The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-02-04
THE AMNESTY DEBATE.

A lady correspondent of the Cleveland
| Herald, who was present during the
Amnesty debate in the House, writes a
very interesting letter, from whioh we
extract as follows:
God bless our Garfield, His words
were as goads and as fiery nails driven
by the great Master of Assemblies. His
face was radiant, and his manner was
the perfection of courtesy toward every
member of the House; while his truths
were perfectly scathing. Old Congress
men said it was the greatest speech,
thus far, in all Mr.. Garfield's Congress
sional career. Mr.. Monroe wheeled
about in his chair, and his fraternal face
was turned towards the orator, all aglow
with a colleagues pride. 1t was beauti-
full to see. Hon. G. b. Farwell, men,
Der from Chicago. told me that the
''voice in the rear" during our war time,
was one of the finest points he ever
heard made upon the floor of Congress.
Perhaps the interest eliminated when
Mr.. Pratt, of New York, begged leave to
interrupt Mr.. Garfield, and read, with
steady voice, but an eager, trsmulous
hand, the telegram from the late Com
mandment at Elmira, so completely and
in full detail refuting Mr.. Hills infa-
nous charge of cruelty towards rebel
prisoners there confined; and when his
colleague on the Democratic side, Mr..
Walker, representing the district of Ell
mira, solemnly and amid breathless ST.
lence rose and corroborated every word
of the denial If one of the rebel dead
there entombed, and whose graves are
humanely tended by our Government,
could have arisen in his mouldering
cements, and added his ghostly testimo-
ny to the truth of the telegram, the
effect could hardly have been more
startling. 1t was so utterly unexpected
from Democrat, and gave us so heart
some gleam of true manhood emerging
above party lash. Then with undimin-
ished interest our thoughts returned to
allow the mastery peroration of General
Garfield, in which he thanked God for
peace, and for the fact that in the awful
flame of war slavery had been burned to
death. At his close, you should have
seen the silent, heartfelt greetings of his
comrades who sat all around him
the little knot of Republican leaders,
grouped together for better considera-
ton of the whole. 1t was Solomon's own
sentiment. Every man shall kiss his
lips that giveth right answer" transla-
ted into the deeper, graver sign-language
of our Saxon blood. And when the ex-
quisite flowers We're brought in, a trib-
ute from the few-the very few-maimed
soldiers whom indignant public seDti
ment had thus far forced the Democratic
majority to exempt from the execution
er's axe, it was like strain of exquisite,
plaintive music, mingliDg with drum
beat cannon roar. Pardon me if | con-
fess to you that my eyes were full of
womanish tears as looked at the mute
offering. Even thus had these brave
men plucked with unspafing hand their
life's young, fragrant flower, and laid it
upon the altar of our common country.
And we accepted the costly offeringl
Wherewith can we recompense them for
such a sacrifice as theirsi / know these
men pleasantly and well, both the many
who have been discharged and the few
who remain; and | have often fingered
in the corridors where / was wont to see
them sit, faithful, courteous sentinels at
the frequent gallery doors, and have
talked with them about their wives and
little children, and have heard their sim
pie, valorous story of their lives-this
halting, empty-sleeved brigade - with
the thought of Mrs. Brownings' Court
Lady yelling and throbbing in my heart.
You remember how she went into the
hospital of Milan after the war which
made Italy free, and passed from couch
to couch among the wounded men,
"Kneeling-'O, more than nv brother,
How can | thank thee for all >"
Knowing them as | do, and reveren-
cling so profoundly their blood won
''eross of the legion of honor" l can
not express to you the rage and shame
with which have seen part of their
number driven out from these sacred
council halls of a Government which
they have shed their precious tide of life
to save. Are you not glad that our good
President has pledged himself to DO
what can be done to recompense them
for such insult and outraged '.The deep
damnation of their taking Off he can
places quite so good as these-that is, so
well adapted to their manned condition.
for these places in the Capitol building
are much easier than Department clerk
ships, and are in general more lucrative
than any such which a manned man
could fill. Cut he has brothers heart
toward them His eyes rest kindly on
his old comrades in arms, and time and
again have | seen extended toward them
the warm grasp of his strong right hand.
which seemed to say,
''By communion of the Banner.
Battle-scarred but victor Banner,
BY the baptism of the Banner
Brothers of one faith are we,'