Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1876-01-21
A BIG CENTENNIAL BALK.

Line country mas Deen reading IOI LILO
last ten days the lengthy discussion in the
U. S. House of Representatives, on Dill
for General Amnesty, introduced by the
Democrats, or rather on an amendment, Of
fered by Mr.. Blaine, of Maine, the most
prominent man for the Republican noml-
nation for the Presidency, except
ing ex-President of the Confederacy,
Jefferson Davis from the amnesty. 1t
seems to have been sprung as a trap to gee
the Southern Democrats into a war discus
sion, and to re-intlame the Northern heart
with remembrance of the sufferings OF the
prisoners at Andersonyille 1t was but
partial success, and was fortunate in get
ting before the Northern people through
the debate, the official fact from the report
of the Chief Surgeon of the Us. Army, that
tn proportion of deaths among Confeder-
ate prisoners in Northern prisons was three
| per cent greater than that Of Federal soldiers
| in Southern prisons; and the U. S. official
report of Gen. Grants testimony, urging
| that though it would be ''hard'' on the U.
S. soldiers in prison, yet the US Govern
ment should refuse to exchange prisoners,
! because an exchange reinforced the South
ern army. We copy the splendid
CLOSE OF MIR. HILLS SPEECH.
| Nv message to the gentleman from Maine
| is this: There are no Confederates in this
House. There are no Confederate am
billions, desires, or purposes in this House.
| But the South is here, and here she intends
| to remain. Enthusiastic demonstrations
] ~, tho Dpp, side and in the Ual-
| leries.l Let fanaticism do it's worst. Let it
pass its multiplying acts, trample on the Con-
stioution, abnegate the pledges OF the faith
ers, incite raids on our people, multiply in
fdelities until they shall be like the stars
of Heaven OIL the sands Oh the sea shore
without number; but know this: that for
all your iniquities the South will never seek
redress in the madness of another secession.
| Renewed applauSe.] We are here. We
are in our fathers house. Our brothers
are our companions, and we are at home,
thank God. Enthusiastic applause. we
come to gratify no vengeance, to retallate
no wrongs, to resent no past insults, to re-
open no strife. We come with d patriotic
purpose to do whatever in our political
| power shall lie to restore an honest, eco
nomical, and constitutional administration
of the Government. We come charging
on the Union no wrong to us. The Union
been an unmiXed blessing to every section,
to every State, to every man OF every COL
OF in America. We charge all our wrongs
to that higher law fanaticism which never
kept a pledge Oh obeyed law. WeSought
to leave the ASSOCIATION of those who would
not keep the covenant. We sought to go
by ourselves; but so far as having lost our
! fidelity to the Constitution we Rugged it
to our bosom and carried it with u.s.. Brave
| Uni of ha fol IF Vol,
ster and Gilmore, Of Cass and Douglas,
you who fought for the Union for the sake
of the Union, you who ceased to fight when
the battle was ended and the sword was
sheathed, with you we have no quarrel.
We felt your heavy arm in the midst OF the
struggle. but above the roar of the cannon
we heard your voice of kindness calling:
Brothers, come back We are here to CO.
operate with you, to do whatever we Can
in spite OF all our sorrows to rebuild the
Union, to restore peace, to be blessing to
the country, and to make the American
Union what our fathers intended it should
be-the glory of America and the blessing
Of humanity. But you, gentlemen, who
prosecuted us by your infidelities until you
drove us out of the Union; you who then
claimed to be the only friends of the Union,
which you had before denounced as a
league with hell and a covenant with
tire soldiers who fought it have made peace
and gone to their homes; to you we have
no concessions to make. Martyrs owe no
apology to tyrants. And while we are
ready to make every sacrifice for the Union,
secession, however defeated and oppressed,
will confess no sin to fanaticism, however
bigoted and exacting. Yet, while we make
to you no concession, we say to you this:
We come to you in no spirit of revenge.
No how h,1{ ,1,r% = 4l>a4 80, 1t
add our political power to the patriotic
Union men of the N orth in order to compel
fanaticism to obey the laws and to live in
the Union according to the Constitution.
We do not propose to compel you by oaths,
for you never kept them. The South did
the Union one great wrong, and we come,
as far as we can. to repair it. We wrong
ed the Union grievously When we left it to
be seized, and rent, and torn by the men
who had denounced it as a league with
hell and a covenant with d3ath.' We ask
you, gentlemen of the Republican party, to
rise above all your animosities-to forget
your old sin. Let us unite to repair the
wrongs that distract and Cypress the coun-
try. Let us turn our backs ON the past,
and let it be said in the future that he shall
be the greatest patriot, the truest patriot,
the noblest patriot, who shall do the most
to repair the wrongs of the past and to pro-
mote the glorits of the future. Loud and
sustained applause on the Democratic side
Of the house and in the crowded galleries.
WHAT OLD MASSACHUSETTS HAD TosAY.
Mr.. Randall, who, under the Speakers
ruling. resumed control of the bill, yielded
thirty minutes to Mr.. Banks, who made all
| eloquent speech in favor of the bill; of
which the following are extracts:
| T n of bo11 I, 1
the President of the Urited States is re-
sponsible for all OF for any acts of his sub
ordinates, no matter how closely they may
be allied to him by friendship or political
relationship; nor do [ hold Mr. Davis re-
sponsible for everything that occurred I'M
der the Government of which he assumed
| to be the head" X
.'In regard to the atrocities at Anderson
vile and elsewhere, I dismiss from all con-
sideratitn the declar tions, arguments, as
| pensions, examinations, and recriminatiOnS
which for d week past l have heard so con-
tinually in this chamber" X
II do not doubt that the soldiers of the
Confederacy may have suffered in the
! North, nor do [ doubt that the soldiers Of
the North may have suffered terribly in
the South. 1t was incident to the condi-
ton of things. For the guilty, whoever
they may be, I pray forgiveness; for the
invoke the blessing OF God. For the
crimes themselves, 1 say let the earth hide
them from us and shut them out of sight"
| Applause on the Democratic side.1
''There is one thing, Mr.. Speaker, espe-
cially desired by all the people, and that is
peace; general peace; peace in all sections,
| with all parties, classes, and races. This
declaration of amnesty.is the first step that
has to be taken to that end-the very first
step--nothing else will answer in place Of
it. Credit has been claimed for what has
already been done in the way Of amnesty,
but every step in that direction has been
compelled by the people of this country. /
sneak in part for New ENGLAND I sneak