Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-28
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From the Boston Journal
CROPPING OUT AGAIN.

The speech Of Mr.. Tucker of Virginia,
in the House discussion of the Centennial
appropriation on Wednesday, fifty supple
ments Mr.. Ben Hills effort as an EXPOSE
ton Ct the spirit and purposes which
the ex-Confederates have brought back in
to the councils of the nation. 1t would
appear from this sudden development, so
soon after the Amnesty debate. that 1t Is
quite impossible for the democratic leaders
of the House 10 iudiciouslv keep their
Southern brethren in the background. No
matter what the subject under discussion
may be, or how slight the apparent provo
cation, some one of these impulsiye gem
rcmen is pretty sure to show that he is
not, as as the late John c. Breckenridge
declared he was. San extinct volcano"
The old fire flames up again, if not in the
lurd glare of Ben Hills oratory, then with
the intense white heat of Mr.. fuckers ar
gumentation on the ancient State rights
question. This is all well enough if the
country takes the right view of the matter.
We have renewed the Government of the
United States on broader foundations and
it is all-important to learn with what prin-
ciples those who were self-exiled for time
from Congress have returned to take part
in its deliberations and to aspire once
more to the control of this Union.
In this light Mr.. fuckers speech will be
found very instructive. No particular sig
nifcance attaches to his opposition to the
Centennial appropriation, for many and
we include ourselves among them-have
grave doubts as to the strict constitution
atty of such grant, while its expedien-
cy at this time may be held to be even
more doubtful. But Mr.. Tucker in his
speech travels out of the way to reiterate
those old Calhoun heresies respecting the
nature of the Government and the Union
which led the way to the rebellion Of 1861.
The movers in that national crime justified
themselves by the very theories which Mr..
Tucker is reviving to-day. If the eighty
of his ex Confederate colleagues in the
House share his sentiments, the Union men
of the country will need to watch them
with vgiant eye, as those who have not
learned from the experience they have
gone through. Thus we see Mr.. Tucker
trying to cover the august name Of Wash.
ngton with a completely in the same
charges resting against the leaders of the
rebellion. He even speaks of the latter
as constructive rebellion as though il
were wrongly imputed by those who have
since held the Government, against men
who were perfectly meritorious. In this
view it was quite natural in him though
wholly irrelevant to the line of his argu.
ment. that he should interiect a ferycn.
eulogy on Gen. Lee.
We say again it is better that these ex-
Confederates in Congress should plainly
speak out what is in their minds than that
they should practice concealment and du-
plcity, in order to serve the electioneer-
ing purposes of the democratic party. If
they are honest, as we have no doubt Mr.
Tucker is. they will want the country to
understand their exact position. At any
rate, it should have that understanding
The people of the United States want to
see whether the ideas and aims which Or
iginated one rebellion are still cherished
by its survivors restored to the Govern
ment, whether or not experience has
toned them down within safe limits, and
how large force they constitute or COM
mand within the democratic party of to-
day. When they gain this intelligence
they will know how to meet the great
struggle of political forces which is SO
shortly to ensue.
THE AXNESTT DEBiTE