The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-02-02
REPLY
Hon. Jas. H. Garfield,
BEN. HILL.

Mr.. GARFIELD commenced his re-
marks by expressing his regret on the
course which the debate, especially
yesterday, had taken. Any one who
read the report of the speeches OF
Messrs Cox and Hill would not sup
pose that the House vas discussing
the question of relieving men from
political disabilities; be would rather
have said that it was an arraignment
Of the Administration OF the country.
If be had been called upon to pick
out the words which constituted the
topic of debate, be should have pick
ed out the opening paragraphs of
Mr.. HilPs speech, in which he prayed
that if the history of the past fifteen
years is an evidence of the grace and
magnanimity of the Republican par
ty, the country might be spared any
further exercise of those virtues. He
desired to bring the House back to
the real issues before it. In doing
SO be stated the two pending propo-
sitions-the one made by Mr.. Ran
dali and the other by Mr. Blame
He said the speech made by Mr.
Blaine had been answered, in the
first place by the speech Of Mr.. Cox,
full Of brilliant sallies-but it was
joking at funeral to joke on such an
occasion; in the second place by the
speech of Mr.. Hill which arraigned-
not the Republican party alone-5ut
arraigned twenty-five millions of
people, arraigned the history of the
Republic, arraigned everything that
was glorious in its record and high
and worthy in It's achievements.
He was deeply sorry that such ar
raignments should have been nade
on such subject. He should try to
be responsive to the points made bv
the gentleman from Georgia Hill. I
He did not desire to hold Jefferson
Davis responsible for the rebellion !;
be did not believe in the doctrine of
vicarious atonement in human affairs.
Jefferson Davis was no more guilty
than any other man who went into
the rebellion with equal light and in
telligence. The question was wheth-
er he who was the head of the rebel
lion, pract;ced in the dread court of
war, the rules of war-whether in
appealing to war he obeyed the laws
of war, or whether he so violated the
laws of that high tribunal as that be
did not deserve permission to come
back into his place in Congress. That
was the whole question, and it was
as plain and fair a question for delib-
Grafton as had been ever stated in
the House. He wished that il had
been discussed without passion and
without passionate thoughts.
Coming down to Mr.. Hills denial
of the authenticity of the charge in
regard TO Andersohville, he remark
ed that the charges, whether just or
unjust, were made by the Govern
ment Of the Uaited States, and in
that connection be quoted commu-
nication from the Secretary of War,
10 May 1864, calling attention to the
condition of large number of Fed
eral prisoners who has just returned
and arrived, and stating the enormi-
" of the crimes committed against
those prisoners was such and SO well
known to the civilized world that it
ought to be put on record in some
permanent form. 1t was then that q
joint committee of the two Houses
was appointed, which committee had
been characterized by the gentleman
from New York CCox asa ''humbug
committee" and by the gentleman
from Georgia Hill as partisan
committee There were four Dem
ocra,ic members on that joint commit
tee, and they coineided in the report,
which was unanimous That repor,
declared that it was clear from the
evidence that it was the deliberate
purpose OF the authorities of the
Rebel Government SO to reduce those
soldiers, by deprivation of food and
clothing, as that they might be unfit
to re-enter the ranks A large num-
Der of these prisoners had come from
Belle Isle and Libby, where they bad
been under the very eyes of the chief
head of the Confederate Government.
Referring to the order for the estab-
lishment of the Andersonville prison,
as quoted yesterday py the gentle
man from Georgia, he asked how was
the order executed and to whose
hands was it committed. 1t was
committed to the hands of General
Winder. q man of whom the Rich