The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-01-28
EMPORIA NEWS.
FRIDAY, JANUARY %, 1876.
The Amnesty Qaes1Iou.

Office, because they held important
civil or militsry offices under the
ex-confederate government. All
IL requires them to do to regain the
full privileges Of citizenship is-as
General Beauregard did the other
day-to petition Congress to "re-
move their disabilities, and such
written petition being granted by a
two-thirds vote of that body (all SO
far have been favorably acted upoD)
the applicant has only to take an
oath of allegiance to the United
States, aud Is then at full liberty to
exercise all the rights Of citizen
ship. A large number Of promi-
nent ex-rebels have complied with
this law, but Jefferson Davis and
TAT others refuse to send in their
petitions, and it is understood that
they demand that full amnesty be
Internationally conferred upon
them.
This written petition to Congress
and oath of loyalty hereafter to the
Union and the constitution of the
United States, being all that is re-
quired in the way of repentance
and good faith on the part of the
few ex-rebels who were not uncon-
ditionally pardoned at the close OF
the war, Is we think, the very least
that ought to be demanded, and we
do not see why Congress should fur
Their concern itself in their behalf.
The Senate has enough sense and
dignity to take this view of the
matter, but the last House, in a fit
OF week kneed political policy,
almost unanimously passed a bill
said to have been then favored by
Mr.. Blame, to repeal the pre- sent
law and confer complete amnesty.
1t failed to pass the Senate, and
attracted very little public atten-
ton.
This session, the democratic
members of the House have reviv-
ed this bill in almost its Identical
language, and made a desperate ef-
fort to pass il, but the Republican
members, having come to their sem
ses, have so far, by the aid of Mr..
Blaine's oratorical ability and par
Iiamentary tact, managed to defeat
the measure. This amnesty de-
bate is attracting great attention all
over the country, and the Demo.
cratic press is bitterly denouncing
MIR. Blaine and his fellow republi-
cans for insisting that even if all
other ex-rebels are unconditionally
pardoned, Jefferson Davis should
be compelled to petition for citizen
ship before it is restored to him.
The discussion has naturally
brought up bitter memories of the
war, and disturbed the era of good
will which 1t was hoped the CEN
tennial year of the Republic would
usher into existence. But this am
nesty issue having been raised, il
is necessary for the people to take
their stand either for or against it.
We take the ground, emphatic
ally and unquestionably, that the
law ought to stand just as it is, and
none of its requirements should be
modified. Mr.. Blaine and his col
leagues now consent to repeal ii
except as IL regards Jefferson Da.
Wis. They do wrong to modify II
one iota. They should vote
straight nay, every time, no matter
how Plausible may be the theories
which are used to excuse or justify
such a proposed trucking of the
United States to the rag-tag and
bob-tail of the defunct confedcracy.
The little band of stiff-necked rene
gades headed by Jefferson Davis
will fail to appreciate what they
disdain TO ask for, and we submit
that all the attention Congress
should bestow upon them is to duly
consider their petitions when thew
happen to send them in. 1t has
more important business than to
wrangle over the rights or wrongs
ola gang of blood stained crimi-
nails who would only scott at being
given the amnesty they assume to
despise. Surprising that none of
these us political outcasts ever be.
come candidates for another Office.
or cast another vote suppose they
die as obstinate as they have lived,
and are one by one buried in the
confederate flags they cherish.
Why should Congress take any in
terest in their funeral obseq uies
They are offered, by the present law,
the choice of flags, and country,
and citizenship, and if they prefer
to devote the rest of their unhappy
lives to honoring the memory of
their "lost cause" by wandering |
up and down the United States like |
melancholy ghouls of Anderson
vile and other rebel prison bells,
why should Congress interfere
with their sepulchral enjoyment?
" hat right has it to thrust upon
these monomaniacs of the REBEL lion
the duties and responsibilities of
citizenship? When they
want to be citizens enough to ask
to be, it will be time for Congress
to interrupt other business to grant
their petitions and place the docu-
ments on file. The country is GER
tainly not suffering for the want of
their votes. No Offices stand vacant
because they are not allowed to I'LL
them. No public question can be
better solved by the aid of such
ability and patriotism as they pos
'ess. The nation has no need of
them, and Congress ought to have
sufficient respect for itself and the
nation to wait for these unrepen-
tant traitors to bow their heads to