New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-26
THE HAMBURG MASSACRE REVIVED.

WAsuINGTON, July 25.-It is becoming serious
question whether the matter OF " personal explain
atons" in Congress Will not soon reach stage
where it will become necessary for the House ana
Senate to assemble in joint session occasonally-as
they do to witness the counting of the electoral
yotes-ln order to allow Representatives and SEN
ators to make their explanations face TO face. In
the course of a speech on the Smalls-T -Tillman con-
tested election case last week, Representative
Miller OF Pennsylvania recalled General now Sen
atOr) NJ C.. Bntlers part in the Hamburg massacre,
which occurred in TIllman's district MI Miller
embodied in his speech some extracts frcm The
Cha lesion Aeics and Courier and Tie SeHt'HeH dna
Chronicle of Augusta Ga both Democratic news
papers sharply criticising General Butler for his
part in the massacre. The day after Mr.. Millers
sneccl appeared Senator Butler his place i'll
the Senate and denounced Miller by name rs "a " cur
Of low degree and accused him of uttering false
hoods etc Senator Buffers remarks were very
short the report of them filling less than column
of The Record but lie was careful to have them cut
out of the routine report and transferred to the hrst
page of The Record where they occupy the most CON
spcuous place in that issue. Senator Butler was
evidently anxious that as many people as possible
should read his opinion of Mr.. Miller.
When the gentleman eSsaycd to reply this morn
ing. Messrs Evins of South Carolina. Buclner and
ouestlon of privilege. and that he should not be
allowed to proceed. Messrs Eyins and Buckner
also demanded, with much asperity to know
what the Ham urg massacre had to do with the
Smalls-TllIman casa question which they might
not have asked if they had stopped 10 reflect that
but for the Hamburg massacre and other crimes OF
the same sort Mr.. TllIman would never have been
able TO present himself at the doors of Congress AMI
demand n seat on the strength of even fraudulent
certificate of election. The Speaker decided that
Mr. Miller should be allowed to proceed, and he did
SO by sending to the clerk desk ana obtaining
leave to print certain parts OF the testimony TAKEN
by the senate Committee i'll relation TO the Ham
burg massacre and General Buffers connection
herewith. MIR. Miller then concluded by saying
that as he believed gentleman should be- as choice
i'm his language IN Congress as he would he Ill the
social circle he could lot of course repy III Kind to
the coarse assault made by 'eheral butier upon
himself Were he to use such language the civil
zation OF Pennsylvania would reOuke hInl: IL
such a civilization dId not exist IN South Caro'lia,
Mr. Miller WAS sorry If 1t did he was willing TO
remand the Senator to his constituents, trusting
that his coarse remarks would receive the condenl-
nation they deserved from the descendants oi
chiyaIrous tors who were not forgetiu OF the
truth that " title and ancestry render go0l man
illustrlous but bad man cOntenptDle.' linen
MIR Miller sat down amid the applause 0f ms party
friends and the excItaole am nervous MI. EElhS
of Sonth Carolina eSsayed 10 defend the absent Sei-
ator He did rs we'll as he could.
Senator Butler COMPLAINS lhat 700 large snare are
shoulders and there may he Il degree OF Justice IN
his complaint. Some letters Written by HIM for pub
licaton soon after the massacre seem to snow that
h Sy"s not always SO sensitive In letter to the
Journal Of Ommtrce. dated July 10. 1876, General
RULER justified the massacre aud his part III 1t IN
the following wofdS ::
Uevery negro engaged in the riot had been killed IN
tlc s,inuressou il would have been cxcuslDc II not
;nstidahle Prompt. short, sharp and de-
cye action was necessary. under the dctatcs or that
unwriftrn inaenable law known as self
preserValOn first Of all laws. Some there may nave
been who were Glad of an opportunity 10 Pul-h hose
VINO had accumulated wrongs, Insults ana outfaSes o.
them such "A, have enumerated can syInpalnlIe
with them II cannot approve Such means Oh Nhilct-
tion. / have upon previous occasion cAplaheu no"
ami WHY l in Hamburg. dld hothhinGG
there which | regret or LOT "uvn
| have any apologies to make, and would
do lin inst what | thea did. might have avoided thc
for, nv aeepg from il but conceived that had GER
tan duties perform and was not br0ughl up IN tna mar
scnool which allows any to desert ms riehds au9
clients wnen they danger and TIER taliles ana
their properly ~ jeopardy. am indifferent 70 the
opinion of bowling hypoc ties, ana ASK no Ia'oiS
ai their hands aud shall grant none.