The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-12-23
THE GEORGIA OUTRAGE,

pIc(SCStiHSSS Vi 1OLlSECsS Ou AohlidS y
; we find the following in relation to
! the Georgia reconstruction outrage
/ Mr.. Butler, of Massachusetts,, then,
at half-past two O'Clock, moved that
/ the House proceed to the business ON
the Speakers table, in order to take
up and pass the Senate bill to pro-
mote reconstruction in Georgia.
| After considerable filibustering, a
resolution by Butler, modified so as
! to have the vote on the Georgia bill
/ taken at three O'Clock tomorrow, was
adopted.
| Mr.. Bingham reserved his right to
move to postpone the bill until the
third Monday in January.
The Speaker stated that the resolu-
| ton would not preclude motion to
postpone or amend.
The bill was read.
Mr.. Beck offered an amendment re-
quiring the day fixed for the meeting
of the Legislature to be not less than
thirty nor more than sixty days from
the date of the Governors proclama-
ton providing for an election to fill
vacancies in the Legislature, and in
serting the word voluntary" in the
oath, declaring that the person taking
it had not engaged in rebellion, etc.,
etc.
Mr.. Butler did not object to amend
ments in mere details, but he thought
that material amendmei. would en-
danger the bill, and "endanger the
lives of many good people in Georgia"
supporting the proposition by citing
instances of murder, etc.
Mr.. Beck, member of the Recon-
struction Committee, argned that the
State of Georgia, having complied
with all the conditions imposed by the
Reconstruction laws, and having been
admitted to representation, was as
much sovereign State as New FORK
or Ohio, and whatever Congress did
to-day to Georgia it could with equal
propriety do to New York, Ohio, or
Massachusetts,. He quoted the dis
path sent by Mr.. Tiff to the Georgia
Legislature, partly in the writing of
President Grant, advising the sub
mission to the courts of the question
of negro eligibility to hold Office and
then to adjourn That advice was
acted on. The question was submit
ted to the courts and the Legislature
adjourned. The circuit court has de-
cided against the eligibility ofnegroes
for office, and that decision had been
overruled by the Supreme Conrt of
the State. The Legislature was to
meet on the first Monday in January,
and this bill proposed to anticipate
the action of the Legislature, and to.
throw the whole matter into the
hands of Governor Bullock, who was
charged with misappropriating the
funds of the State, and afraid of i'm
penchment by the Legislature. In
this connection he sent to the clerk S
desk and had read letter to himself
from the State Treasurer, leading
Republican, charging Governor Bull
lock with many specific acts of mis-
appropriation of State funds.
Mr.. Butler wanted to know if the
Legislature had not exonerated Bull
lock.
Mr.. Beck said that Legislative
Committee had declared in Bullock's
favor, but the Legislature itself had
overruled the report, and adopted the
minority report, refusing to exonerate
him. The House took a recess till
evening.
Mr.. Beck concluded his argument
in opposition to the bill. Referring
the letter read from the State Treas
urer, making charges against Gov.
Bullock, lie said that letter had been
read by himself this morning to Gov
ernor Bullock, so that he might con-
tradict the charges if he could, but
neither he nor any friend of his had
successfully done so. If the charges
we've true, Gov. Bullock was, of all
men, the very last one whom Congress
should make absolute despot, as the
bill proposed, over the State of Geor-
gia.
Speaking of President Grants allu-
| sion to Georgia, in his annual message,
he declared his belief that the Presi-
dent was not aware of the interpreta-
ton which his language would receive
and said if he believed President
Grant had deliberately, Intentionally,
and in the face of the fact that Georgia
was reconstructed State, advised
Congress to seize her and throw her
the scheme as the most infamous ever
rendered to an American Congress.
Mr.. Winans spoke in favor of the
bill.
Mr.. Woodward argued that the
whole head and front of the offense OF
Georgia was that its Legislature erred
in question of law. Had anybody
ever before heard of mistake in law
being remedied by the annihilation OF
the State in which it took place? Had
Gen. Grant never made a mistake in
law? Had he never been in any
doubt about the Spanish gunboats?
Mr.. Morgan addressed the House
| in opposition to the bill. He said he
had been one of those who, to the best
of his ability, had maintaiaed the gov
ernment in the late war, but he now
| declared his solemn conviction that
the single object of the then leader OF
the Republican party was subversion
of the free institutions of the country
and desire of war to that end. So
anxious was the administration of Mr.
Lincoln that the Rebellion should
assume form, and that an army
should appear i'll the field that aftel
Fort Sumpter had been fired on, MI
Lincoln's administration furnished
ert E. Lee, Joseph E. Johnson, Albert
OluHey JOHNSON anu UGuefal Long
street-whose designations were &C,
cepted by Mr.. Lincoln after the firing
on Fort Snmpter.
Mr.. Stevenson said he would like
to know what his colleague, as mill.
tary man would have had the Presi.
dent do when officers rendered their
designations.
Mr.. Morgan-I thank the gentleman
for his question. No soldier would
have any difficulty in answering it
What would l have the President Of
the United States do when an officer
in the army proposed to resign his
commission for the purpose of taking
up arms against the national flag and
and against the national constitution
l would have put him under arrest.
Mr.. Stevenson-Anything else?
Mr.. Morgan-That would have been
all sufficient. Had they been put un.
der arrest, you would have deprived
the Confederate army of their great
chiefs, without whom the rebellion
would have perished in six weeks.