Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-01-21

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that he thought his colleague was wrong
and that the camp Douglass where th
prisoners were retained was not the sam
as the camp Doug lass where the volunteer
were. Many buildings had been erected
for that emergency. When the Fort Donel
son prisoners were brought up the weather
had been excessively cold, and there wa.
not sufhciency Of houses, bat the people
OF Chicago came forward and attended 10
the comforts of the prisoners. He would
state further that there were charges made
In the charges which an ex
parte witness would have sworn to-that
there were cruelties practiced at Camp
Douglass I; but these ex parte statements
were not believed, nor did he now believe
the ex parte statements that were brought
up on the other side. Some of the prison
ers at Camp Douglass had suffered from the
severity of the weather and that had been
charged to the government.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. I4-After some
debate vote was reached on the amnesty
bill to day. The vote was yeas, 1872 nays
97-not two-thirds vote, 80 the bill was
rejected. Twelve republicans Anderson,
Banks, Egbert. Farwell. HARRISON. Kelley.
Landois of Indiana. Luttrell, MacKey of
South Carolina. Morey. Pierce and Seelye
voted with the ayes. On the result being
announced, Mr.. Blaine took the floor. and
by motion to reconsider. obtained the
right to speak. He said that the only OBJ
ject on his side of the House was not to be
obstructive Several democrats, I'VE hope
not" or delay legislation by any of those
means with which the last House was so
familiar They bad no desire to flibuster
although after the civil rights bills had
been ready to be reported from a commit
tee tilibustering cut off the chance to re-
port 1t for seventeen consecutive Monday
mornings, and one of the chief parliamen-
tary glories Of his friend Randall. from
Pennsylvania was that through the ex-
treme use Of that power he had prevent
ed consideration of that bill. They de-
signed no such process. They simply de-
sired to have II vote on whether Jefferson
Davis should be included in this general
amnesty. Ii his friend from Massachusetts
Banks whom he saw smiling with that
wlnsome smile TO which he Blaine was
always glad to respond, would excuse
him, he would suggest that his Blaine S |
amendment was better than the gentle
mans in another respect. The gentleman 5
Bank amendment allowed the oath to
be taken in any state court OF record, in
a probate court for Instance. A republi
can member - or a police court lie
thought that 1t was matter IN which the
United States government was dealing
with some OF its erring citiZans, who were
coming back to be cclothed-rehabilitate
with the full rights and glorles OF Ameri-
can citizenship. lie thought that such an
important transaction should be cognizable
only in the United States courts He be-
lieved there was no other difference between
the two amendments
. Mr. kasson-0h, yes. the latter PROPOSE
ZION requires an oath of obedience to all the
laws. made in pursuance OF the cOnstltu-
ton.
Mr. H0ar-S1 that if man violates any
law he becomes guilty OF peri ury.
Mr.. Blaiue-Ihen my friends Banks
amendment is harder on them than mine.
| want 10 be generous 10 them Laughter
Under the gentlemau's Banks Amendment
If a man refuses to put Il two cent stamp on
his check. he violates his oath.
Mr. B4nks-We intend TO obey all the
laws.
Mr. Blaine-Yes, bat at the same time
there should be no pitfalls IN legislation
for the unwary to fall into
Mr. Banks-Ihere are no unwary on our
side
Mr. Blaine-What Is the geutleman's :
side Loud laughter
Mr. Banks-lt is the side OF the eons;i-
tuition of the United States and of the laws
made 10 pursuance thereof General ap-
plause on democratic siiel / do not see
that there is any difference between the
men OF this country who are under politi
cal disabilities and the aliens who come here
and ask TO be admitted to citizenship and
are allowed to take the oath in the state
courts
Mr.. Blaine-l endeayored this morning
to have a letter read. and Will read it
now. With that fascinating eloquence
which my friend from Massachusetts, Banks
possesses. be called our attention TO the
great value in this centennial year OF hay
ing no man in the land under the slightest
political disabilities, and why ironically
except poor jefferson Davis. | will now
read the letter Ii Is addressed to myself
and is dated, Raleigh, n. C., Jan. II, 1876.
Mr.. Blaine thereupon read a letter from
W. W. Holden. ex-governor OF North Caro-
lima, stating that be had been impeached
and removed from Office as governor OF that
state. solely on the account of his move
ment against the ku klux; that this was
done by the democrats OF that state, the
allies and echoes OF northern democrats; that
be had been Also disqualified BY the ludg-
ment of removal from holding oth;e IN that
state that the democratic legislature and
its late constitutional convention had been
applied to in vain by his friends to remove
such disabilities that the late convention
in which the Democrats had one majority
had refused by strict party vote to remove
his disabilities, and that to-day he was the
only man in North Carolina who could not
hold Office. and that he thought that the-e
facts should be borne in mind when the
democrats IN congress clamored for relief to
the late insurgent leaders. When be reach
ed the name and read II there was an out
burst Of contemptuOus laughter on the
democratic side, and several Of the North
Carolina members, Vance, Robbins, and
others. tried to get the floor TO reply to
no!den's letter. bot Mr.. Blaine absolutely
refused to yield and said tauntlngly
What have you got to say to say 10 that
Purely political Impeachment,
Mr.. Ashe, of North Carolina-He is no.
the only person in the land deprived Of
office.
Mr. Blaine-It is purely a political, not
prosecution, bat persecution. Ihe persecu-
ton ct Union man and to-day it is within
the design of the democrats party of Mis-
sssipp to remove Governor Ames from
his chair by impeachment and to disqualiiy
him These two friends of the Union, one
a Union man in North Carolina, and the
other as gallant Union soldier as ever tied
sash around his b0dy-are To he disfran-
chised and disabled men and Jefferson Davis
is to be let free to enjoy the Centennial at
Philadelphia. Laughter on the Republican
side
Southland of 0hio-I would like to know
what Gov Holden was during the war
Mr.. Blaine-I do not desire to go one
single point from this debate Now | de-
sire to offer my bill and will yield the floor
to any one on that side of the House to
move to strike out the exclusion of j e fer
son Davis, and probably as the temper OF this
House il the bill can be passed within
thirty minutes.
Mr.. Ashe, of North Carolina rose to ask
a question.
Mr. Blane-lf the gentleman from North
Csroliua will get up and say that be il for
universal amnesty. including Gov. Holden,
will give him the h)or.
Mr. Vance, of North Carolira-f will
speak for North Carolina and say that am.
Mr.. Blaine-Oh, yes; but why Cidnt the
constitutional convention do it. Come
here. gentlemen, yourselves with clean
hands and not as prosecutors. Applause on
the republican side You come here perse-
cutting men who never rebelled against the
government of the United State voices on
democratic sde-Holden did you come
here disabling men who fought grandly for
the United States-you come here with the
intent to drive from the executive chair of
Mississippi Adelhert Ames, and to disable
him in the centennial year, and YOU come
here refusing to remove the disabilities of
W. W Holden. | now offer my bill, and
will yield to any gentleman -
Mr.. Randall here made the point of order
that Mr. Blaine had no right to offer bill
at this stage
Mr.. Blaine-Does the gentleman object
Mr. Randall-You must proceed in order.
Here followed Tor some minutes a sharp
cross-talk. several OF the democratic mem
bers claiming that Mr.. Blaine was out of
order. and conld not bring his bill before
the House. Finally Mr.. Blaine said:
again make the proposition to bring the
bill before the House by unanimous
consent and | will yield to gentlemen to
, III r an amendment IL Inc penfiemen IN