New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-18
IAashinE the House,

Aptu anu MAY, W sat. 4o-iVu'
| I.ashius the House,
Speaking OF the recent amnesty debate Il
the House of Representatives,. the Wash
| ing correspondent Of the New York Tir5rre
| says:
| Mr.. Biaines speech to-day was no an ar
| gument, but an exhibition. He stood IN his
place ike a gladiator IN the midst OF an
| arena, haunting and worrying his enemies
until be provoked them to strike back n
| self-detense, ana then sprang upon them
| with savage fury ami tore them to pieces.
| TIE greatest sufferer was M. Hall, OF
! Georgia, though with his long, keen blade
| the ex-Speaker more than cnce pr!cked Nr
| Cox to the very quick when ne accused Eim
! of making one speech in the House ami
| printing another in the Record. or when he
| quoted Mr Cox as war Democrat durisg
| the great struggle. to contouni Mr.. Cox n
his late speech on amnesty. At times ne
| bad the entire delegation from the South
| 50 excited that they were ready to rise en-
masse to reply to him. or hucl back
his aggrayating imputatioDs upon them.
| Mr.. Hill has been unfortunate not ONLY IL
his speech Tuesday. but in many other
! speeches which he has made IN his own
| State and elsewhere since the war. AMI MIR.
| Blaine, with wonderful research. had made
| a large collection OF these, as they have
| been printed in the newspapers and pa,nph-
| lets. and brought them in to illustrate the
| speech TO which be WAS replying. He said
| that the gentleman from Georgia was as
| yOluminous as the Spanish chronic!ers, and
he drew forth one after another short eX-
tracts from his public utterances, which
! taken alone, conveyed very damaging i'm
pressions, which were emphasized and in
creased by the manner in which they were
introduced. Mr.. Hill, who sat in front Of
Mr. Blaine, took most Of it good-naturedly,
though it was plain to see that ne often felt
that he was being placed II false light be-
fore the House ami country. But whenever
he undertook to explain-something not
easy to do under the most favorable cir
cumstances-he only subjected himself 10
renewed attack with redOubled fury.
One of the most unfortunate passages Of
Mr.. Hills speech the other day was that in
which he charged that the sutferings of
Confederate prisoners in Elmira. Camp
Douglas, and Fort Delaware, were as great
as those of the Union prisoners at Anaer-
sonville; and Mr.. Blaine first called upon
the Democratic Representatives from
Chicago to say whether the Confederate
prisoners were cruelty treated in Camp
Douglas. These gentlemen were not ready
to answer "Yes" or NO" but undertook to
make explanations. This was not what Mr..
Blaine wanted, and his attempts to prevent
them from stating their versions OF the facts
caused great excitement among the Dem
ocrats. Then Mr.. Blaine declared that the
treatment of Confederate prisoners IN
Union prisoners had always been humane,
and appea led to the gentlemen on the other
side who had been confined II them to sup
port his assertion, saying that he should
consider their silence as consent. Some South
ern Democrats desired to contradict this
but Mr.. Blaine would not yield and said
that if they wished to dissent they might
all stand up. Mr.. Randall at this point
made home thrust at the Republican
leader By reminding him that the House
was not a school. As the House and gal
ieries remembered that Mr.. Blaine was
formerly teacher, the laughter and APP
plause was long and loud. Tee Interrupt
tions-for which Mr.. Blame was mainly re-
sponsibie, having invited them-destroyed
much of the effect of his speech, which. at
BEST is not to be compared with the forclbie
argument General Garfield made yesterday.
As an exhibition. however. it was highly
exciting and entertaining. The ex-Speaker
has probably destroyed whatever prospects
Mr.. Hill ever had of being the leader on his
side of the House, and has succeeded IL plac-
ing the Democratic party in what its leaders
say is false position before the country.
Perhaps this was his object.
Mr.. Blaine was followed by Mr.. Banks,
who literally poured Oil on the troubled
waters He made most eloquent plea for
peace and good will, and cited scenes which
occurred at Lexington, Concord end Bunker
Hill last summer. as evidences that the peO-
interests, as well as reunion OF State or
CARNATIONS. He showed the folly of wran-
Cling over questions or events of the war;
reminded those who had participated in the
debate that it was impossible for them to
agree; that there was still too much passion,
and that no true history Of the war had or
could yet be written; the best we have is
only material for history. As to the cruel
ties of the war, he had no doubt that they
existed: but this was not the time, nor Con-
gress the place to discuss them. For those
who were guilty, he asked God 8 mercy, tor
those who suffered, Gods help; but for the
crimes themselves, let the earth cover them.
The grand sentiments of Mr. Banks speech
were repeatedly applauded by the entire
side of the House, but only here
and there among the Republicans was one
who showed his appreciation.
After speeches by Mr.. Mercy, Mr.. Ta.box |
and Mr.. Randall, motion to reconsider was
carried, but under the rules the time had |
nitted, or Mr.. Randall would have accepted |
me by Mr.. Banks requlrisg those who avail |
themselves of the amnesty offered to take |
IN oath of allegiance before United States |
court. This could have been admitted by |
unanimous consent, but Mr.. Blaine object |
ID. Then the bill was committed to the |
Judiciary Committee, with instructions to |
eport it back with Mr.. Banks amendment, |
md Mr.. Randall asked that it have permits !
ion to report forthwith, but Mr.. Blaine OBJ
eoted to this and the House adjourned