New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-14


pass Q resolution Of retaliation, - contrary
to modern civilization and to the first pre-
Oepts of Christianity. There was no re-
tsliAti0n attempted or justified. 1t was re-
fused, and Jefferson Davis knew it was re
fused, just a. we'll a. he knows it to-day, be-
cause what took place in Washington or
what took place in Richmond, of that kind,
was known on either side Of the line within
day or two thereafter. Now, this is not q
proposition to punish Mr.. Davis. There is
NO one attempting to do that. may
frankly say that always thought that the
indictment of Mr.. Davis at Richmond,
under the administration of Mr.. johnson,
was weak step, for he was indicted only
for that of which he was guilty in common
with every other gentleman who went into
tho Confederate movement, and, therefore,
there was no particular reason for signaling
him out for indictment; but will under
take to say THE, and with good deliberation,
that there il not civilized government
on the face of the globe, very certainly not
q European government, which would not
have arrested Mr.. Davis, or which, when
it had him in its power, would not have
tried him for the maltreatment of prisoners
France, Russia, En- gland, Germany, Austria,
any of them would have done it. The poor
victim Wirz deserved his death for the
brutal treatment of prisoners, but l
men: en- the part of our govern
ment to allow JEFF Davis to go at
large and hang Wirz. Wirz was nothing
in the world but mere subordinate tool,
and, therefore, there was no philosophy in
cot say that he did not deserve it. He did
richly, fully deserve it. aud he deserved no
mercy, but at the same time his execution
put me in mind of skipping the president,
superintendent and board of directors Of
railroad company, in case OF great rail-
road accident, and hanging the brakeman
on the rear car. rLaughtsr] There is ,I no
body is asking to do it. The time for such
thing has gone by. The statute of limi-
tation and the common feeling of humanity
would intervene for his benefit, but what
you ask US to do il to declare by q vote of
two-thrds of both branches Of Congress
solemply that we consider Mr.. Davis
worthy to fill the highest office in
the United States if he can get
constituency t. trust him. He has q
vote. He can buy and he can sell; he
can 20 and come. He is as free as
any man in tho United States. There is q
long list of subordinate Offices to which he
is eligible, but this proposition proposes, in
view of the record which have read, to
declare by two-thirds vote of the Senate,
and two-thirds vote of the House, that
Mr.. Davis is eligible and worthy to FIJI any
office up to the presidency OF the uqited
States. For one, on full deliberatloD, will
not DO it. 1t has been frequently said, in
mitigation of Mr.. Davis crime in the An
dersOnville matter, that the men who died
the number is stated at l5,OOO-fell victims
to an epidemic, and died of diseases which
could not be avoided. Now, the record
shows that out of the $1,000 men, about
thirty three per cent died-that is, one in
three. OF the soldiers who were encamped
guarded II, but one man in 400 died.
Now, as to general amnesty. It is too
late to deba,e whether it has in all respects
been wise or unwise. shall not detain the
House in discussing it. Even if had con-
victiOns ON that question, l do not know
that it would be productive of any great
good to discuss it, but at the same time it is
. very singular spectacle that the Repub-
lican party, in possession of the govern
ment, has deliberately called back into
public power the leading men of the South,
every one of whom turns on it its bitter, re-
lentiess and malignant foe, and that to-day,
from the Potomac to the Rio Grande, the
very men who have received their amnesty
are as busy as they know how to be in oon-
solidating into one compact political Or
ganization, the old slave States, just as
UcIOE0 tu0 wal oAN WO 600 VIZ OeA
ners blazoned again with the inscrip-
ton that. with . united South and q
few votes from the North, this country
can be governed. l want the people
to understand that this is precisely the
move; this is the animue and intent. l
do not think the offering Of amnesty to the
$50 men who are now without it will either
hasten or retard that movement. l do not
think that the granting or refusing amnesty
| to Mr. Davis will hasten or retard it. l
hear it said that we are going to elevate
Mr.. Davis into very great consequence by
refusing amnesty to him. That is not for
| me to consider. l only see before me.
whose name is presented, the man who. by
wink of his eye, by a wave of his hand.
by q nod of his head, could have stopped
| the ATROCITIES at Andersonville. Some of
| us had kinsmen there. Most of Us had
| friends there. All of us had countrymen
there, and, in the name of these kinsmen,
and friends, and countrymen, here protest,
and shall with my vote protest, against ever
calling back and browning with the honors
of full American citizenship the man who
organized that murder. Loud applause
on the Republican side of the House and
in the galleries.