The Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1870-1875, 1870-12-16

IsFernl VlAEa MaEe introduced ant
appropriately referred. after whicl
Fthe House resumed The consideration
Of the Amnesty Bill.
Barry argued against tie exception.
contained 10 the Dill, and ia favor o
general and unconditional amnesty.
Morgan argued on Eds same side.
Mckenzie argued that Con9res.
ought 10 pass 2 general amnesty bill
without any EXCEPTIONS and let the
country have peace.
EarnsWorth stated "a the House
that the bill reported vas aot q unan-
imous report of the oommItte on R5
construction, nor didAf have the an
Dvovai of even e majority Of the Com
mitfee. It was only permitted 70 be
reported TO the House.
he declared that the provision OF the
Fourteenth Amendent tu the Constitution.
which imposed political disabilities. was
only intended to remain SO long as She
reconstruction was incomplete, and the
right or all persons were secured, The
colored people south asked for it, aud
having obtained their own rights they
were more liable and more lust than some
Of the members OF Congress, who were
asking Congress 70 relieve their white
brethren nom the disabilities imposed on
them, The Republican party outside OF
Congress is In favor Of unlTersal amnesty
He did not see any practicable and just
Gen. Dgstreet held the right position
by appointment. The President would
come under the exceptions of this
should be mentioned By name and
not grouped in CLASSES. The bill was q
very singular mixture. as It contained
some matters which might become law
if adopted by q majority vote, and con-
tanned other matters which could not be-
come a law unless adopted by a two-third
x~.f~ lrTan hsa qr,-r4
together in the same bill, as lt was q cheat
aud sWindle. 80, unless the bill was pass I'd
by a TWO third vote, IL Would be IN no
nothing to do with political DISABILITIES.
IL would merely be q Dill settling legal
question only and should nave come from
the Judiciary COMMITTEES. He declared
himself very positive that there was some-
thing behind the Dill, EOmBthlng covered
up IN meat tub while the people all over
the country were looking for an act OF
amnesty; they were looking for bread,
and Congress offered them a stone. In
stead of being quiet TO such In the South,
IL was bill 20 foster and revive suits that
Wers now dead. Who, he asked, YVES
afraid that JEFF Davis would come to Con-
gress? The exclusion OF men by classes,
would exclude the best brains and best
hearts in tbs South. A little generosity
exercised in the proper time, made friends
and not enemies.
form. as wrong In some OF its purposes, and
II II il became q law, pernlctous In its con-
sequences His objection 70 the bill was
that ib contained m 4t.er over which the
President possessed veto power, and mat
ter over which he did not possess it. 1t
seemed clear to him that the bill was IN.
constitutional in the attempt made 10
annihiIate the Judgment made in favor of
loyal citizens; 10 annih1late the rights OF
civil action OF loyal citizens for wrongs
committed by rebels In aid OF the rebel
lion, and In the attempt TO go into the
courts In time OF peacs to arrest the adj
mintstrRtton OF criminal Justice. He was
opposed to IL because It extended pardon
and amnesty 10 murders S, robbers and
tncendiaries. One great error which the
at the close Of the rebellion TO
punish traitors fer treason. A hundred
hrst class punishments that time would
have been worth one hundred amnesty
bills. He believed still that ft was neces-
sary that State Legislatures should be In
the the hands q loyal mens men w5s would !eeis-
interests of the Union soldier, their wild
Ows and Orphans and maintain the rights
Of enfEancnlsed cOlored men,
Mr.Sypher advocated universal suffrage.
declaring that the Republican partY of
Louisiana stood squarely on that plat
form. The nTst men In the South were
those who were at present prohibited
from political disabilities because they
were men who We're willing to come for
ward and commit perjury. should they
be able TO hold office while thoEe unable
TO do so were prescribed By exceptions in
the bill?
Mr.. Cox said that he did not ind, in the
message of the President, anything about
the general amnesty. There was no ex-
preston in it on that subject, which he
[Coxl regretted. for, at present, ha was
still IN favor of repressive measures to-
wards the Southern people, and had pro-
to ted against those measures in otEef
states, not In The SOuth.
Mr.. Maynard argued against the prlns
eiple Of universal amnesty. The rebellion
was the work OF Southern politicians, and
these men were hostile to the GoyernIn ent
to- day. They had not entitled themselves
to the Wiping out OF the restrictions
placed on them by The people. In his
Judgment, Congress would make great
mistake tfi re enaclecf acts OF fiEa old nul-
lifieattOn era. DE preferred to see Con-
gress remunerating the loyal men of the
South before going to remove ui-statrs
and disqualiheations. LIE saw no reason for
this Dill, ana he hoped II would not pass.
Let time do its work, and there would be
no necessity TOR such legislation.
Mr.. Sargent said If Republican members
from the South were agreed in their views
on this subject. their advice would doubt
less have great weight, but as they differed
SO radically, the other members of the
party were obliged TO make up their own
opinion as best they could, He was un-
able to agree with the gentleman from
Tennessee, (Maynard) and intended TO
Farnsworth.
Mr., NYinans declared himself In favor of
general but not universal amnesty; as
In favor OF general amnesty not absolute
reformation, and on bringing forth fruit
meet for repentance in the form OF writ
ten confession of crime, and a prayer for
abSOluttOn. Christianity did not require
men to forgive their eEemies unless their
enemies desira d TO be forgiven, and asked
absolution.
The debate here closed for to-day, and
tomorrow being prtvaUe bill day, and the
House agreeing not to hold a session on
Saturday, the bill went over ill Tuesday
next.
Mr.. Kelley, OF New York, from the Com
uotttee on Appropriations, reported that
the pension Dill appr0prtating $30s00O.OOO,
the same as last year, is made a special
Mnn0RV
Mr.. Hooper. from the GOmmltbee on
Ways and Means, reported bill 20
amend Section Twenty first of the Inter-
nal Revenue Bill, relating tO tue duties on
sugar. He said the bill made a cnange In
tbs rate of duty, but that its object was TO
simplify The law so that it can De instinct
lively understood, there being dim hculty
now as TO the construction OF the law ne
said he would cal IL up to-morroW. Ine
bill which comes up for consideration to-
morrow. strikes out from the provisions OF
the present law. the words flaws and 10 u.s.
cavado," whenever they occur, SO far as
the grades are below thirteen cents duty.
The effect of this will be that all sugars Will
be classified by their cOloFs alone.
Mr.. Garfield offered q resolution calling 2
for information as to the amount required
for pay .Or additional compensation 70
census takers. authorized Dy an act Oh
June 18th, 1870, Adopted.
Mr.. Kelley, OF Pennsy1 1Yania, presented
memorial TO the Am merlcan Medical AS
sociation, on the cultivation of the Chin
chana tree in the United States
The House then at z:tOs aoJ burned until
| tomorrow.