Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-04-23


re have kept disabilities on men in the South.
Veil, gentlemen, stood up in the Senate
republican caucus and voted against putting
hose provisions in the l4th amendment. ZAP
lause.) did not believe it was politically |
wise to do it, and have been for years in |
avor of letting everybody off, and any man
Who behaves himself 10 patriotic and respec-
able man, and asks to have his disabilities |
I will vote for removing them. |
,Applause.) will vote for removing the dis
abilities Of John C.. Breckenridge, for ever
ince the war has closed he has behaved him
'elf like a fair minded American citizen, and |
pull told US that one set of men in the South |
we're kept out of Office and another kept in. |
Now, gentlemen, they have got nearly twenty |
rebel Colonies and Generals and men who |
served in the rebel armies whose disabilities |
we're removed by us, nominated to Office and |
hey were elected, and General Grant in his |
recommended the removal of their |
disabilities to the House of Representatives,
and the House by almost unanimous vote
decided to remove them. 1t came to the SEN
ate and Mr.. Sumner proposed to put in the |
bill provision Of civil rights, SO that when |
we had removed the disabilities and gave
amnesty to the old slave masters we should
give protection to the poor freedmen, and
voted for it and others did so, and it was put
in the bill, and when it was in it the bill was
lost by vote Of SO to 10, andTrumbull and
Upton, who propose to so to Cincinnati for
| amnesty, then voted against amnesty, and if
they had voted for it it would have passed the
Senate of the United States. Now, gentle
men, have another word on that point.
Trumbull knew very well that we have been
struggling to get through the House for sew
eral weeks Civil Rights bill, and we have
both civil rights and amnesty before the
House, and have been working to put both
bills through, and expect we will do it. Gap
plause.) l will advert to another matter. Mr..
Trumbul told us he is going to Cincinnati to
get Civil Service reform. Why, the Presi-
dent of the United States appointed Com
mission, at the head of which was your emf
nent fellow citizen, George Curtis. Zap
plause.) The Commission has been sitting
for months. They reported a partial plan
which did not work practically, and now they
have agreed to practical plan to carry out
thoseideas Of Civil Service reform, and to- day
Gen. Grant has proclaimed them to the coun
try. (Cheer.) These men tell you they will 60
to Cincinnati for civil service reform. say
to you tonight that all through the three past
years the Departments at Washington have
been struggling night and day to improve
their condition, and they have succeeded in
doing SO. Never had we as good clerks in
our offices in the city Of Washington as we
have now. (Applause.) But there is anoth-
er matter about which Mr.. Trumbull told us
l want to call your attention to that too. He
told you it was contrary to law for military
men to discharge civil duties. am sorry
that he told you that, for it is not the fact
we did not pass such law; we have law
that will allow military men to be appointed
to civil Offices, but we have no law that will
pra ant man in tho arrnv fran, haipU 1ato;lod
to civil duties. Mr.. Trumbull complained
| that we have an army officer that brought us
the Presidents message. Laughter.) If he
looked into the history of the country he
would find that it was done before. The first
message ever sent to the Senate of the United
States was on the 9TH of August, 1889, and it
was borne by General Henry Knox. Cheers
That officer carried one more message from
General Washington to the Senate. He was
the Presidents companion during the war,
and perhaps his most intimate and personal
friend, and when General Jackson came in
he appointed Major Donelson as Secretary.
When Abraham Lincoln came in he took John
Hay, an army officer, and detailed him for
duty in the White House. (Applause) He
filled the White House with military. The
gentleman, Mr.. Trumbull, should know all
this; and when Senator Of the United States
leaves his post at Washington and goes up
and down the country speaking to the people,
he ought to understand whereof he speaks,
and be acquainted with the facts of history
and know what he is talking about. Laugh
teri Gentlemen, never read speech so
full of errors in the short space of couple
of columns as in Mr.. Trumbull's speech. lie
says, or rather asks the question, if Andrew
johnson filled the White House with office
holders and military men, what could be said
a nn Ha Ha Arl
Col. Morrison, Col Leer, Col. Reeves, Capt.
McKeever and Col, X. johnson, his own re-
lations, and they are officers OF the army.
They set about posting guards in and around
the White House. When President Grant
came in they paid him salute, and he asked
what they meant, and the next day he sent
the troops away. The four companies of cav
airy and the regiment Of infantry, and for three
years not soldier has been nearer Washing
Ton on duty, than Fort Washington Gap
pause. Now what is President Grants great
onence' lie had three men on his staff during
the war, when he was Lieutenant General and
General. he was made President, and thew
went on Sherman's staff, and they were de-
tailed to 60 to the White House, and got mn
pay Tor 1t, and helped President Grant to do
ms immense work, and that saves SO much TO
tne public Treasury. Laughter). That is
an there is about it. (Applause). Now, my
ieho" repuniican friends, do you think you
ought to retire to Cincinnati because Presi.
dent Grant has got couple of his aids at
Washington Are the men who fought the
battles Of the country dangerous mem? (Ap.
plause). find men nominating tickets and
trying 10 get the boys in gray to work for
them. They are not afraid of the men in
gray but they have Z terrible horror of the
men in blue (aughter) the men who fought
for the old flag God bless the men in blue
that fought for the old flag. (Cheers). SEN
ator Trumbull told you about the crosching
assumptions Of those in power. am not