Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-04-29
NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
THE SENATE.
Report Of Proceedings of the Sen
ate in Extraordinary Session.

L
the Senate the unfinished business,
beino the resolution for the election
of the Senate officers, the usual mo-
tion was submitted by Mr.. Pendle-
ton to go into executive session, and
met with the unvarying fate, being
lost by vote of-yeas 20, nays 2l.
Mr.. Butler then took the floor,
prefacing his speech by reading
from the Record the report of the
colloquy which occurred between
himself and Mr.. Burnside on the
2Oth inst, during the course of
which he had stated that if he
did not, by irrefragable evidence,
establish the fact that there had been
a bargain, he would resign his seat in |
the Senate, In endeavoriDg to do |
so. lie desired it to be understood |
that with the motives and purposes
and intentions of the Senators, as
individuals, he had nothing to do.
He was not here to impeach the !
motives or to call into question the |
individual integrity and honesty of
Senators. The Senator from Nir~
ginia (AIr. Mahone) had said that no
man could search the human
heart. That was true, but
men were held responsible for
their acts to society, and it was his
duty as Senator to criticize the legit-
imacy Of the public acts, 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
of feeling for that Senator; but when
that gentleman and his friends
rose and charged the Democrats
with revolution and treason, it was his
(Butler'r) duty, in vindication of
himself to account for the course
which he was taking. What were
the evidences Of the bargain ? First,
the Senator from Virginia (Mr.
MahOne) was elected to the Senate
as Il Democrat. Second, his purpose
to vote with the Republicans had
never been announced until a vote
had disclosed that fact. Third,
following that vote he had been
assigned to the craftsmanship of an
important committee by the Republi-
can caucus. Fourth, this had been
followed by the nomination of Rid
dleberger for sergeant alarms.
Fifth. Geo. G. Gorham, an earnest
friend Of the Senator, had been nom
mated as secretary. Sixth, he (AIr.
Mahone) had appointed Gorham's
brother in law clerk of his committee.
Seventh, the nominations by the
President Of Mr., Mahones political
friends to Federal Offices Eighth,
the Senator had voted on every mos
ton with the Republicans. Ninth,
by such votes he WAS carrying out
the will of the Republican caucus.
Tenth, he had moved bis seal to the
Republican side of the chamber.
Eleventh, the Republican caucus
refused to transact business until
Gorham and Riddleberger were
elected. Twelveth, the Senator still
claimed TO be a Democrat, and voted
with the Democrats, Thirteenth,
Riddleberger was an avowed Demos
crat and repudiationist, therefore
offensive to the Republicans Four
teenth, the Senator from Ohio (NIr.
Shcrman) avowed that anything that
would beat down the Democratic
party was justiiable. Fifteenth,
the Democratic Senators had been
assailed because they voted as their
conscjences dictated in order to
divert the attention of the country
from the unlawful alliance. Six
teenth, instead of inviting an
investigation of the charges, the
Senator from Virginia and his
friends sought to prevent free
and legitimate discussion by threats
and denunciations Seventeenth. the
reason assigned for the coalition was
that the Senator from Virginia was
IN favor Of free ballot and a fair
count. 4 free ballot and fair
count, continued Mr.. Butler, when,
at the last election, the State Of
Indiana was colonized with negro
voters from the South, in order to
nullify and neutralize the Democrats
ic vote Of that State He then pros
ceeded to reply to portions of Mr.
Frye's speech, regretting that gen
tleman's absence. He repealed the
assaults made by that Senator upon
the State of South Carolina, assert
ing that the people of that State were
living in peace and harmony. Was
this insatiate crusade upon tue South
never to stop. If secession had
been mistake and a crime how
eyre 4lously had the South suffered
Tor It, Ii the maintenance of
slavery had been a crime, how the
raVa9es of time had settled with he,
for it. Was there never to be 8 ston
to tantalizing, misrepresentine and
eliminating of the people who had
had problem to deal with such as
no people ever had before since civ,
ilization had dawned upon earth. In
stead of helping them to solve that
problem, the Republican party had
thrown obstacles in their way and
then cursed and mathematical and
misrepresented them because acted
H.