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

| n,
amnesty bill. and was addressed BY Mr..
Blaine. He commenced by disclsiming any
intention to convey the idea. yesterday, in
the discussion on the point OF order, that
the speaker desired to deprive-him of his
right to reply to the speeches made on the
other side lie said that from the tone of
the debate one would imagine that the
reI .blican party as represented in Con-
grt ; was trying to inhict some new pun
ishment, or to add some other stigma, to
to the name of Jefferson Davis. Ii might.
therefore, not be inappropriate to recall the
attention Of the House to the precise ques-
tion at issue. The gentleman from Penn
sylvania had introduced bill to confer
special honor on Jefferson Davis, for what
honor could be higher than the full pano-
piled citizenship of the United States.
jefferson Davis had lost it by his crimes
and the gentleman from Pennsylvania pro-
posed. IN hot haste, without debate, with
out amendment. to drag every gentleman
in the House to say ave n no on a bill de-
claring Jefferson Davis to be entitled now
and henceiorth to all the rights of Amer
lean citizenship. To that he (Blaine) and
those with him dissented. They were not
seeking to throw any other element of an
inhammable character into politics of the
day. Whatever of that kind had thrown
into this discussion lay at the door of the
gentleman from Pennsy lvauia, and of those
who stood with him. While he (Blaine)
and those with him disclaimei any inten-
ti0n of desiring to punish jefferson Davis.
they resisted the proposition to honor
him Upon the question Of the treatment of
Union prisoners, and who was TO blame
for breaking the exchange of prison.
ers. the speech Of Mr.. Garfield. yes
terday, had left him nothing to say
but there was ore allegation as to a
point in history which he felt il his
duty, not merely as a member of the r6pub-
llcan party, but as cItlZen OF the Amerl-
can Union. to resist and resent, and that
was the allegation made in regard to the
manner IN which Coniederats prisoners had
been treated in the prisons of the Union.
The gentleman from Georgia had spoken
this sentence IN his speech-''I have also
proved that with all the horrors which you
have made such noise about as occurring
at AndeTson-ille, greater hOrroTs occurred
in prisons where cur troops were held -
and | could not but admire the ''our" and
the your" with which the gentleman COM
municated the decision. IL lily compared
with his later preientions to Uniorism. It
was certainly hiuglng the shadow of the
dead COnfederacY Il long way over the dial
of the national House OF Representatives
and | think that the gentleman from New
York (Coz) somehow tell into a little ut
the same line lie goes on to saY-'and
the atrocities Of Anders1nyile do not begin
to compare with the atrocities Ot klmlra,
Camp Douglass and Fort Delaware. and of
all the atrocities both at Andersonville and
E.mira the Confederate authorities stand
acquitted
Mr.. Hill. who occupied a front seat on
the republican side OF the House. arose and
said certainly said no such thing.
stated that | brought M charge against
anybody, but that according to the gentle
mans logic, the result followed.
Mr. 3iaine-That is not the report OF the
speech at all. | am quoting the gentle
man. speech as be delivered 1t :?
Mr. Hlli-IOu are only quoting one SEN
tence out of it, connection.
MIR Baine-I beg pardon | am speak
ing of It as it appeared IN :he Washing
ton Chronicle, and IN the Associated Press
report. | do not intend 10 be bound by the
version in which it may appear hereafter
IN the Congressional Record, because ! OBJ
serve that the gentleman from New York
spoke one speech and published another |
suppose the gentleman from GeorgIa will
do the same. | admit that he has difficult
role 10 play to keep himself In line with the
New York democrats and to keep himself. IN
proper position for the democratic candidate
a senator from Georgia, and II Is verv
difficult thing to reconcile the two. Laugh
ter on the republican side. The blrn-burner
democrats in lSi3, found II very hard to ad-
here TO their auiI-slayery principles IN New
York and still 10 support the Pierce admin
istrati0n and Mr.. Greeley, with his IN
lmltable humOr, vhich was characteristic
OF him, said that they had a hard row to
straddle, and that they we're Ike the mill
tia generals on parade day on Broadway.
who found 1t an almost impossible task 10
follow the music and keep clear of the ON
nibuses. Boi~terQus laughter all over the
House And that L. the case with the gentle
man from Georgia. He has been trying TO
keep step 10 the music Of the Union. and to
dodge his tire-eating constituents IN Geor-
gia. Laughter will read another quo
tation IRON his speech Oar prisoners
suffered in Federal hands and We know how
il we choose to tell Thousands of our poor
fellows came home from E.mra. from Fort
Delaware, and other places, with their I'm
gers frozen fl. with their teeth fallen out.
Was that IN tne line of what had said, or
was it a simple assertion from the gentle
man from Georgia
Mr.. Hill said that those were necessary
incidents 10 all prisons.
Mr. Blaine-Do | understand the gentle
man now 10 back down from that ssser-
tion
M Hill-No, sir | saw it with my own
eyes.
Mr Blaine-Tne gentleman from the e.
mira district yesterday, and honor him Tor
1t, WAS not held in the leash by party hdeli-
ty. and by Southern sympathy. but came
out like a man and viudicared his constl-
iuents. There are on that side OF the House
two gentlemen who represent in part
constituents that surround Camp Douglass.
| referred to M,ssIs Garfield and Harrison.
and ask those gentlemen to say whether
to their best know dye and belief there was
any cruel treatment Of prisoners at ChIca-
90. Weld to them ior that purpOsc.
Mr. Canfeld-Ihere were hardships in
the camp Douglass which were experienced
by prisoners irom the south. but those
hardships were incidenta, TO the climate
and to the emergency OF their lmprison-
ment
Mr. Hill (without rising and in a low
tone)-Ibat l. right; in that agree with
you.
Mr. Canfeld-i Do, however, say that
there were certain Instances OF cruelty
hich occurred in that camp TO my know
ledge, bur they were not OF such a number.
or ot such character rs 10 make a general
charge against the officers of that camp.
Mr. Hill (-till IN his seat and IN low
ne)-That i right, and | make none.
Mr. Garfield cited an instance OF Con-
federate prisoners from Fort D0nelsOn who
reached camp Douglass in mld-winter, and
whom it was impossible TO make comfort
able, notwithstanding the Efforts OF the
Federal and state authorities. vi his own
knowledge there were some instances OF
needless cruelty by the officers in charge,
but be did not think it fair to say that the
government was chargeable with inhuman-
ity of certain individuals.
Mr.. Hill-That Is all that | meant.
Mr.. Blaine, 10 Mr.. Garfield Will
you state whether the prisoners who
came from Fort DOnelson did not occupy
and share the same quarters and have ex-
actly the same accommodations az the IL
llnols troops had. who left Camp Douglass.
which was their carp, and went to Fort
Donelson. exchanging places with the
prisoners.
Mr.. Canfeld-Ms memory on that the
point does not serve me-
Mr.. Blaine. ironically l. Oh Laugh
ter the gentleman does not recolect that
Camp Douglass was made for the Union
soldiers, and was the great recruiting camp
of Northern Illinois.
Mr.. Cantield-Now that YOU bring it to
my recollection, | think the iaci wa so.
Mr. Blaine, [stll ironically l--0h. my
what recollection Laughter on the repub-
lican side That is equal To the recollection OF
theigentlema from Georgia, who did not re-
member the other day whether he otfsred
the resolution which | read
Mr. Garfield, severely + My dear sir.
want you to understand that when | state
what my recollection Is about certain
points. DO not wish you to stand on this
floor and question my yeracity.
Mr.. Blame | said it was strange recol-
lection. / did not question the gentle
mans veracity at all.
Mr. Canfeld-Then if il q strange re-
collection, | am not responsible for it.
Mr. Blaine-But | say this-That it the
gentleman does not recollect that Camp
Douglass was the recruiting place from
which these great. noble and gallant regi-
ments went OUT, who represented Illinois
in so manu- hatrle fields he IL the only nan