Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1876-01-18
GENERAL AMNESTY
The Powerful speech of Mr.. Hill
Blaine Completely Demolished.

Blaine Completely Demolished.
The House proceeded to the discus
sion of the Amnesty bill, Mr.. Hill.
Of Georgia, having the floor.
Mr.. Hill spoke two hours in the
most effective style; being frequently
applauued by the House and galleries.
Ia opening he disclaimed all desire on
the part of himself and his associates
from the south to reopen ill-teeling
between the sections. The country
had already suffered enough from
feuds. He and his associates had
come here with the patriotic idea to
remember nothing but the country
and the whole country, and turning
their backs upon all the horrors OF
the past to look with ali earuestntss to
find glories for the future.
The gentleman jMr. Blaine) who
was the acknowledged leader of
the republican party in the House, and
was the aspiring leader of the repubi-
can party of the country, had hOwev-
err, willed otherwise, ami seemed de
termined that the wounds which were
healing should he re-opeued, and the
passions which were hushed should
Ue reinflamed. He (Mr. HllD wished
the house to understand that he and
his associates did not reciprOcate eth
er the purpose or the manifest desire of
the gentleman, ami while they felt it
their imperative duty to vinuicate the
truth of history as regards their sec
ton, they did not intend to say any.
thing calculated to aid the gentleman
IN that work of elimination and re-
elimination end of keeping up the
war by politicians after brave men
have said that war shall end. The
gentleman from Maine had made two
points in hisspeech: The maguanim-
ity and grace Of the republican party,
and the brutality of those whom he
pleased TO term rebels. AS to the first
question, he did not propose to weary
the House to day; because with the
history of the last fifteen years yet
fresh in the mind of the world, speak
of the grace aud magnanimity Of the
republican party. With the master
enslaved with Intelligence disf:an-
chisrd; with society disUrderud with
States subverted, and with legislatures
dispersed, he could not afford to talk
of grace aud magnauimity. If that
were grace ana Rgnanimity, he
prayed God to save the country in the
future from such virtues.
The gentleman from Maine had
made grave indictments against Mr,
Davis that he was guilty OF tho muI-
deTs and crimes Mt AnderSOuVIlle, and
the gentleman MIR, Blaine) st rod be-
I re- the country with his very fame in
peril, if after making such charge,
he failed to prove it. He (Mr. HiI,)
would take up the gentleman's propO-
sitions in order. He hoped that no
one would imagine that he was here
to pass any eulOgy on Mr. Davis
The record on which his fame must
rest had been made up and his com
| paniOuS and friends had RENTED that
record to the only trihuna! that would
| give an impartial judgment-hOnest
posterity. In the meantime no eulogy
of his could hclpiJ; no crnsure from
the gentleman (Mr. Baine,) could
damage it, and 10 act or resolution of
the House cuuld effect it. The charge
against Mr.. Davis was that lie WAS IA
deliberate, wilIul, scheemIng murderer
of thousands of his fellOw-cItiZrns.-
Knowing the high character and rep
utnliOu of the gentleman from Maine,
he (HilD had supposed when he heard
the charge fall from his lips that he
had certainly made recent dISCov-
| cry, and Ge listened for the evidence
But what was it? Nothing but par
tial report of Congressional commit
| tee. The testimony read was eXclu-
sively &C pdrte testimony, taken while
! the gentleman now on trial before the
country was in the prisUn-withOut u
| hearing, and without the opportunity
of appearing. If there WAS amy prin-
ripl- held sacred in the Anglo Saxon
mind it was that an Englishman was
not to he condemned until lie should
be confronted with his witnesses, but
the testimony was not ouly eU parte.
but was mutisted, palpahly mutiIa-
ted, most adrOitly mutilaled.
The speaker further continued -
! Even on the day OF his execution
Capt. Werz had been offered "a COM
mutation of the sentence if ne would
implicate Mr.. Davis, but Werz's an
swer to his counsel was : Mr.. Schade
you know that have always told you
that | do not know anything about
Jefferson Davis. He had no cOnnec-
! ton with me as to what was done at
AndersOnvlle. | would not become
traitor against him or anybody else
even to save my life. But said Mr..
! Hill, what poor Werz within two
hours of his execution would not say
| for his life, the gentleman from
Maine says to the country for the sake
of keeping his party in power. SEN
sation.l Sir, Christianity is n false
| hoOu, humanity ~ lle, clVlllEaJlnn 3
u cheat, or the man who could not
make false charge for his life WAS
never guilty of wilful murder. Mr..
! Hill went on to argue that on the log
| ic Of Mr.. BIaine's speech, holding Mr..
| DaI is responsible for the acts of Mr..
| Winder. President Grant might be
! held responsible for the acts of Me
| Donald and Joyce. and he asked
whether Mr.. Blaine meant to establish
| a rule of construction that could au-
thorize the country To arraign Pres-
dent Grant for completely in the
whiskey frauds. Was Mr.. Grant re-
sponsible, he asked, for credit mobil-
icrs, for the SanhoTn contract, or for
the frauds i'm the District of Columbia?
And Yet Mr.. Grant had absolutely
sent to the Senate of the United States
for confirmation for high office the
name of man (alluding TO Mr.. Alex
Ander II. Shepherd, of " ashingtOn)
who stood charged before the country
with the grossest speculation aud
frauds on this Dlstvict after the char
yes had been made and while they
were pending. lie (Mr. HID was
neither the author nor the disciple of
political logi9, But if the genlleman's
(Mr. Blalne'S) propositions with re-
gard to Mr., Davis were true, then by