Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-01-24
EVENING STAR.
CONGRESSIONAL.


vas continu,d on Mr.. Summers civil rights
amendment TO the general amnesty bill.
Mr.. Morton painted, in striking colors, the
ehOTmity OF the crime of the rebellion, and the
tact that by universal ANNE sly oblivion would be
thrown over that crime. he then went on to
from amnesty would be the PensiOnng OF the
rebel sold ers, the payment of the rebel debt,
OI al rSr 1akea 1y oar far ,ss
slaves. The d. mOcratic party is already CON-
mitted TO the payment for property taken, the
Senator from California, Mr.. Casserly,) having
already moved TO place on a footing with loyal
citizens ali persons who have received Presidsn-
tai pardon oT have their disabilities removed.
Mr.. Thurman asked Nr. Morton IL he regarded
the fourteenth amendme Mt As part OF the Con-
situation, ard il 20, how did he expect these
things ever - he doie, which that amendment
expressly prohibited.
Mr. Morton replied that he did acknowledge
the fourteenth amendment as valid. but the
democratic party does IO- and never has. If ever
any concession that either the fOurtse or fif-
toenth amendments are a part of the COnstitu-
ton has been made by the democratic party OF
the South n al never heard OF it.
MIR. Thurman said the Senator of course as-
sumes that it the mOeratic party gets into
rover it will repeal these amendments. He
would ak the Senator when he expected that
event tO happen. lLaugiTter.l
Ar. Morton hope never in this generation
ILaughttT.l IL would be the greatest natiOna
calamity. He believed that the supremacy of
this nation wa involved in the continuance of
the republican party in power, but great plaques
have come upon Us; Chicago was burned. and
il among the probabilities that the democratic
Tartv may come into power. u.aughtsr.I The
late Mr.. Vallandigham esSayed 70 lead his party
Into a rev departure in these amendments, but
he did not succeed, and his new departure
buried in the same grave with him The demo-
Strength was in the south. and the south Would
control it. Now, suppose there should be dem
oCrstic majority in the House, that majority
would be twO-thiTds if it came from the south,
and il would represent the people of the south.
That people would claim that amnesty an
acknowledgment that they had done nothing
lNN,. u ha hat
SiOns should be paid to the Union soldiers unless
their soldiers were also paid; they would not
allow the interest on tie debt TO be paid. unless
their debt was consolidated with II. In conclu-
sion, he stated that he intended 70 support the
civil rights amendment. He agreed with Mr..
before this spurious magnanImity.
Mr. Thurman expressed his great surprise
that after all this imPassioned rhetoric about
this immoral and inhuman act OF amnesty, that
the Senator should indicate his willingness to
vote for IL If certain amendments were made
which would not make it less immoral or inhu-
man. Mr.. T. then discussed at some length the
cOnstitutionality of the civil rights amendment
of Mr.. sumner, taking strong adverse ground.
would utterly annihilate all local self govern
ment, aud said from 1875 down TO this time
such broad principles had ever been cOnteRded
for. II local self government was TO be struck
down piece by piece, If We were to be made one
consolidated, Centralized government, then
would so the way that all centralized govern
nlents CO-frst a despOtism, then a Teniing into
fragments more numerous far than the states OF
The Union are.
MIR Morton said this is the same old demo-
cratic speech. [Laughter.l 1t has frequently
been heard in the swamps OF Indiana. IL is the
same old cry of destruction of local self govern
ment. invasion of state rights, &c, &c, Sc
He mir. ~ a believer in state RICH -, aad
in ri hts that cannot be touched, but they are
rights conferred by the Constitution, not inner
ent from state sovereignty. His state (Indana)
Fever had any original sovereignty nor had
Ohio; they were born of the Constitution, and
all the rights they had the Constitution gave
fhHm He alluded ID RrOlhpal lptt
OF Senator Blair, which had obtained for hi IN
the democratic nomination for Vice President.
Mr. Blair.-If the Senator had not bac ked out
from his speech of 1865, he would probably have
got my place on the ticket Laughter
MI Morton said. in his speech of 1865 he dis
tinctIy favored universal suffrage, but he said
the cOlOred people should first have probation
OF ten or fifteen years But to the principle of
universal suffrage he fully committed himself.
IL % happened that BY the action of the demo-
cratic party we were compelled to grant suffrage
sooner. IL was found that the South could not
be reconstructed on a loyal white basis, and 80
We had to do it with the colOred people. The
Senator from Missouri once a republican,
but he had seen fit to leave that party.
Mr.. Nye, (sOttO vOce. "A good radiance.
Mr.. MOrton.-Wel, will not say As to who
gained V his leaving.
MIR Blair said he did leave the republican
PARTY, and he lett it because of its usurp atoms
When he joined it the whole party could ii
down to a dinner table, and when he left it il
OF the Senator in lsG5 who at that time was sn
IOsed to be destined for a place in Johnson
Cabinet, had much more effect on the South
than his (Mr. Blair'sl letter.
MIR. Morton had never imagined that his
speech had 20 much influence. He never ex-
pected to go into JohnsOn's cabinet, never
wanted any office under him. and would never
have resigned the goyernOrshiD OF Indiana for
anything but the United States Senate. He
then sent to the desk 70 be read that portion OF
the BrOadhead letter in reference to the disper-
sion of the carpet-bag governments in the
event Of the election of q democratic President
Mr.. Morton then said that in this letter OF the
Senator the President was advised to play the
part OF a despot and a military usurper, and to
sort OF a show is this for the senator who say,
he left the republican party because of il,
usurpa;ions? tApplause. The President did
thing, and he intimated as proper t.
make the very exceptions which are In this bill
The Senator from Ohio Mr.. Thurmanl says the
campaign has been inaugurated to-day. The
campaign had already before this been inaugu.
rated in this chamber under different auspices
but those who begun IL will not have the ending
OF IL. There can be but two parties in this couu
try until the issues Of the war are settled. The
presence OF a republican administration in this
city is the only guarantee OF life and liberty
which large portion Of the people of this coun-
try have. Put the democratic party in power
and the people IN eight states Of this Union al
least four millions OF people, will have their civil
and political rights in deadly peril. This is a
question OF far more Importance than civil ser
vice reform, or the tariff, anything else. Il,
touches the very life blood of the nation.
Mr. Scott argued that it would be an incon-
bill, and Characterized the Vance Amendment of
Mr. Morton as a barbed shaft to strike a single
victim: He denied that granting amnesty would
make any one think the rebellion was right
The Senate then went into executive session
and then adjourned.
HOUsE--After our report closed
MIR. Garfield, explaining the legislative An
preparation bill, said the committee believe
they would be able to reduce the amount i'm the
twelve appropriation bills about nine millions
from the appropriations in the same bills last
wear The total Of these bills last year were
sl60 900 600, and they expected 20 reduce them
this year to sl51 600 900, aud it might be little
less.
AFTER remarks by Messrs Wood, (S.Y.l Hale
and others, general debate upOn the bill was
closed, and the bill Was read by sections for
consideration ami amendment. Thirteen paoes
OF the bill were read through without amend
ment until the paragraph was reached In rela-
ton to the salary Of the chief clerk of the De-
partment OF STATE, when Mr.. Monroe (Ohiol
moved TO increase his salary from 50 DO TO az ZOO
Pendlng consideration of the amendment the
committee rose.
The House non-concurred in the Senate