their constituents, anu | in the introduction of the bill followed the .-ishes of a number of representative men of my County, whose desires and represen' ta,ions am bound 10 respect. Further Sir it may be proper in my own defense, to state that did not know until after the pas sage of this bill that Wm. F. Smith IS Dr smith the occulist, and l have net naW, nol ever had any acquaintance, personally Titr the gentleman. ,,
 My action in the matter of this divorcS bill was guided solely by the wishes of my friends in YilHa, and ] reiterate, MT Speak CT. I, alone, am responsible for its introduc
 lion. and in a measure, for its passage. Tn' gentleman from Yavapai, Mir. Fitch, neye held apy conversation with meo Dr. Smitl or any lady connected, by Tepute. with hin
 until the bill divorcing Dr. Smith had be come a law.
 MIR. FITCH.-Im may state, Mir. Speaker in this connections, that carry Tn the session introduced in this House, resolotion wblcl
 was passed, expressing as the sense of tho house that no sgislatIve diyorees oqghth tc be passed. This resolution, so far from re llt1ying the Judiciary Committee from con
 sidering bills of this charac ter, seemed but | increase the number of sucn bills, and th
 nFessure upon the committee to conside
 tbem. IL was then suggested, not by me mat the committee shoGld prepare an omni bus bill embrac ng all divorce bills thei
 pending or which might afterwards Oe pre- sented,, favor its passage and SO rld our
 selves of the Yhole business. The commit
 tee voted to agree to this proposition am
 directed its clerk to prepare tho omnIDu
 uill. Up to this time the bill to divorce Di
 Smith had not been presented and had n
 knowledge of its existence. When the gen
 tleman from Yuma, MT. Purdy, presente' |. his name for inse,tiOR in the bill, was sur prised. and for a moment, looking 10 " possible consequences to myself. was m
 clined to oppose it. Further reflection con
 yinced me that it was not my duty to intel feve. since it was determined to grant legis iatiYe diyOTces. aud l did not ln'erierec
 placed in tue omnibus bill tue name oI J. Gosper, our worthy TerTitorlal oecfetaf
 who had conilded to me hls intere5ts m thi particuIar, and in his behalf assisted 10 pas | inc general ball will not pretend TOT moment, that since Dr. Smiths name wa
 nlaced m the bill. through no procuremen
 of mise. was not desiTous that 1t shout pass, but uttesly disclaim the accusailo that engineered the mattero or had, ID iac f anything 10 do witli 1t. Perhaps. Mr. Speaker, so far as tn
 House is concerned, my privilege to spea 2 upon this question might end here, put , ciave the indulgence of the House for le Q minutes while reply, once for all, to LII 2 ether lying statements of this article m VI r san Francisco Post
 The statement of the Post that, 1.-Two yea
 ago.Dr William F. Smith deserted his wifi and supplied her place, in all particular e with Miss Annie Carpenter, nIeee cf no b Fitch. with the iull assent Of NIT. Fhc c and wife is lie so base that eann' \ ind words to characterize it. While the fl aiions between Dr. Smith and Miss C'
 penter were unfortunate and deplorable, 6 believe il 10 be lio that they were crip' z nal, and ike assertion tsat those reiation h such as they were, ever received tLe assent t my wife or myself, or ever received snythit !, but our bitter opposition, is an utter ials l. hood.
 I never have censured. cannot now ce r. sure Ms. smith, for her determined al d continued efforts 10 retain possession i, the husband wno seems t0 haye Oe' !. eoually resolved tc elude her embraces. ;s was nominated in ihe bond that he shou . adhere to her, and it is her legai right ,e enforce the bond if she can-but her stat ' ,aent that 1 entered her home, or help D. rob her of beT husband, is he, pure ai
 simple. without shadow oi foundauon'