Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-28

/ sort of doubt.
Mr.. Jones, of Kentucky, would
| like to ask the gentleman from Ill
inois if it is absolutely necessary
| for a man to petition Congress on
his own behalf in order to get his
case considered by the committee 7
Mr.. Farnsworth. No, sir; l do
not understand it absolutely neces-
sary he should do so himself. We
regard it, however, as better evil
dence of a mans loyalty and dispo-
sition to accept the situation if he
comes and asks for relief, than if he
stands upon his dignity. ~ Is =
Mr.. Jones, of Kentucky, under
stood it was necessary he should pc
tition on his own behalf.
Mr.. Farnsw0rth. We have no
rule.
REMARKs.-The following is an
accurate statement of theoffices held
before the war, the acts committed
in support of the rebellion, and the
status of the above named:
Mr.. Ira Garrett is seventy-siX
years of age-was elected Clerk of
the County Court in 1881, and Clerk
of the Circuit Court, of Albemarle,
in 1852, and has continued to act in
each court to the present time.
He gave no support to the rebel
lion other than sympathy, which was
carried out by feeding the hungry
soldiers, and attending to the wants
of the sick.
He accepts the political situation
of the country.
He is now a Republican, and in
dorsed the reconstruction policy of
Congress. c. L. THOMPSON,
Member Of Convention, Chairman
Republican Committee, Albemarle
county, Va.
JAS. T. L. TABOR,
Member Constitutional Convention.
Mr.. Ward, of New York, also a
Radical, wanted a little more light,
and he actually did elicit the parti-
culars of one case to which we ask
particular attention:
Mr.. Ward I simply ask the
gentleman to state any reason II he
has got any, why these men should
be relieved. He has given no reason
as yet.
Mr.. Fal nsworth do not yield to
the gentleman. This bundle of
papers, furnishing a report in each
case, may be printed in the Globe
if gentlemen desire it; butt will
read to the House now specimen
of the case which have reported.
Here is the case of Ira Garrett:
CHARLoTTTvILLE, Va, Dec. 10,
1S6S.-To the Honorable the Senate
and House of Representatives of
the United States-Gentlemen The
undersigned respectfully prays your
honorable bodies to relieve him of
the disabilities imposed upon him
by the fourteenth article of the Con-
stitution of the United States, and
the reconstruction acts >, and as
in duty bound he will ever pray, etc.
IRA GARRETT.
Judge Alexander Rivers has my
petition to Congress for a removal
of my disabilities. IRA GARRETT.
Judge Alexander Rives has my
petition to Congress to relieve me
ofmy disabilities.
IRA GARRETT.
Now, that is a specimen of the
whole. All the cases that | have
reported are vouched for in similar
manner. The gentleman from New
York can examine them ifhe wishes,
or they can be printed if the House
desires it. | move the previous
question.
Mr.. Mckee RADICAL: Will the
gentleman allow me to ask him a
questions
Mr.. Farnsworth No, sir; l must
insist on the previous question.
The previous question was sec
onded and the main question or
dered.
The question was put; and on a
division there were - ayes 81,
noes 30.
So 1.-TWO thirds voting in favor
thereof the bill was passed.
Now, note this case, this speci-
men case, selected by the Radical
chairman as ga specimen of the
whole" 1t is the case of a man
declared by all the certifiers to be
wholly guiltless of any real crime
whatever. He, it is declared, has
committed the offense of "giving
aid and comfort only by feeding
the hungry, tending the sick, thus
strictly following the dictates of hui
manity and religion. No civilized
code, no barbarous code that we
know of, ever prescribed acts like
these. 1t was reserved for the Rad
cal legislation of our day to do
what we truly believe is without an
example in history. Sir Matthew
Hale, who wrote centuries ago I'M
der a monarch who did his best to
make treason odiOus, laid down the
benign doctrine of the law in his
Pleas of the Crown" as follows:
ITO minister to an offender, sick
or wounded, although he knew him
to be an offender, even in treason,
will not be sufficient to make the
party an accessory after the fact, fol
| it is done on account of common
humanity" II Hale, Pl. c. 1872
Wharf. Am. Or, l..
Now, we ask any intelligent maj
to Judge whether this whole train o
recommendations, certificates, anC
pardons, is not rank with extortioI
and illicit profit to the members o