South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1876-01-21
Tho Amnesty Bill.

voting IN tue afnrmstive, the Republicans voting
in the negative because or Mr.. Randali's refusal
10 rceep; Mr.. Blaine's amendment, which az
Guided Jefferson Dxvis from the benefits Of the
bill. Mr.. Blaine then obtained the foor, and
spoke at considerable leugth. reci,ing the history
os reconstruction, and dwelling on the alleged
atrocities committed BIZ Confederate officials by
the order or connivnpcc Of JEFF. Davis. At the
conclusion of his speech, Mr.. Blaine was loudly
appauded.
Mr.. Cox, of New York. then obtained
the floor. and said: The gentleman
from Maine, who. under some dispen-
sation of Providence or the people is no
longer Speaker of this House, has seen
tit To tear away the mask OF prudence.
lie justiiies his conduct in the light OF
history; but there is no precedent in
history and no canon in moral Law
which the present minority has not ont
ragged. The gentleman Mr. Blaine had
alluded to the Duke OF Alya. His friends
were doubtless familiar with the Alya.
for his murder. rapine and robbery in
the Netherlands has been repeated BY
the Republican party in the South since
1869. The history Of the Republican
party has been the history of rGpine.-
The gentleman from Maine flies in the
face OF all history. and in this year OF
grace and jubilee he issues another man
iiession for some peculiar purpose, which
will soon appear. IL is not true that
the gentlcmau's party is the party OF
amnesty. When they passed hn amnes-
ty bill they did it in paltry way OF
peddling politics. He AIr. Cox was
IN Congress before the war. and he bad
the honor TO bring forward the first bill
for the exchange OF prisoners. He did
1t as matter of humanity, Cancellation
and peace. The party Of the gentleman
repUdiated il. Aud yet the gentleman
from Maine say, ther have always adj
vocated peace and reconciliation. lie
had it on the authority OF sixty gentle
men on this foor who were in the Con-
tcderacy that no order was ever issued
as TO prisoners rations and clothes that
was not issued as TO Confederate soldiers.
The gentleman further defends all the
acts of the Republican party because it
was SO ma9nanimous and grand. Why.
gentlemen, addressing the Democrats
they allowed You to come back. Why.
God bless Us all, laughter tho Repuh.
lican party, by the grace of the gentle.
men from Maine, allowed YOU TO come
here! Down on your knees TO his maj
esty from Maine. Renewed laughter.
As TO leniency, lie. Mr.. Cox remem-
hered that when the question Of cOniis-
cation was up, gentleman on the other
side OF the House, now dead, said that
ali South of a certain line should be in
the Penitentiary Of hell. TWAS not con-
fined to men, but women and children
were also 10 be confined there. lie Mr..
Cox had always labored TO mitigate the
severity of cival war, AMI all through tho
war the Republicans strove TO perpetu-
ate rebellion. When Lincoln issued his
proclamation of amnesty he said, Ma
ice toward none; charity to ALL No
outrages, no odious test oaths, which
make us the laughing stock Of the civil
lied world. lie could not tell villa.
StI9sSi. the gentlen.n from Malnc - g
!. s5sscd in. bsssA~-he had ever read the
.gssHr1inon on the Mount he never would
have made The red and fiery speech lie
male to-day.
ir. Cox then said lie would shcw the
history OF amnesty from his standpoint.
Was the first bill passed in the presence
Of Christian love? No; but it was done
to let in Republican voters who could
not represent the South. The party
wanted TO recruit its waning ranks in
Congress by this means.
Dir. Blaine. How did chat side get in?
Nr. Cox. Because the South wanted
honest men, and the men you brought
Up from the South were not honest
iADplause.
Mr.. Elaine. But how did they get
amnesty? The Republicans were in the
majority.
Mr.. Cox. Bocausc Of an increase of
q healthy public seniiuen', and some
sensible men on your side voted with
this side. Renewed laughter
Mr.. Cox then related the history of
the amnesty bills. and argued that that
Of the Forty first Congress was permit
ted to sleep in the Reconstruction Com.
mit'co. In the Forty.second Congress
General Butler reported bill, which was
declared to he 4 bill Of amnesty and Oh.
iiyion for past ogenses, and when you
came TO examine it the oblivion was all
alive with horgid memories. 1t was on.
~ 20 amnesty the Federal agents Of re.
construction. What had your sweet.
scented agents Of reconstructiOn been
doing? Had they been stealing? The
bill finally passed with On amendment
TO Mr.. POlaud's, but that was objection.
able, and excepted all officers Of the army
and navy Afterwards the Committee
on Rules agreed TO report bill for an.
nesiy. What right that committee lad
to do IL lie (Mr. Cox could never under.
stand. But tho gentleman from Maine.
The eX-oIcio chairman Of the commit.
tee proposed bill for general amnesty.
aud also proposed that Mr. MAYNARD
should draw it up. The gentleman was
present at all The committee meetings
and did not object once. Tie gentle.
man las appealed to Cod. a." said
Mr. Cox. appeal 20 my committee. col.
league, Mr.. Randall. / 90 God and The