Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1881-04-05
STARTLING SCENE IN THE o. s.
SENATE,

dering for days over the Malone coalition
with the Republicans burst forth in an in,
tensity which, when once in play, it was i'm,
possible to stay. The immediate actors were
Senators Malone and Voorhees,, and the fury
into which each was dashed by. the, other re.
suited in a torrent. of passionate -rejoinders,
at which the Senate and the spectators stood
aghast.
The calling up of the resolution providing
for q change in the Senate officers having
previously brought out several Senators on
both sides in sharp remarks, Mr.. Voorhees,
then took the floor and sent to the clerks.
desk and had read an extract from the Ece-
ming Telegraph, of Philadelphia, a Repub.
lican paper, which alludes to Malone as a
renegade Democrat" and charging that his
acting with the Republicans was in conse.
quencc of a disgraeeful bargain, and said
that he would indorse it and mako it his
speech. Subsequently Mr.. Voorhees,, at Mr..
Hoar's private suggestion, disolaimed any
Endorsement of any expressions in tho article
which might be construed in the way of max.
ing a personal quarrel with either of the gen.
tlemen alluded to in it CMahone and the
Vice Presidency. At this point of the pro.
ceedings, when the discussion had lost aliits
life aud lire, whom the audience in the gal.
leries had become less humorous, and when
all were looking forward to an immediate ad.
Journmens, tho most exciting scene of the
day took place. Mr.. Malone, of Virginia
[rising unexpectedly said: I rise to ascer.
tain whether l correctly understood the Sem
ator from Illinois (meaning Indiana, and Mr..
Foorhees) as saying that the article which
he had read from a Philadelphia paper (the
Erening Telegroph) was his speech. In that
article l am referred to as a renegade DEM
ocrat," further on as a "repudiatienist," and
further on as having entered into a BARGAIN
with the Republican. Senators in regard to
the organization of the Senate. If I have
recited correctly what is stated in that article
l ask the Senator whether that is his speech
L. pause aud 81 pause for a reply" Mr..
voorhees,, of Indiana (who had in the mean.
time moved to the Republican side of the
chamber aud taken q chair at a very short
distance from Mr.. Mahone), replied in a
courteous but r~esolute tone. he said I sent
to the clerks desk an article from a leading
Republican newspaper, edited by allies Of the
Senator from Virginia. Soon nfterward the
Senator from Massachusetts (Mr. Hoar) came
to me, in those kindly relations which we
have ever borne to each other, and asked me
to soften that article by declaring it as nv
speech. | did so, in response to that sue,
gestion. 1T the Senator from Virginia ex~
poets anything further than that from me he
is mistaken i; he is entirely mistaken. He
Will have to deal with the Republican editor
OF that paper, and, when he settles with him.
II he has anything further to settle with me-.
he Will lind me here, and will not only find
me here, but find me willing to respond
He need not think for a moment that he can
eoerce or dictate the course of debate on this
floor. made a large concession 7; I did it
from my heart, and with no possible disre>
spect to the Senator from Virginia-not the
slightest. | did it because I thought it right,
when the distinguished and cultured Senator
from Massachusetts, called nv attention to il.
But if the Senator from Virginia thinks he
can stretch by one hairs breadth something
between the gentleman from Massachusetts
and myself, and coercc me into a single con-
cession beyond that. he is entirely mistaken.
Mr.. Malone rose to respond, but gave way
to Mr.: Mitchell, of Pennsylvania, who said
that the paper in question Cthe EUeninq Tell
egraPA), IT it were a Republican paper, was
a Republican paper with Democratic tenden>
cles. But the statement of the Senator from
Indians that that paper was recognized as a
leading Republican paper of PENNSYLVANIA
was not correct. --
MIR. Hoar, of Massachusetts,, volunteered
the explanation that of his own motion and
without q suggestion from anybody he had
takon tho liberty to go to the Senator from
Indiana and say to him that while it was no
affair of HIS (Mr. Hoar's), the article seemed
to'contaln a personality in regard to the Sem
ator from Virginia, and he had asked him to
consider whether he had designed to adopt
that article as a part of his speech. The
Senator from Indiana had with great PROMPT,
ness, as soon as he could get the floor. risen
and said that the fact had been called to his
attention that the article contained a persons
ality and that that personality he desired to
withdraw.
Mr.. VOORHEES, Indignantly. Aud then
the Senator from Virginia rises here to re-
quire me to make concessions beyond that.
Mr.. Hoar Tin a conciliatory tone1. 1 do
net think that the gentleman from Virginia
heard the statement which the gentleman
from Indiana made.
Mr. Malone Tdeclining to take advantage
of AIR. Hoar's suggestion1 said Mr.. Presi.
dent, this is a very simple question. I stated
the case to this Senate, and stated it.
think. clearly. l stated that the Senator
from Illinois (meaning Indiana) had read to
this house an article from a newspaper, in
which different references to myself we're
made-the Senator having stated that that
was a part of his speech. Now what I have
arisen Notwithstanding what the Sena-
tor has SAID to my friend from Massachu>
setts-is to ask the Senator from Indiana
whether or not these personal references to
myself were of his own accord. And tina.
speaking imperatively] is the question I
ask the Senator now. The Senator has said
that he did not want to be dictated to, and
that in the course of this debate the priv.
lege will be exercised of having newspaper
articles read at the desk. I make no obieo-
ton to that-none whatever-and it is not
OF that [ complain. But when the Senator
says that that article is his speech, be stands