Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-01-20

paftmeuts OF tne navy auu WAT, anu W
reference TO some other records. to be able
/ TO state TO the House with more accuracy
than has been already stated. just the num-
Der of gentlemen who are still under dis
abilities. Those were officers of the United
States army, educated at the expense OF
the government at West Point. and who
Joined the rebellion, are still under disabil-
tiles. and are estimated at the War De-
partment at 325. The number of each per-
son in the navy is 295, and those coming
under the other heads, members of the
Both and 37th Congresses, heads OF depart
ments and foreign ministers, am not able
to give the number exactly. but the whole
number OF persons under disability in the
South is about $50.
l very frankly say that in regard to all
these l know of no reason why amnesty
should not be granted to them as il has
been TO SO many of the same class. Il am not
here to argue against it, since amnesty has
already become 50 general, and am not
going back TO argue that question. | am
in favor Of giving ii TO them; but in the
absence OF that respectful form OF petition
which since the 21th of May, 1872, has be-
come y part OF the common law, as pre-
liminary to amnesty. | simply wish to put
into the law that the persons shall 90 be-
fore a United States court. and in open
court. with uplifted hand, swear that they
meau to conduct themselves as good citi
zens OF the United States. That is all. gem
tlemeu. Say that this is foolish eXclu-
sion, Well, yes it is; but somehow or 9TH
er am prejudiced in favor of it. | do not
want to impose citizenship on the gentle
men.
Ii ! am correctly informed there are
some gentlemen on this list who have
spoken contemptuously OF the idea OF their
toll; tfz l,f,
and have spoken with great harshness
about their associates in the South who
have done SO. l understand that Mr.. Rob
ert Toombs has made a special boast at the
watering places la this country and in Eu-
rope, that he would not ask the United
States for citizenship. Very well we can
stand that quite as well as Mr.. Robert
Toombs daughter, and If Mr.. Robert
Toombs is not prepared 10 come into the
United States Court and swear that he
means TO be good citizen, let him stay
cut. do not Think that Congress ought
TO raise itself or TO resolve itself into "A
joint convention. and to embrace Mr.. Rob
ert Toombs gushingly aud beg him TO hon
or and favor US by coming back and taking
the highest form of citizenship. Well,what
after! Ny substitute requires that every
one OF these gentlemen shall show his good
faith by taking the oath which all OF us take.
and are glad 10 take. This is very small
eXsction 10 make as 4 preliminary 10 4 tull
restoration 10 all the rights OF citizenship.
In my amendment l have excepted jeff
erson Davis from its operation. Now do
not place that exception on the ground
that Mr.. Davis was. as he IS commonly
called, the head and front of the rebellion,
because on that ground do not think Nle
eXceptionwould be tenable. Mr. Davis was
just as guilty, no more so, no less so, than
thousands of others who will get the bene-
fit of grace and amnesty. Probably he was
far less efficient as an enemy of the United
States. Probably he was far more useful
as a disturber of the councils of the Con-
| federacy.
1t Is not because any particular or spec
| lal damage which he. above others, did to
the United States, or because he is partic-
ularly OF any special consequence that
excepted him, but l except him on this
| ground, that he is the author, knowingly,
deliberately. guiltily, willfully, OF the gi-
/ gantic murder and crime at AndersonYille
| "a member-and Libby; Libby pales in
/ insignidcance as compared TO Anderson
vile. l place 1t on that ground, and be-
/ lieve that SO rapidly does one event follow
on the heels OF another in the rapid age in
which We live, that even those of US who
were contemporaneously cognizant ofwha
was transpiring there, still less those Of US
who have grown up since, have tailed TO
realize the gigantic crime which was there
committed.
Since the gentleman from Pennsylvania
introduced this bill have taken the oeca-
| sion 10 read some of the historical cruel
ties OF the world. / have read over
the details of those atrocious massacres
under the Duke Of Alva in the low coun-
tries, which are mentioned with thrill of
horror throughout Christendom. | have
read the details of Saint Bartholomew,
which stand out as one OF the atrocities be-
yond Imagination, and here. before God,
measuring my words, knowing their full
extent and import, declare that neither the
Duke Of Alva OF the low countries. nor the
author of the massacre Of Saint Bartholo-
NEW, nor the thumb screws and dungeons
and atrocities of the Spanish inquisition
begin to compare in atrocity with the hide
Gus crime of Andersonville.
(Sensation in the hall and galleries, and
a remark by Mr.. Robbins of North Caro-
lima, unheard by Mr.. Blaine, that it was an
Infamous slander.)
Thank God, Mr.. Speaker. that this Con-
gress was under different control from that
under which il is to-day with committee
composed Of both parties, that tale of hor-
ror was placed where il could not be de-
MED or gainsayed. l mold in my hand the
story, written out by committee of this
Congress, and by its authority l state that
Winder, who is now dead, was sent to An
dersonviile with the knowledge of his pre-
vious atrocities. and that those atrocities
in Richmond were so bitter, SO bad, that
, the Southern papers, the Richmond En-
quirer for one, said when 1t was done,
that they thanked God that Richmond was
rid of his presence. We in the North know
| from patnf ninO sEelofnns whaf ha had ac-
complished at Belle Isle or Libby. Fresh
from those accomplishments he was sent
by Mr.. Davis, against the protest of others
in the Confederacy, to construct this pen
, of horrors at Andersonville.
OF course it would be utterly beyond the
scope of the occasion and beyond the lin
its OF my hour. to give any details. but one
-arraigning Mr.. Davis. l undertake here
. to say that I do not ask the gentlemen to
. take the testimony of single witness.
do not ask them to take the testimony of a
single Union soldier. only ask them to
take the testimony of men whe themselves
were engaged and enlisted in the Confed-
crate cause, and if that testimony does not
; entirely carry out and Justify this declara-
tion. which will take the liberty TO read,
, l will state that have been entirely in er.
. ror in my reading.
Mr.. Blaine then proceeded to quote from
the report of the committee on the conduct
! OF the war extracts in reference TO the hOr-
, rors Of Andersonville, in which it is stated
|, that no pen can describe. no painter sketch,
no Imagination comprehend its fearful, its
unutterable iniQuity. He then went on to
, say:
undertake to say that this Is . moderate
, description of Andersonville, and ! will
now read paragraph from the testimony
. Of William John Hamilton, man who was
!. never In the North, Q Catholic priest al
. Macon, and Democrat, and where you
!, unite those three qualities-a Southern
, man, a Democrat and a Catholic priest
you will not ind much testimony strained
! in favor of the Republican party. loud
and continuous laughter.)
, Mr.. Blaine here read from the testimony
of Father Hamilton as given in the wirz
trial, in which the witness related tht
case of young man named Farrell, from
, the north Of Ireland, whom he saw among
.. the prisoners at .Andersonville suffering
| very much from a w0und an the RIGHT foo