Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-01-20
THE AMNESTY DEBATE.
GREAT SPEECH OF MR. HILL,
OF GA.

SHEA1 OFk8s - " mR. hIA1s
OF Ga.
In the House Of Representatives on
Tuesday, the llth instant, tie Amnes.
~ Bill being under consideration, Mr.
Hill, of Ga, spoke as follows:
He commenced by jisclaiming all de-
sire on the part Of himself and bis as
sociates from the South to reopen ill.
feeling between the sections. The coun-
try bad already suffered enough from
feuds. He and his associates bad come
here with the patii iotic idea to remem.
Der nothing but the country aud the
whole country, and, turning their backs
ucon all the horrors Of the past, 10 look
with all earnestness to 6ud glories for
The future.
The gentleman (Blaine) who was the
acknowledged leader Of the Republican
party in the House, and tie aspiring
leader Of the Republican party Of the
country, had, however, willed OF herwise,
and seemed determined that the wounds
which were healing should here opened,
and that the passions which were hushed
should be re-inflamed. He wished the
House TO understand that he and his
associates did not reciprrcate either the
purpose or the manifest desire Of the
gentleman; and while they felt it their
imrerative duty to viudicate the truth
Of history as regards their section, they
did not intend to sny anything calcula-
ted to aid the gentleman in that woik
of elimination and srecrip,inaticn, and
of keeping up the war by politicians af-
Ter brave men have said that the war
shall end. The gentleman from Maine
had made tw" Joints in bis sTeecb-the
magnahimity and grace Of the Rrpuh.
lican larty. and the brutality Of those
whom lie pleased {" term rebels. AS
to the first question lie did not propose
90 weary tie House to-day. because
with the bistciy Of the last fifteen years
yet fresh in the mind Of the world II
was useless to speak of the grace and
msgnanimiiv of the Republican party.
With the master enslaved, with in
te'ligence disfrancbised, with society
disordered, with States subverted, and
with legislatures dispersed. people
could not afford to talk Of grace and
magnanimity. If that were grace and
magnanimity. he PRAYED God to save
the country in future from such vir-
tues. The gentleman from Maine had
made the grave indictment against Mr..
Davis that be was guilty Of the MUIR.
ders and crimes at Andersonville, and
the gentleman (Mr Blaiue) stood be-
fore the country vish his very fame in
peril If, after making such charge, be
failed 20 prove it. He (Mr. HilD would
take up the gertleman's propositions
in their order. He hoped that no one
would imagine that be was here to pass
an eulogy on Mr.. Davis. The record
on which bis fame must rest had been
made up. and his companions and friends
had remitted that record to. the only
tribunal that would give an impartial
judgtnent--honest posterity. In the
ueSnti,ne no eulogy Of his could help
II; no censure from the gentle ma O
(Blaine) could damage it; and no act
or resolution of the House could affect
il. The charge against Mr.. Davis was
that be vas deliberate. willful. schem-
ing murderer Of thousands of his fel-
low.cisizens.. Knowing the high char.
Acter and reputation Of the gentleman
m Maine, he (HilD bad supposed.
xhen he heard the charge fall from his
Eps, that he bad certainly made o re-
cent discovery. aud he listened for the
evidence. but what was IL? Nothing
but the partial report Of . conyressiou.
al committee. The testimony read was
exclusively ex.parte testimony. taken
while the gestleman nov on trial he.
fore the country was in prison, withou,
. hearing, and without the opportuni.
" Of . hearing. II there was any prsn.
ciple beld sacred in the Anglo Saxon
mind, il was that an Englishman was
not to he Condemned until be should
be confronted with his witnesses. But
the testimony WAS not only ex-parte
but was mutilated. palpahly mutilated
most adroi.ly mu,iiased. In this con.
nectica Mr. Hill referred to the state.
nsnt Of DR.. Jones, one cf the witnessed
on the Wirs trial. Who had heeu sen,
By the Confederate government .,
make o report as to the condition o
Andersouvl.e hut whose report has
never reached the Confederate author
tiles. That report had, in the hand
Of the Judge Advocate. been mutilased
and DIR. Jones had called the attentio,
of the court 10 the fart, one Of th
suppressed statements being that home