National Republican., 1880-03-19
A PLAIN VIOLATION OF HONOR.

Those Republicans who expect the Demo-
Gratis to keep faith with any contract writ
ten OF oral, expressed or implied, that
stands in the way of their present plans and
purposes, will be doomed to sad disappoint-
ment. They have reached q point of des-
peration whete good faith, honor, truth and
justice are all regarded as incousequential
rubbish, to be brushed away if they are in
terposed to challenge attention or obstruct
their plans and purposes. 1t is now held
that an honorable understanding was en-
tered into between the Democrats and Re-
publicans pending the KELLOGG -SPoFFoRD
and CoRBIN-BUTLER cases in the Senate.
under which the grave and indefensible
outrage of admitting BUTLER was yielded
to iu consideration of the admission of KEEL
LOGO. This arrangement was consummated
by Senate in which the Republicans held
weak but somewhat uncertain majority,
and both Senators KELLOGG and BUTLER
were declared 10 be entitled to seats, which
they at once entered. The majority of that
body knew that KELLOGG had rs good
title to his seat as any other Senator in that
body, while they were equally well salts
fed that BUTLER's claim was fraudulent
and untenable; and yet, with these facts
staring il in the face, the Senate consented
TO the arrangement which brought both
into that body We are not disposed to
criticise this action or its auxiliary inhu-
ences now beyond an expression of the
opinion that while KELLOGG should have
been seated, BUTLER should not have been
thus honored, As an evidence that this re-
suit was matter of arrangement between
the two parties, which was then under
stood to be binding and final, it is only
necessary to cite the proceedings in part
from the Congressional Record. KELLOGG
was admitted by virtue of the following
resolution:
. Resolved, That WILLIAM PITT KELLOGG is,
upon the merits of the case, lawfully entitled
to scat in the Senate of the United States
from the State of Louisiana for the term Of
six years, commencing on the 4th day Of
March, 1877, and that he be admitted thereto
upon taking the proper oath.
The case Of BUTLER was also awaiting
action while that of KELLOGG was under
consideration, and the Democrats, while
they evidently conceded the justice of the
latter's claim, were nervous and anx-
ous about BUTLER, in the justice of whose
case they had not equal confidence, but
were none the less solctous that he should
he seated. Hence, while the KELLOGG case
was pending after midnight November 80,
an agreement was reached between the con-
tending parties which is most apparent in
the following remarks of Senator EDMUNDs
take the liberty to suggest once more the
possibility of our coming to an understanding
rs to taking IA vote upon these questions, aud
ask that unanimous consent be given in the
usual method-uot that the Journal shall bind
rs an order, but the understanding of Senators
does ask unanimous consent to come to
this understanding among Senators First, 10
vote on the KELLOGG'SPoFFoRD case at or be-
fore 2:3O a. m. to-day Second, to vote on the
BUTLER. CoRBtN case at or before the eXpirR.
tion Of one hour after the KELLoGGSPoFFoRD
case is disposed Of
The Democrats at once saw that this
opened a way out Of their dilemma, and
Senator THURMAN responded as follows;
hope the proposition will be agreed to.
aud l ask my Democratic friends on this
'
will result in an arrangement perfectly honor.
able and fair TO both parties.
Senator KELLOGG was Immediately ad-
mitted by a vote of 30 to 25. Then Mr..
THURMAN moved that Mr.. BUTLER be
sworn in, which was passed-29 to 2s. PAT
TERsoN and CoNovER voted with the Demo.
Gratis, and in that way, and under that ar.
rangement, BUTLER gained his seat in the
Senate-though the cOnsummation so far
as the latter was concerned was wrong and
inexcusable.
Now that the Democrats have secured
power to consummate their purposes, they
are moving in the direction of violation
of the faith involved in the arrangement
they had made, for the purpose of despoil-
ing Senator KELLOGG Of his seat, which
was then awarded to him, simply for the
reason that they have the power to commit
the outrage In this move there is direct
violation of faith and honor, which should
consign the Democrats who are concerned
in It to everlasting inlamy and disgrace,