The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-01-22


stockade with grape shot without reference to
the situation beyond this line of defence
Here were those thirty-fye thousand poor,
helpless, naked, starving, siekened, dying
men. This Catholic priest states that he went
to General Cobb to represent to him that if
he could not exchange them they should be
taken before the Union lines in Florida and
let go free, and yet, if the Union forces were
to get within seven miles, that regular order
of Mr. Davis officer was to open battery Of
grape shot on those poor wretches without
the slightest possible regard to what was 60
ing on outside. Now, do not arraigu the
Southern people for this--God forbid that
should charge any people with sympathizing
with such an order. There were many evil
dences of great uneasiness among the South
ern people about it, and one of the great
crimes of Mr.. Davis was that he concealed il
from the Southern people We have obtain
ed a complete series Of Mr.. Davis messages,
with the official imprint at Richmond, and they
are now in the Congressional Library. have
looked over them, and find in his message
Of December 7th, 1864, atthe very time when
those horrors. were at their acme, at their
EXTREMIST verge of desperation he says =
"The solicitude of the Government for the re.
lease of our captive fellow. citizens has known
no abatement, but has, on the contrary, been
| still more deeply affected by the additional
suffering to which they have been wantonly
subjected by deprivation of adequate food and
clothing and fuel, which they have not been
permitted to purchase from the prison sut.
lersih and then he adds that the senemy at.
tempt to excuse their barbarous conduct by
the unfounded allegation that it was retalia-
tory for like conduct on our part" Now, !
undertake. to say that there is not q Coafed-
crate soldier now living who has any credit as
a man in his community and who ever was a
prisoner in the hands of the Union forces,
who will say that he was cruelty treated, that
he ever was deprived of the same rations
which the Union soldiers had, or the same
food.
Mr.. Cook, of Georgia Thousands of them.
Mr. Blaine-Well, take issue on that and
| say that not one can truthfully state it. As
for measures of retaliation, though goaded by
this terrific treatment of our friends in prison
by Mr.. Davis, the Senate of the United States
specifically refused to pass a resolution of re-
taliation as contrary to modern civilization
and to the first precepts of Christianity.
There was no retaliation attempted or justif.
ed. 1t was refused, and Jefferson Davis knew
it was refused just as well as he knows it to-
day, because what took place in Washington
or wha. took place in Richmond of that kind
was known on either side of the line within
day or two thereafter. Now, this is not a
proposition to punish Mr.. Davis. There is
nothing attempted to do that very frankly
say that always thought that the indictment
Of Mr.. Davis at Richmond under the admin.
istraton of johnson was q weak step, for he
was indicted only for that which he was gull.
ty in common with every other gentleman who
went into the Confederate movement, and
therefore there was no particular reason for
singing him out for Indictment. But | will
undertake to say this, and with good delber
alton, that there is not civilized government
on the face of the globe, very certainly not an
European government, which would not have
arrested Mr.. Davis, or which when it had him
in its power would not have tried him for
maltreatment of prisoners of war and shot
him within thirty days. France, Russia, Eng.
land, Germany, Austria-any Of them would
have doneit. The poor victim Wirz deserved
his death for the brutal treatment Of prison.
ers, but always thought ii was weak move
ment on the part of our Government to allow
Jefferson Davis to go at large and hang Wirz.
Wirz was nothing in the world but mere
subordinate and tool, and therefore there was
no philosophy in selecting him for punish.
ment Still, do not say that he did not de.
serve it. He did richly, fully deserve it, and
he deserved no mercy.
But what you ask us to do is to declare, by
vote oftwo-thirds of both branches of Con.
gress, solemnly, that we consider Mr.. Davis
worthy to ill the highest offices in the United
States If he can get a constituency to trust
him. He is voter he can buy and he can
sell he can go and come he is as free as
any man in the United States there is long
list Of subordinate Offices to which he is eligi.
BILE. But this proposition proposes, in view
Of the record which have read, to declare,
by two-third vote Of the Senate and two.
third vote of the House, Mr.. Davis eligible
and worthy to fill any Office, up to the Presi.
dency of the United States. For one, on full
deliberation, will not do it. 1t has been
frequently said in mitigation Of Mr.. Davis in
the amnesty matter, that the men who died
in such large numbers (the victims believe
number l,500) fell victims to an epidemic and
died of diseases which could not be avoided.
Now, the record shows that of $4,000 men
about thirty-three per cent. died that is one
in three. OF the soldiers who were encamp-
ed within half mile of the stockade and who |
guarded it, but one man in 400 died. Now
as to general amnesty. 1t is too late to de-
bate it. Whether it has in all respects been
wise Or unwise, shall not detain the House
in discussing.
AhS FotJ hitu VIM nave rcttlFeu amnesty |
are as busy as they know how to be in consol.
idating into one compact politicalo Reorganization
the old slave States just as before the war,
and we see the banner blazoned again with
the inscription that with united South and |
few votes from the North, this country can
be governed. want the people to under
stand that this is precisely the motive; that
this is the animus and intent. do not think
that offering amnesty to 750 men who are now
without it, will either hasten or retard that |
movement. / do not think that granting or |
refusing amnesty to Mr.. Davis win hasten or |
retard it. hear it said that we are going to
elevate Mr.. Davis into very great consequence
by refusing amnesty to him. That is not for
me to consider. Ionly see before me, where
his name is presented, the man who, by
wink of his eye, by wave of his hand, by q |
nod Of his head could have stopped the atroe-
titles at Andersonville. Some Of us had kins-
men there, most of us had friends there, all |
<f. L. Al