The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-10-19
Mr.. Conklina on Amnesty.

Senator Conkling made one of his superb
campaign speeches in Albany, New York,
a few nights ago. His remarks on amnesty
and on Mr.. Greeley's record were as fol-
lows:
"In the constitutional convention Of this
State he labored to have imbeded in the
constitution clause by the terms of which
any person should be refused permission to
vote at any election if thirty days previous
to its being held he had received charitable
aid.
In this State every year more than
thrice $50 men receive something from
charity, but they are men who have never
struck blow at the life Of the nation the
soldiers of the Union might often be so sit
uated as to be compelled to accept gratui-
ties from their fellows. But Horace Greeley,
who was so extremely sensitive and alive
to the fact that $50 rebels are forbidden to
hold office, who goes up and down the
country railing against it, would take away
the ballot, which he regards as so great a
boon, from men blameless of any crime,
because forsooth they have gone down the
rocky steps of calamity!
NV Democratic and Liberal friends, let
us shake hands across this bloody sarcasm.
Not amnesty enough when Grant, who led
the boys in blue, would not grant them the
privilege of seeing the surrender of the con-
uuered when he refused the sword of
Gen. Lee, permitted the officers to retire
with their horses and arms, and the privates
on parole! Not enough amnesty when after
the war, General Grant made tour of the
Cath ,,,J NTH n roy,0rf hroa thing
such a spirit of magnanimity that Charles
Sumner denounced it in the Senate IS an
attempt to whitewash the South! Not
enough amnesty when he stood the ranking
man in Christendom, ordering our naval
commanders to bring home, without money
and without price, all rebels who were tar
rying in foreign lands!
"When he became President the same
General gave Longslreet and other rebels
high office simply because they renewed
their allegiance to the flag; and he has re-
commended and carried amnesty as one Of
the measures of his most successful Adj
ministration, and yet Greeley, reinforced
by the Ku-klux element, takes issue with
him and tries to make point against him
on the subject of amnesty.
10 Grant and Sherman and Stanton and
Howard the country owes the freedmen's
bureau, which fed and warmed 10000
starving rebels, in opposition to all the
Democrats in Congress who voted against
the appropriation for the bureau. In Ten
nsssee more whites than blacks were cared
for by this charity, which was pelted by a
storm of denunciation from Democratic
presses and platforms. Twenty-Five rebel
generals sit in Congress and vote laws and
taxes for the people of the United States.
"They lately wore the grey and led the
battslions Of treason, but worthy to sit and
legislate for the great Republic. Is it true
| that the Administration, that the people Of
| the North are lacking in magnanimity and
the spirit of forgiveness !? But Greeley says
that more reconciliation is wanted. Who
pray, is not reconciled? I know of nont
among our people who are no
reconciled SO far as anger and pas
sion are concerned, save only the bandit,
| in the South who murder and pillage ant
burn, and the ring-leaders who urge then
| on. know there are homes in which Their
/ are vacant places, which are meyer more II
be filed, for which the rebellion is respon
sible; there are feelings in these homes
which are not reconciled, but they are Q
sorrow and not of hate.o