The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-04-29
XLVIIth CONGRESS.
Senate-Executive Session.

II
Mr.; Butler then took the floor, promising his
speech by reading from the Record the re-
port of the colloquy between himself and Mr.
Burnside on the Goth inst, during the course
of which he had stated that if he did not by
irrefragible evidence establish the fact that
there had been bargain he would resign his
seat in the Senate. In endeavoring to do so he
desired it to be understood that with the mo-
tives and purposes and intentions of Senators
as individuals he had nothing to do. He was
not here to impeach the motives and honesty
OF Senators. The Senator from Virginia MA
human heart. That was true, bat men were
neld responsible for their acts to society, and it
was his duty as a Senator to criticise legiti-
mately the public votes and public utterances
OF all men who belonged to the public. He
made no charge against the Senator from Vir-
ginia. He had nothing but the kindest feeling
for that Senator. But when that gentleman
and his friends rose and charged the Demo-
Gratis with revolution and treason it was his
(Butler's) duty, in vindication of himself, to
The evidences of a bargain were:
The Senator from Virginia (Mahone) was
elected to the Senate as Democrat.
2-His purpose to vote with the Republicans
had never been announced until his vote dis
closed the fact.
Following that vote he had been assigned
to the craftsmanship of an important committee
by the Republican caucus.
This had been followed by the nomination
of Riddleberger for sergeant-at-Arms.
5-George y. Gorham, an earnest friend of
the Senator, had been nominated as Secretary
Gle (Mahone) had appointed Gorham's
brother-in-law as clerk of his committee.
THE nominations by the President of Ma
homes political friends to federal office
S-The Senator had voted on eyery motion
with the Republicans.
Spy such votes he was carrying out the will
of the Republican caucus.
10-He had moved his seat to the Republi-
can side of the chamber.
1.-THE Republican caucus had refused tn
transact public business until Gorham and
Riddleberger were elected.
2-The Senator still claimed to be Demo
crat and voted with the Republicans
l3-Riddleberger was an avowed Democrat
and repudiationist and therefore offensive to
Republicans.
1.-THE Senator from Ohio (Sherman)
avowed that anything that would beat down
tne democratic party was justifable.
lo-Tbe Democratic Senators had been as
sailed because they voted as their consciences
dictated in order to divert the attention of the
country from an unlawful alliance
6-Instead OF inviting an investigation OF
the charges the Senator from Virginia and his
friends sought to prevent free speech and legi-
innate discussion by threats and denuncia-
tions.
1.-THE reason assigned for the coalition was
that the Senator from Virginia was in favor of
a Tree ballot and fair count, continued But
Ter, when at the last election the state of Tn
diana was colonized with negro voters from the
South in order to nullify and neutralize the
Democratic vote of that state.
He then proceeded to reply to portions of
FryeIs speech, regretting the genteman's
absence, but at the same time quoting the
couplet:
"He who fights and runs away.
May live to fight another day.
He repealed the assaults made by that Sena-
tor upon the state OF South Carolina, asserting
that the people of that state were living in
peace and harmony. Was this insatiate cru
SADIE upon the South never to stop? If seces-
sion had been mistake and a crime how eyre
giously had the South suffered for it. If the
maintenance OF slavery had been crime how
it. Was there never to be cessation and stop
to the tantalizing,s misrepresenting and cal
umniating of peoplelwho hadla problem to
deal with such as no people had before since
civilization had dawned upon the earth? In
stead OF helping them to solve that problem
that Republican party had thrown obstacles in
the way and then cursed and mathematical
and miSrepresented them because thew acted
with the Northern Democracy. There was
not IN the heart OF any Southern man a scin-
ed that God would strike him down and paral
we his right arm If he ever had particle
OF hostility to that kind-hearted race which
had protected his wife and children during the
war.
1t was base calumny on the manhood and
honor OF southern men to say that they op-
pressed the weak, lowly and humble born, He
then proceeded to read from the Maine East
ern Argus and Boston Globe and also from a
large nomber of affidavits of citizens of Maine
to show that in the elections held in that State
fraud, bribery and intimidation had been prac-
ticed by the Republican party. He also read
an editorial from the Lewiston Gazette moral
izing upon the large number of crimes COM
mltted in Maine Out of Difference to common
decency ne would decline to give details which
had been furnished him of the Chandler muir
der in Maine. He would only characterize it
by saying that in Nervousness, in brutality in
beaStlneSS it had never been equalled since
the days when the Borgias had shocked hu-
mainly. Are school books and bibles the foun-
dation OF such civilization? He did not cite
these outrages to discount anything that was
wrong in South Carolina. Far be It from him
to arraign the people of Maine or of any other
state. He did it to remind the Senator from
Maine that before he began another crusade on
of the school books and Bible at his own home'
and to remind him that it was not always safe
for man who lived in glass house of such
dimension to be casting stones about The
Senator from Maine had continually reminded
confederate brigaders' that they were CON
quered. They were conquered, but if the Sem
ator had any little hand in that operation he
(Butler) had never heard of ite If he had had
any hand in it it had been with proiectile
that fired missile of death at very long ranye.
How lovely it was to see the Senator draw his
sword fifteen years after everybody else had
put them up. He (Butler) had been reminded
OF that knight on his rosinante charging a flock
OF sheep or a windmill. Soldiers in war and
peaceable men in peace never talked. 1t was
only those who had been in bomb proofs who
charged the lnoffensive rebel brigadiers with
all sorts of wolverine ferocity when they were
on the lower side OF the stream and not muddy
ing the water.
After few remarks from Mr.. Burnside
claiming that Mr.. Butler had not presented
good case In his charges, Mr.. Hale said he
would not answer in detail the speech of the
Senator from South Carolina. His colleague
would, when he returned, be amply capable
OF taking cara of himself. He merely desired
70 answer some of the charges made against
Maine. The Senator had read accounts of in
dividual crimes in that state crimes which
were committed in every state. The differ
ence between the people Of South Carolina and
the people of Maine was that where an offence
occurred the people of Maine and its institutions
punished those who had committed vile Deeds
Could the Senator say as much for his State?
He regretted that the Senator should have |
made an attack upon his state.
Mr.. Butler-I have made no attack on |
Maine, was simply defending my own state
did not recite the crimes which I knew moth
ing about with view of rejecting upon |
Maine. The Senator's colleague charged that
crimes committed in my state indicated a low
order OF civilization and desired to point out
that If that were the criterion he had some |
thing to look to at home.
Mr.. Hale, referring to the charges of fraud
in the election in Maine, called attention to
the fact that at the time of its commission the
state had been under the control of the fusion.
lists. Continuing, he branched off upon the
subject of outrages in southern States 1t had
become the fashion, he said, for Senators to
deny those outrages in toto, but if they were
not true then all the history of congressional
for the past ten years was a
myth, Denial did not help the matter. It
was as well take up any piece OF historical tes-
.imony and deny it. All denial would 90 for
1aught until it was as safe for man to vote in
south Carolina as in Maine, in Louisiana as
n Massachusetts. The Republican party was
dedicated to this single proposition that every
where all over the republic man who had the
light to vote should be permitted if he willed
o execute that right. There would never be
lbiding place until that question was settled
md settled right.
Senate adjourned until Monday.