Wilmington journal., 1876-01-21
ESEAsHE AND HOLDEN.

During the discussion of the Amnes-
ty Bill or Friday, Mr.. Blaine read n
letter from Governor Holden. The
following were the proceedings at
tending
Mr.. Blaine-I endeavored this morn
i.r to navo a letter read, and l will
read it now. With that fascinating
e!oduence which my friend from Mas
sachusetts (Banks) possesses he called
our attention to the great value IN this
centeunial year of having no man in
the land under the slightest political
disability, ana who Ironically except
Door Jefferson ? [ will now read the
letter. It is addressed to myself,
and 10 dated Raleigh. n. c., Jan. II.
1876:
Mr Binine thereupon read letter
from ". ". Holden, Ex-Governor of
North Carolina, stating that he had
been impeached and removed from
office as Governor of that State solely
on account of his movement against
the KuKlux; that this was done by
the Democrats of that State, the allies
and echoes of the Northern Democrats;
that he had been also disqualified by
the Judgment of removal from holding
office III that State !; that the Demo
cratic Legislature and its late Constl-
tuticnal Convention had been applied
to in vain by his friends to remove
such disabilities that the late Con
yention, J., which the Democrats had
one majority by fraud, had refused by
q strict party vote to remove his disa-
biIities, and that to-day he was
the only man in North Carolina who
could not hold office, and that be
Thought that these facts should
be borne in mind when the Democrats
in Congress clamored for relief
to the late insurgent leaders.
When he reached the name and read
Il there was an outbnrst of contemptu-
ous laughter on the Democratic side,
snd several of the North Carolina
members (Messrs. Vance, Robbins,
Ashe. and others tried to get the
floor TO reply to Mr. Holden's letter;
bat NJ. Blaine absolutely refused to
Weld. and said (tauntingiy): "What
have fou got to say TO that ?-purely
q political impeachment" It is pure
ly political-not prosecution, but
persecntiou-the persecution of Un
ion nan, and to- day it is within the de-
sign of the Democratic party of Missis
sipi to remove Gov. Ames from his
chair by impeachment, and SO disQual-
ify hifii. These two friends of the
Union-one Union man IN North
Carolina, and the other as gallant a
Union soldier as ever tied sash
aronnd his body are TO be disfranchis-
I'd and disabled mon, and Jefferson
Davis, is to be let free to enjoy the
Centennial at Philadelphia, Laughs
ter on the Republican aidel.
vi Y
would like to know where Gov. Hol-
den was during the war?
Mr.. Baine-I do not want to go one
single point from this debate. Now l
desire to offer nay bill, and will yield
the floor to any gentleman on that side
of the House to move to strike out the
exclusion of Jefferson Davis, and pro-
Ta!,lv. as the temper of this House is
that bili can be passed within 80 min
utes.
Mr.. Ashe (Dem., N. O. rose to ask
a question.
Mr. Blaine-If the gentleman from
North Coroina will get up and say that
he is for universal amnesty, including
Gov. Holden, will give him the floor.
Mr.. Vance Dem, N. CD-I will
. speak for North Carolina. and say tha
I am.
THE BILL EXCLUDING DAVIS REFUSED.
mir. Blaine-Oh, yes. But why
didn't the Constitutional Convention
do it? Come here, gentlemen, your
selves with clean hands and not as
prosecutors. [Applause on the Re-
publican side You come here per
secuting men who never rebelied
against the Government of the United
States. States Voices on tho Democratic
side: ''Holden did y You come here
disabling men who fought grandly for
the United States. You come here
with the intent to drive from the Ex-
ecutive Chair of Mississippi Adelbert
An1es, and to disable him. in this OenS
tennia! year; and you come here re-
fusing 70 remove the disablllt,ea pill ,;n OF W. ";
I viii yield to any gentleman.
MIR. Robbins Dem, N. CD de-
manded to be heard in hehaf OF his
State.
MIR. Blaine declining to yield)-I