The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-04-13


The Senate is precluded by the iule under
which it is now acting rom taking up the
amnesty bill which passed the House ny
nearly hundred majority on Monoay. Du,
there is not unreasonable hope lhoulseu
that the rule NAV be so modified as to permit
the consideration Of this measure. in the
House q large majority oil ooth parties Voteu
for IL. The Southern members, representing
that mart of the country that is TO be chiefly
affected by it, voted for it with only four ex-
ceptions. The colored members, representing
the race that will chiefly suffer if any bad re-
suits ara to follow the restoration of Rebels
to their oldpolilcal rights, supported it with a
single exception. Only Mr.. Maynard of Ten
nessee made strenuous objection to it, while
on its passage. Gen. Butler, who was arsu-
ing case in the Supreme Court at the time,
and who had bill of his own on the same
subject which he expected to offer, has
promptly appeared in his new role OF injured
innocence, and complains that Dill whch
was announced day or two beforehand by
telegraph to the whole country was put
through by "a legislative trick" He Attempts
TO strengthen bis weak position by represent
ing that the bill is in contravention of the
Presidents policy and wishes, but the whole
country has long since discovered how much
credit attaches to Gen. Butler in his self-as-
sumed character of an exponent of the views
entertained at the White House That shall
low pretense was long since exposed. He
represents nobody but himeslf and his Essex
district neighbors. t
The response of the press of the country
to this bill has been as unanimously favorable
as that of the House. Even the New York
Tribune, which celebrated the close of the
war with an article in which it advocated
universal amnesty, regards it as a wise meas
ure so far as it goes. IL says editorially that
at is educational, and will help to bring us to
the right action at last" while In its Wash
ington dispatch it takes even more favorable
ground, thus: ssat 10
By the order under which the Senate is now
acting, it is doubtful il this measure is taken
up in that body this session, though its pas
sage in the House is considered by leading Re-
publicans as q wise movement, and one which
coupled with the Ku- Klux bill, cannot fail to
give the Republican party strength in the
South and promote peace and good order in
that Inflated section.
The Boston Journal is .unequivocally in
favor of the measure as will he seen from the
following extract from long editorial on the
subject:
The Amnesty bill drawn by Mr.. Hale of
Maine, and passed by the national House OF
. Representatives by the requisite two-thirds
vote, seems to meet the exigency SO well, that
we trust the Senate will concur in its adoption
The question has been raised, even among the
most earnest Republicans, whether the time
has not arrived for granting complete amnesty
to those engaged in the rebellion, many. feeling
that the general good effects of such measure
would overbalance the individual cases of mis-
chief and annoyance to which it might give
rse.g There is little doubt, however that the
public sentiment Of the nation is not yet ripe
for such An entire sweeping away of the disa-
bilites which the participants in the
rebellion brought upon themselves. They
certainly cannot ask it in Justice, for
if they obtain it at ali it will be an I'M
merited act Of grace rendered by wrong
ed and still suffering country Nevertheless,
something can safely be done at this time to-
wards the enlargement of political rights at
the South, and ought to be done We do not
see but that Mr.. Hale's bill answers every re-
quirement under the circumstances. .7-F
The New York Times Washington dispatch
says: 80 aat-el as- 'f.s b.
Mr.. Hale's Amnesty bill given in the papers
this morning passed the House to-day by the
/ fiatter'ng vote OF 1874 to 46 1t was not amend
81 in any respect, and its passage by the House
alter The paaeage OF the Kukux bill last week
renders the position of the Republican party
before the country impregnabie Tue Senate
baving resolved TO do no other business, will
hardly take it up atthis session, but It assure 10
be enacted into a law before another wear
pas. es.
Inc same paper SAYS editorially:
The certainly of its becoming law will AFFORD
test OF the sincerity OF the ex-insurgent class
OF the South, who compIain that property il
not allowed representation, and that the State
government is 10 the hands of irresponsible
and unqualified persons. This allegation has
Served as the excuse and apology for
the Kukiux outrages Mr.. BALES bill will re-
move nearly all conceivable obstacles to the
attempt to right existing evils by the peaceful
means OF the ballot. =
The Springfield Republican says the vote
on the bill surprised almost verybody by the
size ofthe majority in its favor, and that there
is little doubt of the Senates passing it if the
rule defining the business of this session does
not interfere.
The Boston Advertiser ia the course of a
long editorial says: at
We are sure that the country will heartily
respond to the action of the House of Repre-
sentatives on Monday, in passing the amnesty
pill moved by the Hon. Eugene Hale Of