Year: 1870

resentatiVe - FarnsWOrth


and Butler in Battle Ar


ray.


WASHINGTON, June %, 1870.


General Butler and General
Farnsworth met in battle array
in the House this afternoon, and
the occasion was one of rare
interest and excitement. Prob
ably no other scene of person
alities was ever allowed more
limit in this body, OF produced
more unparliamentary language
The basis in itself was insignii-
cant, being the question of pass
ing private patent pistol bill,
for the relief of one Rollin
White, over the Presidents
veto. While Butler was ad,
vocating the passage of the bill
Farnsworth inteljected a charge
into the speech that produced
positive sensation, by declar-
ing that Butler had been en-
ployed as counsel for the oppo,
nent of White, but had turned
around to represent the latter
before Congress for a fee Of
$4,000. He exhibited a certi-
fed copy of a document on file
in the Patent Office to show
that Butler had received this
sum. To this Farnsworth
added that Butler had filed a
small brief in the Supreme
Court where a suit over the
case was pending, as a mere
pretense to cover the receipt of
so large a fee for work to be
done really in Congress. II
therefore charge him." said
Farnsworth, with vehement
force and gesture, with being
on both sides of this case-oh
one side without fee, and then
on the''t the other side of the
case with a fee" By this time
the whole House was on its
feet. The entire Democratic
side came into the central aisle
to see what would follow next.
Farnsworth had the rule read
that no member shall vote on a
matter in which he is interested.
An attempt to shut off debate,
and thus end the scene, failed,
and Butler got the floor in re-
ply. Farnsworth sought an
interruption. Butler excitedly
said, II don't yield to a man
who has got more beard than
brains," alluding to the formers
long, iron,gray beard. Farms
worth shouted out, 'rThe men,
Der may curse my beard, but
he shall not come into the
House and steal under the
shadow of it, This was re-
ceived with shouts of "Order'
from the Republicans, and cries
of "Good good y and mods Of
approval from the Democrats.
But Butler went on with his
reply, charging Farnsworth
with having made an Infamous
and maliciously false statement,
and adding that he acted in
the first instance against the
White patent for some of his
constituents, but that he was
not called into the case profes.
sionally until White came to
him and said his counsel was
i'll, and asked Butler to take
his place in the Supreme Court
in the pending case. He did
this by preparing the brief,
which he said took him a month,
and for which he received the
sum named, but that he never
argued the case because the
counsel first employed was
then able to go on himself; dis
claiming any interest in it in
violation of the law and his po.
sition as a Member, as Mr..
Farnsworth had charged. He
concluded by saying that he
who had dealt this blow, with.
out notice, and when he (But-
let) was unprepared, was a
coward and an assassin. Down
came the Speakers gavel with
fearful blow, but the Speaker
said nothing. The whole House
looked first at the Speaker and
then at Farnsworth, who was
in his seat, and then at Butler.
The gavel fall was succeeded