. The biography and public services of Hon James G. Blaine : giving a full account of twenty years in the national capital . the South. Mr. Butler, of Massachusetts, in unsparing termscensured the Speaker for being the author of the resolution,and for procuring its adoption by a caucus of Republicanmembers. A colloquy of unusual acrimony ensued. Mr. Blaine—I nominated Mr. Butler chairman of the commit-tee, because I knew that if I omitted the appointment of the gentle-man, it would be heralded throughout the length and breadth ofthe country, by the clacqueitrs who have so industriously dis-tri
. The biography and public services of Hon James G. Blaine : giving a full account of twenty years in the national capital . the South. Mr. Butler, of Massachusetts, in unsparing termscensured the Speaker for being the author of the resolution,and for procuring its adoption by a caucus of Republicanmembers. A colloquy of unusual acrimony ensued. Mr. Blaine—I nominated Mr. Butler chairman of the commit-tee, because I knew that if I omitted the appointment of the gentle-man, it would be heralded throughout the length and breadth ofthe country, by the clacqueitrs who have so industriously dis-tributed this letter this morning, that the Speaker had packedthe committee, as the gentleman said he would, with weak-kneed Repubhcans, who would not go into an investigationvigorously, as he would. That was the reason. So that the Chairlaid the responsibility upon the gentleman of declining the ap-pointment. Mr. Butler—I knew that was the trick of the Chair. Mr. Blaine—Ah, the trick! We now know what the gentle-man meant by the word trick. I am very glad to know thatthe trick was successful. Mr. Butler—No BLAINE AS SPEAKER. 133 Mr. Blaine—It is this trick which places the gentleman fromMassachusetts on his responsibility before the country. Then he defied Mr. Butler to designate any members whohad voted under coercion; and on his refusal to do so, on theplea of not wishing to violate private conversations, theSpeaker exclaimed : Oh, no ; but you will distribute throughout the entire countryunfounded calumnies purporting to rest upon assertions made inprivate conversations, which, when called for, cannot be verified. Mr. Butler—Pardon me, sir. I said there was a caucus Mr. Blaine—I hope God will pardon you; but you ought notto ask me to do it! Mr. Butler—I will ask God, and not you. Mr. Blaine—I am glad the gentleman will. Mr, Butler—I have no favors to ask of the devil. When replying to Butlers claim that whatever a caucusmay determine upon must be su
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectblainej, bookyear1884
