The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-11
BUrLER's SPEECH INTRE SENATE.
The First to Appeal Openly for Compromise
-Cheered to the Echo by Floor and
Gallery.
Especial to Augusta Chronicle.

Especial to Augusta Chronicle.]
WASHINGTON, October At was
certainly field day in the Senate for
the silver men. Senator Butler made
one OF the strongest speeches of his life
In demand for compromise. lie
spoke for two hours. At the close he
was applauded by the crowded gale
ries, and the arrest of several members
for intruding enthusiasm in that ice
berg: chamber, did not put a stop to
the applause.
He is the first yet to speak in bold
terms for compromise. He said the
country demanded immediate settle
nsent, and ifhalto be on Is compre-
mise basis. Before he concluded his
speech he became too tatigued to stand,
and resignd to Senator Joe Blackburn,
ofkentucky.
The silver purchase repeal bill was
taken up at 1l:30 a. M, and Senator
Butler addressed the Senate in opposi-
tion. He began by criticising some of
Palrnes's statements last evening, par
ticularly that insisting that the Senate
should be put in position to give in
itself. Z would say to the Senator
that the minority was not trying to
coeree any one, but he thought he
might safely say that the minority did
not intend to be coerced by anybody.
The Senate was not town meeting; it
was great deliberative body, intended
to put veto upon hasty, unwise and
improper legislation. The Senator
from Indiana (Turpie), bad spoken of
the~Senate as being the refuge of mi
norities. In his (Butler's) judgment, it
was the last refuge of minorities in
this country. This was not govern
ment of majorities-it was govern
ment Of written law. to which the
majority in the Senate was as amen
able as the minority was; to which the
President of the United States was as
amenable as the hum5lest citizen of
the Republic.
The Senate was not body where
the. political "hustler" could crack his
whip and compel the minority to con-
fasm to the will of the majority. 1t
was body in which the majority
could protect itselfin pursuance and by
virtue of the constitution and laws.
The minority in the Senate on the
pending bill represented millions of
American citizens and billions of
American property. And they were
there to be told that the minority
must yield to the demands of the ma
jority because the majority concluded
that the time for debate had ended,
and that the time for the vote had ar
rived.
BE heard it often asked: "What is
to be done?'
"In reply, Mr.. President" he said,
with strong emphasis, compromise.
Compromise is the solution of the strug-
gle here today. But" he added, 1--WE
are told that compromise means de-
feat, means surrender to the minority.
Why, Mr.. President; the very govern
ment under which we live is the re-
suit Of a compromise. And so I feel
inclined TO protest against the assump-
ton OF Senators who have said that the
minority is defying the majority, OBJ
structing legislation and causing delay
unnecessarily"
Then Senator Butler spoke of the
supposed interference of the President
with legislation, and said:
"I am not here to defend that great
American citizen, but I think may be
permitted to say that I believe that
great injustice has been done to him.
Icannot conceive that man who has
such an exalted opinion of his high Of
fee, who has such correct conception
Of the relations which should exist be-
tween the different departments of the
government, would permit himself to
interfere with al independent, co-ordi-
nate department by an improper exer-
else OF his official position. The Presi-
dent of the United State has the same
right to his opinion about the legisla-
ton of this body that any private
citizens has. But has been whispered
around when q suggestion Of compro-
mise has been made that the President
will not accept a compromise. Wbo-
ever states that, does the high official
great injustice, because it is none Of
his business what the Senate does. I
do not believe that he has attempted
to. use his high Office to influence the
legislation in this body. But none Of
usean shut his eyes or close his ears to
what is going on; to the statements
that the President will not accept a
compromise; and that compromise is
defeat, and surrender to a minority"
Senator Butler came back to the
merits Of the question, and declared
that II he believed that silver money
was an injury to the country he would
vote for the bill. If he believed that
II the purchase of 100000 ounces Of
silver per month, under the Sherman
set had brought about this panic, or
had jeopardized the credit of the gov
ernment, he should find no trouble in
voting for unconditional repeal of the
Sherman act. But as ne entertained a
different view on these points, he
would not vote for its repeal uRless the
repeal were accompanied by PROPOSE
ton to continue the coinage of silver
in some form, and to make silver a
permanent part Of the financial policy
of the country. He challenged proof
ofthe assertion that the credit of the