Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-01-14

WASHINGTON, d. c.. Jan. ll.-Mr. Hill.
of Georgia, speaking with reference to Mr..
Blaine's address TO the House on Mr.. Ran
dall's amnesty bill. and his (Blalne'-) sub
stitute excluding JEFF Davis, said
The gentleman (9laine) who was
the acknowledged leader OF the repub-
licans in the House, and who was
aspiring to be the leader of the repub-
lican party of the country. has seemed
determined that the wounds which were
healing should be reopened, and that the
passions which were hushei should be re-
intiamed. He (Eiill) wished the House to
understand that he and his associates did
not Icciprocste either the purpose or the
manifest desire of the gentleman while
they felt it their imperative duty to vim
dictate the truth of the history a. regards
their section They did not intend to say
anything calculated TO aid the gentleman
in that work of elimination and reerlmlna-
ton, and Of keeping up the war BY pOliti-
clans after brave men have said the war
shall end. The gentleman from Maine bad
maze two points in his speech. magnimity
and grace of the republican party and bru
tally of those whom be pleased to term
rebels. As to the first question, he did not
propose TO weary the House to-day, because
with the history of the last fifteen years, yet
fresh in the mind of the world. it was
useless to speak of the grace aud
magnanimity Of the republican party
With masters enslaved. with intelligence
DISTINGUISHED. with society disordered.
with states subyerted. with legislatures des-
pissed by the people. it could not afford 20
talk Of grace and magnanimity. If that
were grace and msgnanimity he prayed
II 49, So
such virtues. The gentleman from Maine
had made the grave indictment against
Davis that he was guilty of murders and
crimes at Andersonville: and the gentleman
(Blaine) stood before the country with his
very fame in peril, if. after making such
charge, he failed to prove it, He (liIll
would take up the gentleman PROPOSE
tions in their order. lie hoped that no
one would imagine that he was here to
pass any eulogy on Davis. The record on
which his fame must rest had been made up
and his companions and friends had remit
ted that record to the only tribunal that
would give an impartial judgment-h0nest
pOsterlty. In the meantime no eulOgy of
his could help it. no censure from the
gentleman (B,aine) could damage it, and
no act or resolution of the House could az
feet 1t. The charge against Davis was that
he was deliberate. wilful. scheming muir
derer Of thousands Of his fellow citizens.
Knowing the high character and reputa-
ton Of the gentleman from Maine he (HilD
had supposed when he heard the charge
fall from his lips that he had GER
tainly made some recent discovery and
he listened for evidence. But what was
1t Nothing but the partial report of
a congressional committee. The testimony
read was exclusively ex parte testimony,
taken while the gentleman now on trial be-
fore the country was in prison without a
hearing and without the opportunity of
hearing. III there was any principle held
sacred in the Anglo-Saxon mind it was that
until be should be confronted with the wit
nesses. But the testimony was not ex parte
but was mutilated-ingeniously mutilated.
palpably mutilsted, and adroitly mutilated.
he declared that what ever horrors
had existed at Andersonville, not one of
them could be attributed to single order
OF the Confederate government, and that
every one Of them grew out OF the necessity
oil occasion. which necessity was fastened
on the Confederates by the conduct of the
other side. He challenged Blaine TO meet
him lace to face and fact to fact in the dis
cussion OF the question, declaring that the
time was past when the country could &C.
cept impudence Of assertion for force of ar.
gument, or rechlessness Of statement for
truth Of history. lie (Hil) did not want to
unfold chapter on the other side. He was
IN American who honored bis country.
and bis whole country. and it was not
pleasant for him to bring forward
proof that any portion of his country had
been guilty OF wilful crime, or vilful
treatment. Y. OF poor. manscled prisoners. |
Most OF those horrors were insepsrsble from !