National Republican., 1876-01-17
WHO Is REsPoHsIRLEl

Some old fogy, who didn't understand
the use of language as well as Richard
Grant White or the New York World, said,
Consistency. thou art a jewel" If that
mistaken individual had lived now, in
stead of having the dust of two centuries
heaped upon him, he would not have been
guilty of such an unwise saw, but would
have learned from the World that con-
sistency was useless, in fact, worse than
useless, to a newspaper with a mission.
The World of Saturday has two columns
telegraphed from Washington about the
amnesty debate in Congress. 1t ''wires in
and wires OUT in an argument endeavor-
ing to show that Mr.. Blaine, leading little
more than one third of the House, did not
by mastery strategy defeat the ablest
Democratic leaders. Then it abuses Mr..
Blaine because he did defeat them, and
praises the leaders aforementioned for
their skill, and specially eulogizes the
rhetorical Ben. Hill. All these things,
and more, can be found in that two
columns, but the crowning beauty Of the
whole article is its close, when it treats
of Mr.. Blaine's speech on Friday. We
will let the World speak for itself:
"T herewith offer my bill and yield to any
gentleman on the opposite side who wants to
make motion to cancel the clause excepting
Jefferson Davis The puerility of Mr..
Blaine's attitude in all respects at this moment
any reader can estimate. The man who had
provoked 4 weeks waste of the time of the
House OF Representatives in the discussion of
q euibble which he himself had introduced,
now offered to surrender the point he had
agitated on the condition that some Demo-
cratic member would move for Jefferson Davis
salvat; ion under his (Mr. Blaine's) bill. Mr..
Randall! resisted this proposal, and objected
TO the consideration of Blaine'S bill at all.
'Then. said Blaine, with a final insolent
swag, Yes, ! will stop this whole measure;
have the power And by the usual parlia-
mentary motion the question was gagged for
this day and time. Thus upon the Republican
minority in the House rests tonight the
odium Of the refusal of amnesty to the South
ern people. But the end of amnesty is not
yet. Democrats have learned lesson, and
even the Republicans have half determined to
rebel against more bullying by Blaine
Dir. Blaine offered the Democrats the
bill they had been fighting for, and they
refused to take it. Why: Because, as the
World says, 'they had learned a lesson"
and that 'lesson" was that the people of
the country-we mean those who saved
the country from destruction-did not want
jeff. Davis amnestied. ''Thus upon the
Republican minority in the House rests to-
night the odium of the refusal of amnesty
to the Southern people," says the World.
But the World proves itself a falsiier, for
it says that Mr.. Blaine offered on behalf of
the Republican minority his amnesty bill,
and proposed to yield the floor to any
Democrat for a motion to strike out the
clause excepting JEFF. Davis. None of them
dared TO do it. The manner in which Ben.
Hills defense Of Audersonville and denun-
citation of Northern soldiers and Mr.. Cox's
pucrilities had been received scared them
of. The Democratic majority to day
stand responsible for the fact that every
man engaged in the late rebellion, includ-
ing JEFF. Davis himself, is not amnestied.
Here is the official record Of the proceedings.
''Mr. Blaine. Now, will say that if gen.
tlemen on the other side are willing to let
this bill come to a vote l will yield without
any further words.
'Nr. Randall. l raise the point of order
that the gentleman has 10 right to offer his
amendment.
"Mr. Blaine. Then the gentleman objects.
"Mr. Randall. object 10 any proceeding
not in order.
"Mr. Blaine Do understand the gentle
man 10 object 10 my bill being offered,
"Mr. Randall. When have the right to
speak in reply to you you will hear what
have TO say.
''Mr. Blaine. Very well. ask unanimous
consent to offer this bill, and then will yield
the floor at the same time to any gentleman |
who desires to move 10 strike out the exclu- |
sion. |
"AIr. Randall. l object"
Dare the World insert these proceedings
and then say to its readers that 'the Re- |
publican minority is responsible ~
The World is the only paper in the |
North that has attempted to defend Ben.
Hills utterances, anu ii, in doing SO,
quotes from the amended speech of Mr..
Hill, published in the Record under orders
from his party leaders. and not from the
infamous language spoken by him in the
House. 1t says: There were few unto |
ward sentences fused in heat in the |
speech, when it knows that he had twenty |
four hours 10 prepare after Blaine closed; |
and this is the extent of its condemnation. |
1t can continue to occupy its uuenviable !
position as the sole defender of Hill, but, if |
it has the slightest regard for truth, it |
should show from the record who is re- |
sponsible that universal amnesty has not |
lon,,