St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-03-18
Exciting Scene in U. S. Senate.
BEN HILL AsCERTAINs THE POLITICS o
SENATOR MALONE.

BEN HILL ASCERTAINS THE POLITICS OF
SENATOR MALONE.
A Washington correspondent thus
describes the scene in the Senate cham
Der Monday:
Senator Malone made a very dra-
matte debut in the Senate to-day,
thanks to the partisan raucor and folly
of Mr.. Benjamin Hill of Georgia. 1t is
not every year that the Senate chamber
affords so highly interesting scene as
TRANSFERRED to-day, when the hrsute
Virginian plunged forth from the Re
publican back row in the central area
of the chamber and boldly met the i'm
pertinent challenge which the Georgia
Senator had thrown out concerning his
right to vote with the Republicans.
The purpose of Mr.. Hill, who acted
under instructions, was to smoke out
Malone from what was believed to be
his hiding place, and, if possible, fright
en- him into voting with the Democrats
to organize the committees. The alac-
rity with which Mr.. Malone came to
the front, and the ability and power
with which he relieved himself from
the position of the defendant in the
case, astonished all the Democratic
Senators, while it excited the Republi-
cans almost to enthusiasm.
Mr.. Hills speech was delivered in his
lOudest tone and most vigorous manner
1t is rarely that any Senator INDUCES in
in such a tremendous volume Of sound.
If the doors had been open, his voice
could have been heard for a quarter of
mile away. His assertion, in a nut
shell, was that there were 3S Senators
who were elected as Democrats and
who were bound to vote as Democrats.
One independent Senator (Mr. Davis)
had declared that he would vote with
the Democrats, making 30 in all. This
was a majority of two in the whole
Senate. He declared it was impossible
that any one of those % could he in
duced to vote with the Republicans.
Such thing would be treacherous, in
famous, etc, yet the Republicans
thought there was such a renegade.
"Who, who, was the man, the base
man, on whom they counted ?" This
was asked in thunder tones.
Before the Georgia Senator realized it,
the diminutive Nirginian was standing
in the front row and claiming the floor.
llS tlCCtIlHGu lIiC 'cCudtNs LNCig -
was turned upon him and every ear
listened carefully to catch his first
words. He had previously taken his
seat on the Republican side of the
chamber and had given his vote for the
Republican motion to go into execu-
tive session. But he would not have
taken any part in the debate but for
Mr.. Hills insinuating attack. He was
perfectly cool, and evidently not sorry
to occupy this prominent position. He
proceeded in clean-cut and vigorous
tones to declare his entire independence
of the Bourbon Democratic party in the
South, and his absolute right to vote
as he pleased III the Senate, without
being called to account by anybody,
except the people of Virginia, who
elected him. He had been chosen
without pledges, and was not bound III
any way to support the old Democratic
party. The Senator from Georgia, be
suggested, could not have got elected
to the Senate unless he had bound him
self to that party, Mr.. MahOne showed
a good deal of Oratorical power as be
went on. He gesticulated slashingly
with his bOny little right arm, aud
when following up keen and ringing
sentence would creep up step by step
toward Mr.. Hill, croucbiDg as he moved,
till the attitude suggested that of an
angry house cat in the act of springiDg