Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-04-20
THE RUTLAND HERALD
MONDAY, APRIL II. 1871.
The Passage of the Ku.klux Bill

The Ku.Klux bill was finally passed
nv the Senate on Friday last, after having
boor az amended that it is feared that the
uon.e If Representatives will hardly con.
onr IN the adoption of the amendments
One of the most important of the pro.
visions incorporated by the Senate which
was offered by Mr.. Sherman of Ohio, and
passed by vote of 80 to %. provides that
cities. counties. or towns in which Ku-
Klux outrages are committed may be as
sessed for the damages thus done to per-
sons or property for political reasons thus
placing the people of the locality under
some penalty 10 suppress the gang in their
own midst.
Mr. TRANQUIL moved to strike out the
entire seventh section, vesting the discre-
tiouary power of suspending the writ of
habeas corpus in the President, which
was rejected by vote of 81 to AZ. The
Republican Senators, Hill, Morrill, of
Maine, Robinson, Schurz, Upton, Trum-
bull, and Wright, voting in the afirma-
tive with the democrats.
Frank Blair moved the Amnesty bill
assed by the House be made as an amend
meDt, bat Senator Edmunds, of Vermont,
interposed a point of order that it could |
not be entertained as it was not germaine
to the bill Ia which Vice President Colfax |
sustained him and the amendment was
withdrawn. An unsuccessful attempt
was made to strike out the last clause re-
pe4ling the act which makes it obligatory
for jurors in the United States Courts to
take the test oath, but at later moment
before the passage of the bill, Senator
Norton renewed it with success to the
great regret of some of the Southern Re-
publican. Senator Edmunds made the
closing speech, which YVES able and i'm
pressive, the constitutional portion of it
was especially aoute and convincing. He
embarrassed Judge Trumbull on some
points which that gentleman made in his
speech, and seriously disturbed the Dem
ocratic Senators by the boldness with
which he exposed their sympathy for the
causes represented by the Ku-Klux. He
spike nearly three hours rapidly and with
great force, replying to the various objeo-
tiouz which the Democrats have urged
against the alleged assumption of powers
involved ia the bill. The wide-reaching
scope of the recent constitutional amend
ments were treated with great clearness,
4. s H., ~ L ,
to intrrpose it's protesting arms over all
it4 citizens was shown to DO unbounded.
The bill was finally passed at a quarter {
p,et six o'clock by vote of forty-five
ny,s to nineteen nays, among whom were r
included Republicans, Messrs Hill Rob- v
ertson, Schurz, Upton, and Judge Trum 7
bull Charles Sumner, when his name 2
was called, responded loudly and with
aacrity "Aye," as did also Roscoe Oonk- :
ling, who has been reported ss opposed to
the bill Z
1t would seem that the House could not o.
top at mere technicalities, and refuse to
concur in the amendments, while the y
ives of loyal citizens are at the mercy of
he Ku Klux, and the law without this /,
ill fails 10 reach the murderers. By
event estimate made upon the best of
violence that within comparatively late IL
period one hundred and twenty-eight y
murders have been committed by this
hand and if the facts were known we ap-
pyyNeod these figures are not more than @
bHeuough. The last outrage was the
marderof Mr. Dickinson, whose only crime b
Walat of being loyal. Neither by day or
by night IL the citizen safe. We must a
sacrifice his loyal principles or. walk ia
LANCER of death. Humanity demands of :.
}'ngress tho passage of this bill that i'm a
1ediate measares may be taken to pres
rye the lives Of i'll citizens. Hith these
.cts staring the National Legislature it Ii
their duty as we'll as that of the party
power to turn from differences, bicker- 81
lgs and teobanicality, enacting some tt
leasures of sharp resistance to these great n
'rongs. Principles are greater than men
nd unity of endeavor is the only safe.
lard of power