Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-02-13
Oblo Statesr1atr,
A Field Day in the Ohio House
of Representatives.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY g, 1860.
The AbOIItiOnists Routed Their
StTODghOIds Captured Their
. Ammunition and supply
...... Trains Gut Off. f....,
A GREAT DEMOCRATIC VICTORY

The amendment OF the Representative
from Knox (Mr. BANNING, Disunion), to
House Joint resolutions, requesting Con-
gress to donate one hundred and sixty acres
of land, or its equivalent in money, to the
soldiers of 1861 and 1862, providing that
the proposed donation be made from the
confscated lands of the South, being un-
der consideration,
Remarks of Hon. J. II. Putnam.
Mr.. PUTNAM (Democrat) said: Being
favorably disposed towards the original
resolutions, and desiring their passage by
this House, | deem it my duty to oppose
the ENGRAVING of this amendment upon
them. The object of its mover is plainly
apparent. He has opposed the scheme OF
the equalization of bOunties from the first,
aud he and his party friends wish to drive
Democrats from the support of the meas
IRE by the incorporation of principle
which he and they know that gentlemen
on this side of the House are unqualifedly
opposed to. ....... .........
The amendment proposes to give soldiers
one hundred and sixty acres of land, to be
taken from the coniiscated territory Of the
South. The gentleman knows that there
has been but few thousand acres of South
ern soil confiscated, and that it would be an
insult to the brave men who have fought
our battles and earned our gratitude, to
bestow upon them scarcely a sufficient
amount of soil for burying place. But
imagine the gentleman did not so intend to
word his amendment. He undoubtedly in
tended to recommend to Congress a swC ep-
ing contiscation OF all the lands in the
South, and the appropriation of portion
of them to the purpose indicated.
Mr.. PIATT-Will the gentleman say
whether he is in favor of general contls-
cation? ...,' ..... ....
Mr.. PUTNAM-I will answer the gen
tleman before conclude. But the gentle
man from Knox (Mr. Banning), ii he has
any earnest desire to benefit the soldiers,
should examine the authority of Congress
to pass conflscatiOn act, and consider the
good which would flow from it to those
whom he seeks TO favor, before he casts his
vote for any such recommendation. BY
turning to section 3, articles, of the Con-
stitutiOn, he will read the following: n.
THE Congress shall have power to de-
clare the punishment of treason, but no at
tainder of treason shall work corruption of
blood, or forfeiture except during the Ute Of
the person Gttainted."
1ut OOURTtSs, JlGTcIOT6, Is llullJtu III lJS
power of confiscatiOn to forfeiture of the
rights of property during the life of the
traitor, and all titles must revert at the time
of his death to hislegal representatives T.
Does the gentleman intend, with the
| millions of broad, fertile acres of the great
West, the very garden spot of the world,
lying unOccupied, to which the Govern
ment can give its brave defenders title
which shall inhere in them and their de-
scendants forever, to contine the location of
bounty land warrants to territory which
thev will only be able to hold for few
short years, and will be unable to transmit
as an inheritance to their children? The
proposition is preposterous and has not
even the merit of common honesty to rec
ommend it to this honorable body.
l will now answer the question of the
gentleman from Logan mir. Piatt) When
forget that mercy is the holiest attribute
of Heaven and OF men, and that magma
nimity to PROSTATE foe Is the universal
policy OF brave soul or truly great ma
ton; when my affections become cramped
and my eyes jaundiced and blinded by that
narrow and contemplate spirit of party
prejudice which cannot look beyond the
little circle in which revolve its petty spites
and unmanly desires for revenge, into
the broad world of christian charity,
[ man join the brotherhood of the Infer
nails, of which the honorable gentleman Is
chief on this floor, and with blood
stained eyes and gaping hands join
in the radical cry for Sonthrons' blood
and Southern lands. But, sir, believing
that the history of the world teaches us
this great fact, that States as well as men
are more easily and securely fastened to us
by the exercise ofkindness and magnanim
ity, rather than cruelty and oppression, and
that the mercy ofnatiOns, like that of heav-
en-, should not be strained in its applica-
tion to the erring aud repentant am OPP
posed to the confiscation of the property of
those who have been, are, and are to be,
linked to us in common destiny, brothers
of our blood--Of our nationality-and
should be in our affections.
But the gentleman fMr! Piatt), In bis re-
marks this morning upon an amendment
which be offered lof similar import, which
he has withdrawn -predicated his PROPOSE
tion, as he informed us, upon the theory of
Gen, Butler, whom he charaoterizes as a
model for American Generalship and states
manship, that we should have q sweeping
cOnfscation of Southern territory, COM
meneing at Arlington Heights, and meas
uring, southwark to the sea. t
Sir ocotld not the gentleman. have chosen
lot MS mOuelIFOu bu0s STedb 1idtncS NniCIl
this warhas made famousyone which is not
so obnoxious to the sense Of adecent and
honest community? Would not Grant, or
Sherman, or Thomas, or Sheridan have
served for q model of American General
ship better than the second hero of New
Orleans who made such vigorous and sue
cessful raids against the bank deposits,
family plate, jeWelry, and wearing apparel
of the citizens of the Crescent City, and
who SO oenergetically defended his staff Of
flcers against the dangers which lurked 10
the turned up noses and, contemptuouslY
wreathed lips Of the aristocratic danes Of
the great Southern metropolis? Was 1t
the, fight at Big Bethel the radon the dogs
OF Norfolk, the James river canal, the gall
/ liant charge on the suffers of his Division,
his powdef ship expedition to Fort Fisher,
his admirable strategy In the caucus Of the.
Intervals which convened the very night
of the assassination of Lincoln, bywhich he
endeavored to become Secretary Of War
i'd Johnson,sC Cabinet, or his recent frantic
efforts to Aget out Of the bottle in which
Grant has securely corked him up. which
entities fim'to the distinction Of being the
model OF American Generals? If we are 4
nation of thieves, of military incompetents,
OF blood d-enchanted fiends and land cormo-
rants, Ben. Butler will serve admirably for
our model, and confiseatlon and general
determination for our policy, botif we are
thegreati Republic rooted ouponthe broad
a1dS enlightened policy whichII hope we
afe, should rather set up some other char
IL n l.