Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-19
THE ARGUMENT OVER
In The Case Of the Third Vh-
9inia Regiment
GOBLIN APPEARS FOR BUTLER,
And Makes a Rather EXtraVagant Plea
III Militarism.
THE REPLY OF Mr.. MONTAGUE.
Running n Red-Hot Iron Through
the Body of Pntriotism-The MAJOR
Generals Action without n Pre-
THE REPLY OF Ma. MONTAGUE
cedenf.

CAMP AIGER, VA, August is.-(Spe-
c,a1l-The play is over and the curtain
has been rung down at last upon Generdi
Buffers version Of "Afuch Ado About NO
thing" The court Of inquiry sat at camp
Alger listening to the arguments oil apie
counsel on both sides until shortly atter
o'clock to-day. when, the case having been
closed the court was cleared and the work
of framing report was begun. Members
of the tribunal believe that report viii
be completed i'm a single session to-mor-
row. The verdict Will be carefully guard
ed. and will be taken to General Graham
M CORPS headquarters by Lieutenant sum
neral. the recorder Of the court. An IN
terestlng development in the proceedings
to-day was the appearance OF Brigadler-
General p. 6. Goblin upon the scene as
counsel for General Butler. This oincer
Is a distinguished lawyer and prominent
nolitician of the State Of Pennsylvania,
and his argument in extenuation OF Gem
eraI Buffers celebrated order was pol
ished piece of rhetoric, although its force
was minimized by the fact that the brl-
gadier had heard nothing Of the evidence.
knew little. apparently. of the merits OF
the case. and was forced into a rather
extrayagant plea for militarism. HIS po-
sition was successfully assailed by Attor-
nev-General Montague, and though ne hau
the privilege of rejoinder he made no
reply.
IN BAD TASTE.
The appearance of General Goblin at THIS
| late day was a genuine SURPRISE ana III
| the light of recent events it was DECIDED
| Iv unfortunate for, as General Buller re-
! ,jrcuishes the command of the division
AT noon tomorrow, and is to be succeed
ed by the brigadier, ii lays him open 10
J ,he i.nputation of cad taste.
Mr.. Hamilton was still unaDie 'o De
present when the court conVeheo thi'
morning, but other counsel LOT the res
r,or,t said they were prepared to proceed.
| na,sa.a1 Cobin announced that he appear
| ed AZ General Buffers request. After some
omendments had been made in the record
| M the proceedings there was a spirited
| ero1Iment as to the mode OF procedure
Mr. Moore. counsel for the regiment,
suggested that the prosecution shouid
|
| open and close. -,
! General Butler protested with some
show of Indignation. against being put III
| the light of a prosecution. Colonei NaHe,
no eaid had asked for the inquiry, ana
no one would be better pleased thah ne
| (the speaker) If the regiment were eXoher-
ated.'
MR.. MOORES SPEECH.
NH co,,rt decided that counsel for Col
| oraI NaIle should open the argument, win
the understanding that neither sloe "oulu
be prevented from replying TO the otheI
| &c LONG as there was anything that might
throw light on the subject OF inquiry.
Mr. Moore. for the regiment, said that
| General order No. IS was the important
| subject TO which the attention oL lne
| Court must be directed ne 81 ~
| tbot order sentence by sentence, anu
raiecd the question whether the PUNISH
roert which it proposed to infict couid
| - ironosed as the statutes were against
| .ho dishonorable discharge or a man
Y,itbout the sentence Of a court -marual'
That threat was an evidence, ne arsueu'
| 90 how extreme were the measures ADOPT
ed against the regiment. That Gehe,di
Rutler witnessed riotous conducl Oh lne
mart of n few members OF the reslheht
vas not sufficient reason 10 inVolVe tne
W
was the order questionable from lesdi
stondnoint but there was absolutely no
,,.ocodert for it, The speaker passed tne
evidence in review, and argued from ~
mat no officer failed to dlscharge MS
S,tv and no man failed TO obey his ON
GERS.
BtTTLER'S TESTIMONY.
r1o than took General Buffers testi-
o,on,, as the ground of specifications
which he submitted to the Court as lol.
lows. / When General Butler arrived al
~ yirginia camp ne saw seventy-hve OF
ono hundred men around the Young Men )
Chr,stian Association tent. shouting ana
acting I'm a dsorderly manner. he an
nounced who he was and ordered then
To their tents, but was reluctantly opey
ed. 2. The manner or the men Wis ulS
resnactft,I. and one shouted, You can
nrt 5own virginia. AS he rode TO COZ
80, NalIe,s tent he (Butler) thought he
sa., evidences of disrespect. why mao
49, the Offenders been tried and duly pun
sshos9 some of them had been arrested
"a come names had been taken. He be-
ueved General Butler acted under grea
s,ress of excitement. He had heard some
thing of a threat 10 lynch hesIo' ii'
was a southern man. The Ihlru Nrslnld
80 southern regiment, and Genera
w. trevv that he would be harshly
criticised IL he neglected to take promp
oc,ior There was a large percentage o.
roen from the hospital corps engaged II
The chase of the negro. Why was ina
command allowed to go free? Men OF TN
d,,dsion had recently pillaged a store II
Eairfax county, but the regiment u
which they belonged was not punished OF
,hat account. In the adjoining county
D a.' 60 otticar and some soldiers were on tria
g. most heinous offence-the desecra
/, 10, of the grave of an old soldier-bu
~ s,,cb order or punishment was mete'
n',. 20 their command. If 1t was within
,, - nrovince OF the Court. he asked tina
~. .o,,ocation OF the order OF General But
e. should be made and given wide pub
i,a,,, The verdict OF the Court did no
,oatter 10 the distinguished General, VIII
M inst been appointed on the Cubai
n oa,,nissiou. lo he argued. but IL did matte
10 a proud Commonwealth and TO prou
GENERAL GOBLIN.
General Goblin said he did not propos
q 90 treot the matter in his argument from
The standpoint of the Third Virginia
pag,ment. because that was not all tina
: was involved. and could have no conside
ration in the court. The major-genera