Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-02-01
Our Washington letter.
SENATE CMAMBER.

| W ASEINRJION. Jan. SJs 1919.
Amnesty has been a conspicuous faa-
ture of the weeks proceedings in this
branch of Congress, and there has been
much criticism pronounced upon Mr..
Summers course in connection there
with. The bill passed the House by q
large majority, and came before the
Senate with more taan the requisite
! twO-thirds committed to it. or, at least.
! favoring general amnesty. 4 little of
the right kind Of engineering was all
that seemed wanting to carry it Through
without trouble, but some of its real
friends, and some ensmies, under the
garb of friendship, have succeeded in en-
cheering it straight forward upon rocks
and shoals, and jnbo breakers that prom
Use its destruction. Sumner wish all
his characteristic tenacity, is determined
the South shall accept amnesty and civil
rights as provided by his amendment all
in the same dish. This Is the point at
of both measures in the most singular of
ways. The justice OF general amnesty,
considered upon ITS merits alone, is OBJ
yious to Mr.. Sumner ne is willing to
grant it but while he Is willing to grant
it as 40 act of justice and policy, he also
desires to make it consideration or con
ditiOn of anOther act of justice OS an
other class namely : Civil Rights for the
negrO-admissiOn to churches, theatres,
public cOnyeyanets, hotels, and mixed
schools. No one doubts but that Mr.
Sumner is acting in good faith ard with
conscience void of offense, as much so
as when ne espoused the unpopular side
and sounded the keynote of universal
freedom. Now, as then, he is living in
now meets with opposition from those
of the same general political faith. He
believes in the immutability Of princi-
Piles, and that it is not only safe but al
way eXpedient to do right Other re-
publiCans, perhaps, more practical in
their views COnscientiOusly dissent from
this particular idea of his, then other
prominent republican Senators who are
opposed to granting amnesty at all for
political reasons, but who do not like to
say So are willing TO help Sumner load
the bill with such amendments as to
array the democrats of the South against
it, and thus unite both the friends and
enemies of the measure in killing it, The
Amnesty bill alone requires a two-thirds
vote, and it is conceded that it would
readily receive that number Of votes:
the civil rights bill can be passed by a
mere majority, and it is also conceded
that a majority Of Congress favor that.
Thus, could vote be taken upon each
question separately, they would become
ment each embarrasses the other, and
both will probably fall to the ground.
Both measures will doubtless be passed
in the immediate future, but whether
united or separate remains TO be seen.
Nor do we think that at all material.
The nation must accord civil rights to
the negro or he unfaithful to civilization,
to right, and to the vital principle of its
national faith. 1t is also the opin-
ion of the best minds that
political disabilities should be re-
moved from the masses of the
south. The fact is that prescribing the
intelligence of a country and giving the
government into the hands Of less IN
telligent class. may have been just at the
time and necessary as n reconstruction
measure. hut it does not promise great
things for tn future and general am
nesty Is ii feature of sound rrnuhlican
policy today. Suluuers idea If COM
bining til" two is poetic justice. but the
aim OF the government, divine and hu-
man, is practical justice, and whether
these two measures passed together or
separate their effect is the same and all
that makes them desirable,
On Friday Mr.. Trumbull from COM