New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-27


of July % lies before us, ami the first quar-
ter of column of its first page contains
speech made by him in the Senate on the
previous day, which no judicious friend of his
can read with anything but regret, and no one
who has any regard for the dignity of the
Senate can read without q feeling OF shame.
II was wrested from its proper place IN the
report of the days proceedings in order TO De
made the most conspicuous feature oil inc
Record, and is as follows:
Mr. President, observe in The Record Of this morning
that person in another place made wanton attack on
my character and committed breach OF the privileges
OF this body for which not called to order in dis
cssiBg contested election shall not at TINS late
day be betrayed into controversy with this individual
whose acquaintance have never had the misfortune to
make but shall rather leave him to the Judgment and
contempt Of all honorable for attacking another In
forum where he could not be answered under cover OF
the privileges of that forum, for declining TO allow the
correction OF the asehOods he utterng the garbng
of the evidence peryerson OF the truth alshcaton Of
the record and for refusing to give the person attacked
the benefit OF his own statement. have wlthsOod the
mastis OF the Radical party in the past and can afford
10 dismiss with this brief notice tho ycpng OF tis cur OF
low degree The of this creature l believe, ID
Samuel H. Miller.
This speech was evidently an outburst of
anger. 1t was not only unworthy the dig
nifty of the Senate and discreditable to the
Senator himself but it was obviously OverdOne,
even as an expression of contempt, for
which it appears solely to have been intended.
When Mr.. Butler says he "belieres" " the
name Of this creature is Samuel II. Miller,
the aflectation of ignorance is SO laborous
that it defeats its own cOntemptuous purpose,
Al. ,Dft pirf,
passion. But what after all has Mr.. Butler
accomplished by this display In what Is he
better off than he would have been had he
borne in silence what he considers = wanton
attack upon his character, and LETT the
pages of The Record unOrnamented by this
passionate effusion We do not propose to
defend Mr.. Miller. Indeed we do not see that
he needs any defence. The offence for which
Mr. Butler so vigorously denOunces him con-
sisted in making citations from printed docu-
ments and record testimony touching the con-
dition of affairs in Soulh Carolina about the
time Mr.. Butler was elected to the Senate,
and that gentleman's personal connection there
with. They were pertinent to the matter under
discussion-the South Carolina contested cleo
tious-and so obviously Legitimate and proper
that 10 one of Mr.. Buffers political and personal
friends in the House thougho of Directing
TO Them And they seem to have been made
in no spirit OF anger, and without personal
feeling.
1t Is perhaps not surprising that Mr.. Butler
should feel aggrieved. Any reference to that
portion of his public career will be likely
always to excite unpleasant feeling and per-
haps resentment on his part. But it is never
theless a part of his political record, and he
makes Il mistake if lac thinks that he can re-
main in public life and escape being occasion
ally reminded of it, He makes n serious mis-
take if he supposes that he can ward it off or
improve his own standing by visiting upon
offenders in that regard his elaborate contempt,
or by denouncing them as "yelping ours Of
low degree 1t would have shown very bad
taste in Mr.. Butler had he only been betrayed
by his anger into the hasty and undignied
speech above quoted. To have deliberately
exhibited his loss of temper and of dignity in
the manner he has is inexcusabe. He has ac
complished nothing by it beyond making a
parade of his own weakness. Mr.. Miller stands
no worse in the estimation OF any one on ac-
count of it, but has on the contrary the SYM
pathy of respectable people who cannot APP
prove the indecency with which he has been
assailed We shall pay Mr. Butler the compIi-
ment to express the confident hope that he
will before long come TO be sorry that he has
made this exhibition of himself.