National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-08
occasionally exposed by accident, always found
on the side Of the enemy.
MIR. ntAINE'a REcnnDl


that Mr.. Blaine did his utmost to prevent Con-
grcss from strengthening the hands of the
President. To be more explicit, | assert that
he endeavored to prevent the enactment ofany
law whatever for the protection OF citizens In
the south at the session of Congress at which
the kuklux act ofApril 20, 1871, was passed,
TO which reference is made IN the above eX.
tract from his book.
A Joint caucus Of the Republicans Of the two
houses had appointed committee TO prepare
bill TO meet the exigency. The caucus OF the
House met March Ia to consider their report.
The New York Tft5une Of March 10, 1871, con-
tains the following IN It's washington dis
patch. (Ths Is good Blaine authority:
''WAsBINaroS, March 1.-THE caucus OF the
Republican members OF the House this even
ing was attended w an unusually large number
Of H,e members. Mr.. Butler presented his bill
mittee), and its provisions were carefully ex-
nmined by several of those present, Mr..
Amber being the only ono who absolutely
opposed the whole bill. After ABOUT three
hours debate vote was taken, and the bill
was agreed to, SO voting In favor to against,
those voting IN the negative being Mossrs
Amber and Finkleburg. The bill VIII be In
troduced In the House tomorrow"
on the following day March 15) Mr. Butler,
under the direction Of the caucus gave notice
that "at tho earliest possible opportunity undor
the rules he would introduce "a bill to Dro-
teot loyal and pe1cablc citizens" Sc.
The order Of the caucus which Mr.. Butler
was thus executing was In the following
words: That the report be accepted (the bill
reported from the Joint committee) aud
adopted as the sense Of this convention, and
thai the committee DO instructed to Introduce
Il IN the Houre Of Representatives, and press II
TO lis passage" This was signed by the chair
maj OF the caucus, Austin Blair.
Mr.. BLAINE's DEVICE.
Immediately, and before the bill could,
under the rules, be introduced, Mr.. Peters, OF
Maine, offered resolution for tho appoint
mcnt Of n select committee to investigate
southern afIairs $50 far as regards the exoou.
ton of the laws and the safety OF tho lives aud
property OF the citizens OF the United States,
ieRoan ,e bosu oi .ge ,r, iVSscsson 70
,na,da,on as ,hey NAV decn exnedSant
NJ nvis 10 ~ yNiasso cbusa,ts soid ;,t nm
,t,:od Nv ,iis o,oin,Iay ana t,Tst MI WIZ
oppUoSu " ~, ,ais it ih, Zip. VI VIZ
az hc,, ara in honoP hornd 10 do oPPO'0 i'
Us ~, MY nv ~ nonut uuhu W ~ t ~ u
hS Iesoiu.ion was a1oItvu ha p oh ~
tno DenoVru'S "uu D'i'ioh vi 'ho NsPuOir
e",i .osoi,,,to,, % o,9io,,r si,a d,o eva dors
Later, March 30 y was then ' aSopted nv n uniSn
VI DeIuuln aS y, eiu irip wv
W MI peppnbi,cane bsd Voted twice beforo az
~ y, nepuipir s,at u oiSiar" No. ~
us IA ~, on,,,,i IT, ,,,to ~ Ppn,n
nsniu,Io, ,yIth NJ m,,,ior os ohoirno anS
~ usl ,,,i ~, isd n,hi "a i nu
in aog NJ p,,Iar doeijund ~ sorvn oo ~
lis uhy tii' iu NV w. \, w w w
III i, s,t ~ snu. ny W n mSS pon n
~ Wy l,stait VI ms npROin'eht nau ne pv ti
, u, -, ~ a. a tMn,I ~, ~
vhatge tmat tno reso,uu S WIS vioa.lon OF
hnN NN0 ttFQ n n "A
MI p nas 4, ws , nv, s,iii IN os
~ wrsv th1 raniaa ~ AZ
oi ;yy,rtn e. '" svns Y.ri,tn h ar ~
i NINE ~ mus WI e ~ .uS PI ~ " ~
hn ma ny, ot,cndod e ny tta ond
NJ. Iu no. ,aiaS my ., te ueuSuscs' nnu
Snro,nn ~ hiSt, ,s ,nsS wa II
M Mas a InreaaDaie reason, Always given ipy
pvien i nen lin lIs W maj hn.hn yo.iy
n aY,, , un,ess oney p,oy opcn mel aIo geher
MY, MY Wy .nost inVoierAn'o Vi oPposNion Wnen
Mr.. BLAINE TAKES THE FLOOR AND COMPRISES.
Mr.. Blaine left the chair and engaged in the
debate He admitted having written the reso.
luton offered by Mr.. Peters Gong. Globe, LIST
Sess, 42d Cong, Part j, pa12i). He defended
his action in antagonlzlng the decision of tho
caucus of his party by an ad captandum ha.
rnngue against the authority of a caucus to bind
the conseiences of members. His hostility 10
the caucus system on that occasion would cut
up into at least dozen good Mugwump edi
torials. He admitted, however, that caucus
thrnst thHt be was n c %us made nsotcr In
said the Chairman OF the caucus, Mr. Blair, OF
Michigan, Stated, rs a man of honor, as he is
that ne was bound to say Officially from the
chair that II was not considered and could not
be considered binding upon gentlemen"
ment. He said that he did state to the caucus
from the chair, that ut was the understands
ing of the chair that such caucus was largely
friends upon the general subject, aud that he
lariiculdr MEASURE approved in caucus would
| not, IN defdI, bind Gentlemen in the House. y
He also said that subsequently another gen.
tieman asked will the Adoption, of this Bill by
| the caucus prevent tine offering Of dmendmsi on
| in the House. and 1t was said all over the
| caucus mo, no. by no means7 And 30, be
| cause some thought the caucus left the bill
| open to amendment and did not bind gentle
men to al he dtdIs of the particular meas
ure,"' MIR. Blaine claimed the right 10 joir
hands with the Democratic side, and defeat al
| legislation whatsoever on the general sub
ypSIoc,c of wbicb no "a rncognisea nas,er
In concluding he said:
"And this is the whole extent of my offend
| Ing that | wrote a notwithstanding took 1t U
| various gentlemen on this side of the House
TINT said to the gentlemen on the other side
| of the House This Is a resolution on which
you cannot afford to filibuster;it Is resolution
| demanding fair, impartial Investigation, ant
| under the rules desire that this resolution
| may be offered, and my colleague (Mr Peters
| Will offer it,
|
HIS AuDACIrf AND CRAFT
| Mark the mixture of audacity and Graf
contained In this cunning little speech. Th
Democrats merely, wanted to defeat all legisla
ton. Mr.. Blaine Joined them In this, and pro
posed 70 place his action on the ground lnov
admitted by him 10 have been false that tn
| House had not sufficient information TO justit
| legislation. This was giving the Democrat
the whole case. And our national Rey
nard the Fox being called on 10 explain
| gravely informed the House that he Whispers
to his Democratic friends aud told them the
could not "afford to filibuster' against thei
own side OF the question. The precaution wa
| as unnecessary as that of the sick IrlshmaI
who told his wife that II he refused to take tn
whisky the doctor had prescribed she mus
"bate" him and make him take 1t. And ye
there was a Blaine jingle Ia the words thu
made the unskillful imagine that he had I
some way been wrestling with Democrats 10
the advantage OF the Republican side. ~ Is
satanic art 10 Know now 10 make the wors
appear the better cause"
| HE PLEADS GUILTY To THE MAIN CHARGE.
49,.
Mt. B,aine on TINS occasion deiended hlu
sell only rom the mlnor OF two charge
the larger one. He was accused not only Z
acting IN Violation OF the obligations impose
upon him by caucus decision OF the part
whose caucus naue MIN speaker, Out ny wa
hiso acGusea Oh mnen more serious GUS nonene