New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-14
WASHINGTON.
MR.. ELAINE LAsHING THE HOUSE.

M X.
TIE AMNESTY DEBATE HOT AND ENCiilND.' ra
rx-coxFrpERArRs CALLED UP TO TESTIFY 10
yvnrp,, uru.NIrY-GFN. BANKs's EXCELLENT
spEECH-THE BILL REcoMMITTED'
IBr TELEGRAPH THE TRBUNE'l
WASHINGTON Jan. 13.-Mr Baincs speech to-'i"y
was not an argument, hut an eAhloition, h0
I'm his place like gladiator III inc nhus' VI o.. o.,
orono tounting and worrying his enemies unlI
no nrovoked them to strike BACK III sel-"o
fense and then sprang upon them WIN saN"so
co., ond tore them to pieces. The greatest
.nGerer was Mr.. Hill OF Georgia tnoush
.;tb his long keen blade the ex-speaker
moro than once prieked Mr.. Cox to the very quick
when he accused hun of making one speech IN the
House and printing another in The Record, or when
be onoted Mr. Cox as a war Democrat during the
great struggle to confOund Mr.. Cox In his late
speeeh Oh amnesty. At times he had the entire dei
aro,ion from the South so excited that they were
ready TO rise en- masse 10 reply to him. or hurl BACK
his aggravating imputatiOns upon them. MI I'LL
has been unfortunate not only in his speech Tues
day. but in many other speeches which he has MADE
in his own State aud elsewhere since the war, ana
MIR. blaine. with wonderful research, had made
large collection of these, as they have oeell
nrinted ia the newspapers and pamphlets, ana
hrouoht them in TO illustrate the speech
20 which he was replying He SAID
that the gentleman from Georgia was as volumnous
~ the Spanish chrOnicers, and be drew forth one
after another short extracts from his public utter
auces which, taken alone, conveyed very damaging
impressions, which were emphasized and increased
nv the manner in which they were introduced. MI
Hill who sat in front Of Mr. Blaine, took most OF 1t
pood-naturedly though il was plain TO see that he
often felt that he was being placed in false hght
before the House and country But whenever ne
undertook to eXpain-somothing not easy 10 u"
II. stot,e -la
subjected himself to renewed attack with Tedoubied
fury. ,,.
one of the most unfortunate passages of Mr. Hilis
speecb the other day was that in which he charged
that the suferings of Confederate prisoners In
Tlmira, Camp Douglass, and Fort Delaware were as
great as those of the Union prisoners at Anderson
vile and Mr. Blaine first called upon the Democratic
Representatives from Chicago to say whether the
Confederate prisoners cruelty treated Ill camp
Douglass These gentlemen were not ready 10
answer Yes" OF NO" but undertook to make ex-
plantations. This not what Mr. Blaine wanted
and his attempts to prevent them from stating their
versions of the facts caused great excitement among
tine Democrats. Then Mr.. Blaine declared that the
treatment of Confederate prisoners in Union prisons
had always been humane and appealed to the gentle
men on the other side who had been confined in them
to support his assertion, saying that he should
consider their silence consent. Some South-
ern Democrats desired to contradict this
but Mr. Blame would not yield, and said
that if they wished to dissent they might all
stand up Mr.. Randall at this point made home
thrust at the Republican leader by reminding HIM
that the House not school. As the House and
galleries remembered that MIR. Blaine was formerly
n teacher the laughter and applause was long and
loud Tie interruptions for which Mr.. Blaine was
mainly responsible having invited them-destroyed
much Of tho effect of his speech which, at best, IS
not to be compared with the forcible argument Gen.
Garfield made yesterday. AS an exhibition, how
over il was highly exciting and entertaining The
ex-Speak,r has probably destroyed whatever pros
poets Mr. Hill ever had of being the leader OH his
side of the House. and has succeeded IN placing the
Democratic party i'll what its leaders say Is false
position before the country. Perhaps TINS was ms
object.
Mr.. Blaine was followed by Mr.. Banks, who lit
orally poured oil on the troubled waters. lie made
most eloquent plea for peace and good will, and
cited scenes which occurred at Lexington, Concord
and Bunker Hill last Summer, evidences that tho
peOple are anxious for a reunion of hearts and inter
ests as well as a reunion of State organizations lie
showed the folly of wTangling over questions or
events of the war reminded those who had partici
pated in the debate that it impossible Tor them
70 agree; that there was still too much passion and
that no true history of the war had or could yet be
written the best we have is only material Tor his
tory AS to the cruelties and suierngs of the war,
be had no doubt that they existed but this was not
the time, nor Congress the place to discuss
them. For those who were guilty he asked
Gods mercy for those who suffered, Gods
help; but for the crimes themselves, he
said let the earth cover them The grand senti-
ments of Mr. Banks's speech were repeatedly
applauded by the entire Democratic side of the
House, but only here and there among the Republi-
cans was one who showed his appreciation.
After speeches by Mr. Morey, Mr. Tarbox, and Mr..
Randall motion to reconsider was carried, but I'M
der the rules the time had passed when an amend
ment could be admitted OF Mr. Randall would have
accepted one by Mr.. Banks requiring those who
avail themselves of the amnesty offered 10 take an
oath of allegiance before United States Court.
This could have been admitted by unanimous con-
sent, but Mr.. Blaine objected. Then the bill was
committed to the Judiciary Committee with ill.,
structions TO report it back with Mr.. Banks's amend
ment; and Mr.. Randall asked that it have permits
sion to report forthwith, but Mr. Blaine objected to
this and the House ad jOurned.
WASHINGTON NOTES.
WASHINGTON Thursday. jan 49, 1875
The House Committee ON Appropriations held meet