The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-01-19
The Amnesty Bill Debate Continued.


Mr.. Hill, of Georgia, spoke two
hours in the most effective style. He
was frequently applauded by the
House and galleries. In opening, he
disclaimed all desire on the part of
himself or his associates from the
South to reopen ill-feeling between
the sections. The country had al
ready suffered enough from feuds.-
He and his associates had come here
with the patriotic idea to remember
nothing but the country, and the
whole country, and turning their
backs upon all the horrors Of the
past, to find glories for the future
The gentleman { Blaine) who is the
acknowledged leader of the Republi-
can party in the House, and was the,
aspiring leader of the Republican
PAL ty of the country, has, however,
willed otherwise, and seemed deter
mined that the wounds which were
healing should be reopened, and that
the passions which were hushed
should be reinhamed. He (Hin)
wished the House to understand that
he and his associates did not recip-
rocate either the purpose or the man
ifest desire of the gentleman, and
while they felt it their imperative
duty to vindicate the truth of history
as regards their section, they did not
intend to say anything calculated to
aid the gentleman in that work of:
elimination and recrimination and of
keeping up the war by politicians af-
brave men have said that the war
shall end. The gentleman from
Maine had made two points in his
speech--the magnanimity and grace
of the Republican party and the bru-
tality of those whom he pleased to
term rebels. AS to the first question
he did not propose to weary the
House to-day, because with the his
tory of the last fifteen years yet fresh.
in the mind of the world, it was use
less to speak Of the grace and magma
nimlty of the Republican party
! With the master enslaved, with in
telligence disfranchised, with society
disordercd, with States subverted
and with Legislatures dispersed, the
people could not afford to talk OIL
peace and magnanimity. If that
were grace and magnanimity he
prayed God to save the country in flu
ture from such virtues. The gentle
man from Maine had made the grave
indictment against Mr.. Davis that he
was guilty Of the murders and crimes
at AndersonyilIe, and the gentleman
(BIaine) stood before the country
with his very fame in peril if after
making such charge he failed to
prove it. He (IIi!l) would take up
the gentl2man's propositions in their
order. lie hoped that no one would
imagine that he was here to pass any
eulogy on Mr.. Davis. The record on
which his fame must rest had been
made up and his companions and
friends had RENTED that record to
the only tribunal that would give an
impartial judgmcnt-honest posteri-
ty. In the meantime no eulogy of
his could help tho censure from
the -Blainc-could dam
age it, and no act or resolution oftbe
House could affect it. The charge
against Mr.. Davis was that he was q
deliberate, wilful, schemiug murderer
Of thousands of his fellow citizens.
Knowing the high character and rep
utation of the gentleman from Maine
he chilly had supposed when he
heard that charge fall from his lips,
that he had certainly made a recent
discovery, and he listened for the ev-
idence but what was it? Nothing but
a partial report of Congressional
Committee. The testimony read was
exclusively &c parte testimony taken
while the gentleman now on trial be-
fore the country was in prison, with
out hearing and without the oppor-
tunity of hearing. If there was
any principle held sacred in the An
glo-Saxon mind, it was that an Eng
lishman was not to be condemned I'M
til be should be confronted with his
witnesses but the testimony was not
only erpa'te, but was mulilated; pal
pably mutilated; most adroitly mutt
lated.
EXTRACTS.
Given the day of his execution
Wirz had been offered communication
of his sentence if he would implicate
Mr.. Davis. hnt VIRUS answer TO his