Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-08-02
Miller Answers Butler.
To the Philadelphia Times.l

WASHINGTON, July 25.-As was ex-
pected, when the House met to-day
Representative Miller, of Pennsylva-
MIA, secured recognition for a question
of privilege growing out of the recent
structures upon him by Senator Butler,
of South Carolina. He sent to the
Clerks desk and had read copy of
the Congressional Record containing
Mr.. Buffers remarks, which had been
placed prominently on the first page.
When the Clerk concluded the reading
of the clause in which Mr.. Miller was
characterized as "a yelping cur of low
degree" the latter had just uttered the
words: "Mr. Speaker, | desire"--
when be was interrupted by Mi. Buck
ner, of Missouri, who claimed that. he
had not presented question of privi-
lege. Mr.. Carlisle, of Kentucky, took
the same view of the subject and
thought that stop should be put to
what be termed personal wrangles."
Mr.. Miller did not relish this
language, and lost his temper some.
what, claiming that other members OF
the House had been accorded the priv
iege which he sought and had been
allowed to have newspaper clippings
read. He further said that he demand
ed to be beard on the question regard
less of fear of any member either of
the House or Senate. Mr.. Reed, Of
Maine. came to the assistance of his
Pennsylvania friend, and held that be
was justified in giving his views in
reply to what had been said by Sena-
tor Butler, whose language towards
Mr.. Miller had been very offensive.
After further remarks by Messrs. Kas-
son and Eyins, the Speaker ruled that
Miller could make an explanation, but
would not be permitted to attack the
Senator from South Carolina in his re-
marks. Mr.. Miller then had his speech
read, which provoked the reply from
Senator Butler, together with certain
documentary evidence relating to the
Hamburg massacre. Included in this
evidence was the report of the Coroner's
inquest and newspaper comments by
the Charleston Ne,os and Courier and
Georgia papers in regard to the affair.
The statements were not at all pleas
ant to the Democratic side and several
attempts were made to rule them out
as reflections on the Senator from South
Carolina. Speaker Keifer, however,
stood by Representative Miller and
said that when he thought the pro-
ceedings were out of order he would
rule SO. At the conclusion of the
reading Mr.. Miller said he would not
make a word of comment on this ter
rible record of crime. Had not the
Senator from South Carolina charged
him with garbling the evidence, per-
version and fabrication, be could not
have been induced to unfold this story
OF wrong. The testimony which he
had referred to was collated by Senate
committee composed of Senators
Augus Cameron, |. p. Christiancy
and A. 8. Merrimon, the same having
been taken under a Senate resolution
of December 5, 1876. To initiate Sen
ator Buffers language would be dis
tasteful to him, breach of decorum OF
the House and an affront to the people,
irrespective of party, of the district
which he represented. If such a civili-
zation did not exist in South Carolina
to-day, he most sincerely regretted 1t.
If it does, then he remanded the vapor-
ing Senator to it, trusting and believ-
ing that his remarks would receive the
condemnation they merited from the
descendants of chivalrous ancestry,
not forgetful of Addison's truism than
"Title and ancestry render good man
illustrious, but an i'll one oontemptible."
Mr.. Evlns, of South Carolina, re-
piled, defending the course Of Senator
Butler, and stating that at the time Of
the affair Hamburg was veritable
riot field that no laws were carried
into effect to protect life, and that Mr..
Butler had done all he could to prevent
the massacre. He then had inserted
as a part of his remarks Senator But
ler's version of the massacre, and
wound up by asserting that Senator
Butler was too good and just to hunt
down the cruel accusers who had 80
hasely slandered him. No further pro-
ceedings were instituted and the mat
ter quietly subsided and business was