The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-01-16

As our readers know, the Cincinnati
Commercial, though both an able ant
influential paper, and inclined to oppose
much Of the craftsmanship, folly and cor
ruption Of the Radical party, is still moi
particularly affected In favor Of the late
President Davis, or anything relating u
the good name or character Of the latt
Southern Confedcracy. We extract
however, from what seems to be u full
and impartial report Of the Congress
ional proceedings and debate ON tho
amnesty bill. the following account Of a
colloquy lntcrjected into the body of Mr.
Hills greatspeech, and In which scvera
members took u significant part. The
readers Of the DEMOCRAT will remark
that Mr.. Garfield and Mr.. Blaine did
not escape from the melee without q
knock down and some bruises;
Mr.. Platt re,sd u telegram received by
him from b. Il. Tracy, late commander
Of tho military post OF Elmira, stating
that the fact justified him Platf) yos,tar-
day In his denial OF inhumanity Or nat,.
lect IN the treatment Z. prisoners ri
Elntta. i3f71 r ~
Mr.. Walker rose on the Democratic
side OF tho House, and stating that he
lived within seventeen miles OF Elmira,
Endorsed the statements In the telegram.
lApplause on the Republican side.
Mr.. Hill disclailned any purpose In
manlty ON any body about Elrnira or
any. where else. He had only read yes
terday u letter from the New York
World as evidence Of cruelties In prison
life, and no had wound up the statement
by saying that the official records show
ed the relative mortality to be greater
among Southern prisoners ut the North
than among Northern prisoners at the
South.
A member DO you charge that the
mortality among tho Confederate pris-
oners at the North was owing to
crueltyp 4hafal fa5
Mr.. HILL do not undertake to say to
what the mortality on either side 81 the
line was attributable. say II was at
tr1butable to those horrors inseparable
from prison life anywhere, and In
tended my point against the striving to
rake up these horrors Of the past, and
to keep alive strife which ought TO be
buried. Applause. a9a
Mr.. Garfield remarked that even ON
the TESTIMONY OF the anonymous letter
read yesterday by Mr.. Hilf the post Of
Elmira had been located in as healthy
q place as there could be found i'm the
State OF New York. He called attention
to the fact that the place In which Con-
Iederate prisoners who had died at
Elmira were buried had been inclosed
and cared for by the Administration
which had heeh characterized by the
gentleman from Georgia rs rnalig-
nant, ferocious, Constitution hating and
t5
Mr., Hill remarked that at the last
,ime Of decorating graves In the South
Northern soldiers and decorated In har-
nonious accord the graves Of tho fallen
Federals and fallen Confederates, and IL
vas because OF that glorious feeling that
10 protested against the renewal OF the
Mr.. Gariieldlso do I. Who bron1cbt
here? GChorus from Democratic mem
,ers Blaine. Blaine, Blaine.
Mr.. Garfield said no wished that the
amo fraternal feeling could follow the
orty manned Union soldiers who had
ecently lost their places about the
House. -
A discussion ensued on that point
Which developed the statement on the
ne side that whereas out OF one hundred
nd hfty-three subordinate positions in
ne last House only eighteen were filled
y Union soldiers, there were out OF
ighty-f1ve subordinate positions in the
resent House twenty-six filled Ivy Union
Dldiers, and the statement on the other
de Waa false that In the House Post
nice nine Union soldiers had been dis
lissed, and their places filled by nine
soldiers.