The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-01-26
Ben. Hills Speech.
The Government Charged With In.
humanity and Cruelty.
The South Has Come
Back to Reign.


ceeded to the consideration of the
Amnesty Bill, and was addressed by
Mr. HILL, of Georgia. He Gisclaim
ed all desire on the part Of himself
and his associates from the South to
reopen i'll feeling between the sections
The country had already suffered
enough from feuds. He and his asso.
ciates had come here with the patri-
utic ideas to remember nothing but
the country and the whole country
and turning their backs upon all the
honors of the past and TO look, with
all earnestness, to find glories for the
future. The gentleman Blaine
who was the acknowledged leader oi
the Republican party in the House
and was the aspiring leader of the
Republican party Of the country, has
however, willed otherwise, and seem
ed determined that the wounds W aich
were healing should be reopened and
that the passions which were hushed
should be reinfamed. He Hill
wished the House to understand thai
be and his associates did not recipro-
cate either the purpose or the mani
fest desire of the gentleman, and
while they felt it their imperitive du,
ty to vi0dicate the truth Of history
as regards their section, they did not
intend to say anything calculated tc
aid the gentleman in that work OF
elimination and recrimimination and
OF keeping up the war by politicians
after the brave men have said the
war shall end
The gentleman from Maine had
made two points in his speech-the
magnanimity and grace of the Re.
publican party and the brutality OF
those whom be was pleased to term
Rebels" As to the first question,
be did rot propose to weary the
House to-day, because, with the his.
tory Of the last fifteen years yet fresh
in the mind of tire world, it was use
less to speak Of the grace and mag
nanimity of the Republican party.
With the master enslaved, with In
teliigence DISTINGUISHED, with society
disordered, with States subverted,
with legislatures dispersed, its peo-
pie could not afford to talk Of grace
aud magnanimity. If that were
grace and magnanimity, be prayed
God to save the country in the future
from such virtues. The gentleman u
from Maine had made the grave in-
dietment against Mr.. Davis that be
was guilty of The murder and crimes
at Andersonvilie, and the gentleman
[ [Blaine] stood before the country
with his very fame in peril, if, after
making such charge, be failed to
prove il.
He Hill would take up the gen.
tIeman's propositions in their order.
He hoped that no one would imagine
that be was here to pass aay eulogy
on Mr.. Davis. The record on which
Ait idiuCatu uSt Atct, udu ottu iudut u u
and bis companions and friends had
remitted that record to the only tri-
bunal that would give an impartial
Judgment to an honest posteriry. In
the meantime. DO eulogy Of bis could
help il; no censure from the gentle
man Blaine could damage il; and
10 act or resolution of the House
could affect it. The charge against
Mr.. Davis was that be was a delIber-
ate, wilful, scheming murderer of
thousands OF bis fellow citizens.
Knowing the high character and rep
utation of the gentleman from Maine,
he HUI had supposed when he
heard the charge fall from bis lips
that be certainly made a recent dis
covery, and he listened for the evil
dence, but what was it? Nothing but
the partial report of a Congressional
committee. The testimony read was
exclusively e.r parte testimony. taken
while the gentleman now on trial be-
fore The country was in prison. with
out hearing aud without the eppor-
tunity of bearing. If there was
any principle held sacred in the An
glo Saxon mind, it was that an Eng