Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1872-02-16

In the Ssn.te on Friday, the Amnesty bill
having been amended by the addition Of Mr..
Summers Civil Rights bill, b. the casting vote
of Vice President Colf.x, was further amended
by the adoption of an amendment offered oy
NIr. Morrill,, Of Vermont, including IN the e1-
ceptons I'll persons who had been members oil
the Ku-Klux organization. 4 vote was then
taken on the bin snd it was lost, falling 70 re-
esiye the necessary ;two-thirds vote This re-
suit has long been anticipated, the course Of the
long debate clearly indicating it
The following sharp spsrring took place IN
the debate on the bill
Mr. Norwood asked Mr. Edmunds for proofs
If his charge sgain.t Generals Hampton, Butter
Mr. Eimunds asked Mr. Norwood if he dii
not know thst Ku-Klux organization e1isted
in the South. Iii.
Mr. Norwood insisted on an answer to his
oue,tion. The Senator (Edmunds) was Trying
IN convince the Senate thGtthese three genue
men ought to be excluded from the hiii, ana
charged them with being members OF an Illegal
organization. ..,.,
=
vince the Senate that every man ought to be e1-
clndei Who was an enemy to his government, TO
his fellow citizens and 10 good order. lie had
,lresdv stated thst he Was informed from the
lest authority that the Executive Department oi
the United States had evidence showing that Inc
three persons he had named were 81 tins mo
mept. or were month ago, the ADVISORY Doatl
of the Ku-Klux Khan, whatever that was fef-
hans the Senator Norwood, as be hVel near Tue
locality. could tell better thsn he.
Mr. blair. thinking that Mr.. Elmunds reierr-
ed to him. said that be did not live near the To-
c2litv hut had been there sni had heard the ties
t;mony on the subject, and he would Just as
readily believe him (Eimundt} espi5e oil be-
longing 10 the Ku-Klux as Messrs. hampton
Butler or kershsw.
Mr.. Eimunds- Undoubtedly We all Know
that in the opinion ofthe honorable Senator Ie-
construction is a disgrace 10 the age ana coun-
try, but it is not disgrace anu outrAEe '.a'
there should be organizations Tor the commission
Of murder. arson, and all kinds Of outrage
Mr.. Blair prefer to stgmauLe 'hOse WIN
have caused these outrages.
Mr.. Edmunds made remark implying tna'
Mr.. Blair. as he did not denounce the outrages'
must spproye them.
Mr.. Biair-Upon the same principle mlgat
charge the Senator (E1munds) with approving
the .bieying and robbe1es Of the Infamous carpet
bag governments that he hoped to estaohsh il
the South. for he has never condemnel them
Mr. Edmunds-I will be more candid than the
Senator. have not condemned the theying Of
the cArpet-bsg governments, as he calls tnein'
because do not believe it. tLsughter-l deny
that the carpet-bsg governments al the 0ou'n
are tbieviue governments in the sense IN when
he uses the term, but have DO doubt inst IN
the South. As in the North, there are men IN
Office who do not administer rghuuly the
duties snd functions iptrusted 20 them 80 soon
as the government in he South or ELSEWHERE =
not faithful to it's trust in the highest degree
20 10 the verge of the Constitution with the sen
ator to put il down.
Mr. Blair am very glad to hear that
Mr.. E1munds-l should be still more gisu 10
hear the Senator say he will 60 with me to pro
tect the loyal black men ofthe country out on
the contrary, when We propose to 90 that ne IL
always against US
Mr.. Blair went to protect the hoerues Vi
the whole country in the battle field.
Mr.. Edmunds Yes, the Senator went 10
the war, but he got through too soon. tLsugh-
teri
MIR. Blair-WeIl, it is time for you to do some
thing in that way now. You did nothing then
(Lsughter.)
Mr.. Edmunds-I do not wish to institute a
comparison between my services and those oil the
Senator from Missouri, but perhaps ne will par
don me if l suggest that this government was
not saved altogether by the Brigadier Generals
Usughter.)
Mr.. Norwood. in reply to Mr.. Edmunds, SAID
he had heard Of the Ku-Klux organization, but
knew no more about it than he tEdmunds) did-
He had heard Of outrsges at the South, but as
many of them were committed by blacks SIS upon
them, and it was notorious at the South that the
negroes did not begin those outrages until sitter
they we're put in power by the reconFtruction
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