Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-01-21
Mr.. blaine In tho Debate on Am.
ncstys


Mr Blaine endeared himself TO every
loyal and humane American heart yestefs
day by his closing speech on the smnos-
ty question, He has shown nerve, good
sense and magnificent capacity for leader
ship. He began BY stating distinctly the
issue before the House, and, TO a large
extent, the country, namely: Shall JEFF
Davis be specially honored by this Con.
gross, and hts record thus receive quasi
iAdorsenentf He is under no punish
mcnt. He enjoys the frOest range Of per.
sonal liberty. He can even vote, and hold
very many political offices. The Randall
proposition was to make him eligible TO
a seat In Congress, or the Presidential
chair, even, II WAS not his record as
a rebel which was the objection, but his
crime as a party 10 the Andersonville
atrocities.
That contemplate dcmagoEue, Ben
Hill, had said that the atrocities Of An.
Jacksonville did not begin to compare
with the atrocities Of Elmira, Camp
Douglas and Fort Delaware, and OF all
the atrocities, both at Andersonville and
Elmira, the Confederate authorities stand
acquitted" The utter falseness of the
charge against Elmira was refuted day
before yesterday by tho Democratic Con-
gressman from that district, and yesterday
Mr.. Blaine callod Mcssrs. Caulfield and
Harrison, of this city, to testify as to
Camp Douglas. They were reluctant to
afford aid. aud comfort to the great Re.
publican leader, but they dared not SO far
disregard the facts and insult their con.
stltuents as to deny the claim that the
rebel prisoners in this city during the war
we're we'll provided for in every way The
General and State Governments did all in
/ lyo N rNria
Portable, and private charity nobly supple.
mented public humsnity. Gen. Hender-
son, of this State, bore similar testimony,
only with increased emphasis.
But the most significant feature of
Blaine's speech was thetestimony adduced
10 show the real danger that still menaces
the country. Andersonville is a thing OF
the past, and II is hardly conceivable that
IN any event those horrors should be du-
plicated; but the spirit Of rebellion may
crop out again in 8 way to threaten the
very existence OF the Republic. History
warns us that conBpiracies from within
against the life of nation rarely die with
the first failure. JEFF. Davis has repeatedly
claimed that the cause Of the Confederacy
was not necessarily lost. "Itappears So"
he said, on one occasion, "but the princi-
pie for which we contested is bound to reas-
sert itself, though itmay be at another time
and in another form" Such Is the actual
danger. The very man who now stands
! forth as the leader of the Southern De.
mocracy, Hill, made speech not long
ago, in Atlanta, which was threat that il
the Republican party carried the election
for President in 1876 another war would
result. He talked in 1875 precisely as
tire.eaters talked sixteen years before.
The eloquent statesman from Name has
the cordial thanks of the patriotic people
of the whole country for his most timely
exposure Of the hypocrites who arc so
very tender toward traitors, but belch
venom and fire at the very Thought of
another Presidential victory by the party
of loyalty and charity Chicdgo Journal.