Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-16
TELEGRAPHIC.
DOMESTIC NEWS.
Amnesty Debate in Congress
Able Speech from Carl SchurZ
Missouri, Drake and Grant
Maynard'S Views of Amnesty
The Holden Impeachment
CONGRESSIONAL.
CONGRESSIONAL.

The Holden Impeachment
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.
WAsH1SeroN. Dec. 15.-The following
bills were introduced and referred:
By Mr.. Revels-To aid in repairs and
construction of levees in the State of
Mississippi.
Mr.. Buckingham, from Committee on
Commerce, reported, with amendment of
f6red by Mr.. Cameron, bill to incorpo-
rate the Southern Express Company.
Our Canadian Relations.
Mr.. Chandler, from the Committee on
Commerce, reported fsyorably, with
merely verbal amendments, bill intro
duced by him recently, authorizing the
President at his discretion, to suspend by
proclamation the operation of all laws al
lowing the privilege of bonded tIanspor-
tation to foreign merchandise consigned
to Canada and Mexico, and also the privi-
lege of navigating the waters of the
United States accorded to Canadian YES
sells.
Amnesty-AbIe speech of Carl
Schurz.
At ten O'Clock the Senate, on motion of
MIR. SchurZ, took up the resolution Of
fered yesterday by that Senator declaring
in favor of the removal of all political
disqualification as soOa as the imperative
public necessity which dictated their i'm
position had ceased. Mr.. SchurZ then
delivered an address of unusual length, TO
which the Senate listened with marked
attention. He reviewed the history of
the party division in Missouri, for which
he said he and those who acted with him
had been denounced as traitors to the Re
p publican cause. The interference, at the
Z solicitation Of his colleague, Drake, of the
National Executive Committee by which
> the State contest had acquired a more
than local interest, aud the subsequent
defeat of the President, with all his pat
ronsge, by the very principles on which
he had been elected, the probabilities
of the formation of a new party nucleus,
and the prospects of reform in the civil
service and revenue were also referred to.
Commencing with an allusion 10 the
resolution as the expression of a senti-
ment which had received an emphatic en-
dorsement in the recent elections in Mis-
sour, and to the existing agreement be-
tween his colleague (Mr. Drake and him
self, that his own speech should be made
before the withdrawal of the latter from
the Senate, Mr.. Schurz proceeded to
show that the Acknowledgement of persons
engaged in the rebellion was a temporary
expedient, q measure of safety, rendered
necessary by new social condition in the
South, consequent on the close of the
war. He held that the remOyal-by the
party which imposed them while still in
ascendancy of the goyernment-of all
political disqualificatiOns, especially from
the ballot box, was essential TO the Testo-
ration of fraternal feeling, SIS proving
that such measures had not resulted from
yindictiveRess but necessity, and as bring
ing the late rebels to full realization that
they share with ourselves the institutions
and greatnG IS of our common country.
Such were among the reasons governing
his course in the late movement.
Quoting from the resolution offered by
himself in the National Republican Con-
Eention of 1868, declaring the Republican
party in favor Of the removal of political
disabilities as soon as compatible with
the public safety, ard of welcoming back
to the Union the loyal people among the
late rebels who would accept the new or
der of things, he said this was part of
the platform on which Gen. Grant was
made President; but how had that prom
Use been carried out in Missouri Only
by victory over the Republican party,
instead of upon its good faith and by its
assistance. When their party resisted
enfranchisement, after party honor com
mGnded them TO grant 1t, what hope
could the Republicans have of winning
over TO their ranks the re-enfranchisedd
The principal opponents OF the movement
within the Republican ranks were those
whose whole political stock in trade con-
sisted of the battle cries of civil war,
who would forever roll the word rebel
under their tongues, and that class of
nolitiCians whose whole end in political
life was to nonopolize the local offices.
Mr. Schurz denied, as not in accord
ance with fact, the assertion Of his col
league in a printed speech, circulated In
the Senate, that the opposition was not
so much to enfranchisement itself as
against q Constitutional amendment as
the method of effecting it. He referred
to some fifty or sixty newspapers which,
led bv the central organ at ST. Louis, di-
rectlV protested against the thing itself
In order 10 prevent the endorsement OF
the eufranchising amendment TO the Con
s,iiution. The Republican State COnven-
fiop was manipulated in advance, by CIV
ing TO the colored voters of the State a
representation double that allowed 10 the
white population, and so disciplining
them that that lace, against whom so
many preiudices are still alive in Mis-
souri,. had cast their virgin franchise to
/. continue the disfranchisement of Others.
The speakers unsuccessful efforts in
the convention in behalf of the entran-
chising amendment until be and his
friends went out from the convention,
carving with them, as he claimed, the
honor, principle and banner of the Re
n nublican party, were successfully referred
Y 10: as also the sweeping character OF pc
litieal disqualification in Missouri, where,
by provisions of the State Constitution,
persons could be disfranChiscd, not only
for disloval acts, but for sympathy eX-
pressed or implied, even of the remOtest
kind. Consistent Union men, of lifelong
devotion to the government for merely
expressing the hope that their relatives in
Che Rebel army would return home safe
IL. were disfranchised for sympathy with
those engaged in the rebellion. Mr..
Schurz knew scores even who had served
three or four years il the Union army,
and had been disabled in the service, who
h. Vi been DISTINGUISHED for harmless Ian
Cus 'ge either before they dOnned the blue
or since the war.
The airOcity Of the abuses which had
developed themselves under the system OF
disfranchisement, was shown by the
sneaker at length, in the absolutely ire
snopible powers of the registration Off
GERS. the ri ght of any citizen TO vote being
completely at the mercy of any villain
vpho happened TO be a registration officer
while there was no remedy for the gross
.set outrages. The fact was too public
chat in many counties these officers acted
wholly in the interest of the Radical can.
didates, the only consideration being as
10 the number of opposition votes TO b.
s,ricken off 10 secure q majority. In ont
ease as many as 500 voters were disfran
cbised upon secret afidavits. The Sena
tor from New York, Mr.. Conkling, a
the last session hsd denounced the cleo
tion frauds in New York city, but tina
senator would agree that the determination
was as great in stealing legal votes out o
tb,, ballot-box, under cover of law as i
Missouri, as stuffing illegal votes into the
bajIot boxes in New York and Phila
d alpha. ,-..-,-., .
In this connection he characterized q
rn0ualifcdly false the newspaper report
thai the Missouri bolt had anything to d
with a revenue reform conspiracy G