The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-15
GRACE AND AMNESTY.
IN INTERESTING DEBATE IN CON-
GRESS.
Buffers Bill and i,s shpology-TAe SUBJ
stftutes of Beck and Farnsworth.
WASHINGTON, December l.

Congress; heads OF Federal executive depart
ments; ministers abroad; judges OF Federal courts
and those holding similar ofices in the Confede
rate Government; members Of conventions whe
voted for or signed the ordinance OF secession,
OF Governors Of States which were In rebellion;
Confederates who treated cruelty, and otherwise
than according to the usuages OF war, Fede raj
prisoners; persons entrusted with funds which
they have not accounted for; all deserters and
bounty jumpers. The property exceptions are as
follows: All property wherein the United States
or third parties have become vested by sale, for
fetc4e or confscaton, and lands used now or
hereafter for Federal cemeteries; every right Of
action and liability arising from any ordinance,
law or contract in aid OF rebellion, and every
such right shall be deemed invalid.
General Butler reported the bill, aud in explain
alton said that 1t was drawn, nautatts n,utondts,
from the Amnesty bill passed by the English Par.
lament after the Scotch rebellion OF l745. He
quoted from the preamble and body OF the act,
and referred to the exceptions ia 1t, among which
were all persons by the name and clan Of Nc
Gregor and all who had been In favor Of having
the French army invade Great Britain. he wish
ed that the state OF the country was such that ali
OF the exceptions could be struck out; but such
out every thing that had been done wrong, on one
side as wen as on the other, and said that no more
suits could be brought for acts done or commit
ted during thswsr, either by those who warred
in behalf OF the Uaited States, or by those who
'warred against It. 1t threw the mantle OF charity
over all. The bill excepted the leaders Of the rebel
lion but why should they not be excepted? .'They
had played for empire and lost and should now
take the penalty OF their loss 1t would be that
the frst exception only applied to those naval
and military officers of.the United States who had
received their education al West Point OF Annap.
oils. 1t did not apply to of1icers who had not
been 30 educated. AS 20 the provision refer.
ring to national cemeteries, he said he thought It
time, after hearing eCogy In the Senate on Gen.
eral Lee that tie idea that these cemeteries could
be in any way tampe:ed with should be put an
end to. II the Union soldiers did anything during
the war, they c.r rainiy conquered land enough to
be Guried in. He wanted this bill passed, II for
no other reason So :aat hat question might be
settled forever. AL objection had been made to
the bill that 1t was not o general amnesty. He
was not the most forgiving Of men, and he trusted
he'was not the most yindlctive. He could remain
unforgiving as long as his neighbor, and he could
forgive an honorable opponent quite as early
as his, neighbor; but when he dla forgive
he forgave all over, and when he did not
forgive, he remembered ali 10, :" Mr.. Lawrence
asked how many persons the bill would relieve
Butler replied that it would relieve every man
who held a postotilce or was sheriff or constable
before the war, and had taken an oath to support
the Constitution. AS to the excepted classes, all
that they had to do was to come to Congress
hereafter and petition for the removal OF their dis
abilities.
Mr.. Beck Democrat) offered substitute for the
hill. as follows: "That all persons, other than
those hereinafter excepted, now disqualified TO
hold ONCE by the Sd section Of the 18th article OF
amendment to the constitution, are hereby relieved
from such disability, and the same Is hereby re-
moved from and after the passage Of this act, ex-
cept from the following classes OF persons: First,
whoever having been educated at the military
academy at West Point, or the naval school at
Annapolis, shall have engaged In rebellion or IN
surrection against the United States, or given aid
and comfort to the enemies thereof. Second,
whoever having been q member OF either House
Of the Congress OF the United States shall have
engaged in rebellion against the same, or given
aid and comfort 10 the enemies thereof. Third,
whoeytr shall have held the Office of head Of one
of the executive departments OF the Government
OF the United States, or minister penipo.entlary
or minister resident, or Judge Of any court uuder
the United States, aud shall have engaged In re.
bellion or Insurrection against the same or given
aid and comfort to the enemies thereof
Farnsworth (Republican) offered substitute
for the whole bill, as follows: That all political
disabilities imposed by the third section Of the
Fourteenth amendment OF jhe constitution are
hereby removed.
Bingham (Rep.) moved substitute for the first
section, removing all political disabilities from all
persons except such as were senators and repre-
sentatfves in Congress in the gears 1860 or 1851,
or who were in either OF such years officers in the
army or navy, or werethe heads OF departments,
United States judges, United States ministers,
and except all persons who, in violation OF that
amendment have held Office since the first Of
June, 1870.
Butler announced his purnose to have the vote
taken on the bill at O'Clock tomorrow. Beck
opposed the bill. He said that he would have Of
fered such substitute as that offered BY Mr.
Farnsworth, bat that he feared that the House
might not be prepared to vote for general re-
movsl Of disabilities, but might do so when GER
~,>>
House would adopt the substitute offered by Mr..
Farnsworth but II not, then he hoped that his own
substitute would be agreed to. lie agreed that
nine tenths Of the matter in the till was matter
over which the constitutional committee had no
Jurisdiction, but belonged properly to the judi
ciare committee, and he expressed the fear that
II the bill were passed by simple majority, it
would be contended that 1t was valid in reference
to all subjects In 1t that did not require a two
third majority, while in reference to the removal
OF political disabilities It would not be valid He
declared that instead of being bill granting
general amnesty, 1t was bill OF pains and penal
ties, a bill making odious Determinations he
had never seen bill that was farther from carry
ing out the object which it professed to carry
out; it was bill adding insult to injury. Eebe-
neved that the Republican party and the Repuo-
lican press desire TO have general amnesty en-
tended. He thought that that party had lost
State after State by Congress refusing to pass
such BILL and thnt 1t would continue to lose
State after State so long as Congress maintained
that position.
Potter advocated the adoption OF Farnsworh's
substitute He believed that that proposition
would be found TO be not only most generous, but
the most patriotic and wisest proposition in that
respect before the House. He argued at length
aoajnst those provisions OF the bill relating TO