Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-02-02


questions except that connecte'
with the result Of the war.
The opinions Of gentlemen VIII
have participated in this debate OF
either side are not yet 50 s,rmlv cs
tablished that their assertions can
not lie gainsays:.. Who viii max
historyi ] do not know, Int i
will be done faithfully and all par
ties will receive justice. Lord Ba
con SAIL that be left his name an,
reputation to after ages and TO for
eign nations. 1t is quite possibl,
that the history of this blood,
episode in the history Of our coun
try to which reference is SO con
stantly made will in the end b,
accepted by the world as a trn,
verdict in the case, nv citizens of ,
foreign State. / am perfectly sur,
that we can not do il now or here
| dismiss from my mind all consid
Grafton of the declarations and de,
nunciations, the ordinations and
recriminations, which for a week
past We have so constantly heard
In this chamber.
do not doubt that the soldiers
of the confederacy in the north may
have suffered, nor do l doubt that
the soldiers Of the union when in
the south may have suffered terri
bly,. That was incident to the con-
dition of things. For the guilty
whoever they may be, I pray for
giveness for the suffering, who
ever they may have been, and whose
ever they are, invoke the blessing
Of God, and for the crimes them
selves, | say let the earth hide them.
(Applarse.) Let Us shut them
from our sight. Let us believe
that these questions will hereafter
he properly weighed and all the
parties receive whatever of credit
or honor may be justly due them
that the Judgment of the country
and of the world will be satisfied
thereby.
/ perfer to turn as a guide for
myself in my action here as a mem
Der OF this house to other consid-
erations. / leave the past and
look to the future. turn my at
tention TO that which is before us.
1t is impossible for me to decide or
to settle that which is past. If
should follow the counsel Of the
gentleman from Maine and his
friends, could change nothing Of
the past; not one of the dead could
be raised to life !; not one wound
assuaged not one sorrow or one
sigh be diminished by anything
that can now be done. Let that
which is past and gone, not he
changed and affected by anything
within the scope Of human power,
remain for the impartial investiga-
ton which is to come hereafter
which must come hereafter let
it stand for those who will he able
and capable of ascertaining and
pronounciDR that Judgment.
Let us look at the present con-
dition Of the country. There i.
one thing more especially desira-
bic than any other in the present
of affairs-that is peace,
general peace, peace in all sections
Ind with all parties, with all classes
md all races. The depression
which rests upon the country;
which is taking from men their
from laborers their en-
from women and children
heir bread, which is destroying
lot only the welfare of the present
'ut imperiling the hopes of the
nture, arises from the disturbance
Il the peace Of this country. Now
do not know but these gentlemen
N one side OF the other can re-
tore that prosperity by proceeding
Indefinitely with the remarks with
Which We have been entertained 4
or three or four days past, but | 4
10 not believe it. They can not 4.
ONE to any conclusions of these
uestions Of the past. They can l
ot agree among themselves, with !
he official records in their hands. ,
ow many union soldiers have been
emoved from positions abont this
louse within the past two or three
weeks, or how many have been ap- I
pointed. They can not agree among ;
themselves even as to words spoken
ere in our very presence within
be last hour and of which the re-
ord isscarcely dry. How is it pos (
ible, then, that we can come to any |
onclusion as to the facts of the last q
fteen years, Of the greater part of !
'hich We know only one side, and I
nat side consistent with their in I
'rest and wishesl No, sir; we 7
lnnot do it. @
Bot we can look at the condition {
the country. We want peace. n
suppose that the best way to es- il
4blish the peace Of the country is n
cease controversy upon that d
hich is past. The honorable gen. &
eman from Pennsylvania. (Mr. c
aDdall) has introduced here a bill e
oking to the peace of the country. C.
e says that is in the exact terms is
a bill passed by the last Repub-
an house Of representatives
ar or more ago. 1t is that rea-