Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-01-26
Mr.. Blaine In the Debate ON Am.
neSty.

Mr. Blaine endeared himself to every
loyal and humane American heart yester-
dav by his closing speech on the amnes-
ty question He has shown nerve, good
sense and magnificent capacity for leader
ship. He began by stating distinctly the
issue before the House, and, to large
extent, the country, namely: Shall Jei1
Davis be specially honored by this Con
gress, and his record thus receive quasi
Endorsement. He is under no punish
ment He enjoys the freest range OF per,
sonal liberty. He can even vote, and hold
very many political offices. The Randall
proposition was to make him eligible to
q seat in Congress, or the Presidential
chair, even. 1t was not his record as
rebel which was the objection, but his
crime as q party TO the Andersonvllle
atrocities.
That contemplate demagogue, Ben
Hill. had said that 1.-THE atrocities OF An
Jacksonville did not begin to compare
with the atrocities of Elmira, Camp
Douglas and Fort Delaware, and Of all
the atrocities, both at Andcrsonville and
Elmira, the Confederate authorities stand
acquitted" The utter falseness OF the
charge against Elmira was refuted day
before yesterday by the Democratic Con-
gresham from that district, and yesterday
Mr. Blaine called Messrs. Caulticld and
Harrison, of this city, to testify as to
Camp Douglas. They were reluctant to
afford aid and comfort to the great Re-
publican leader, but they dared not so far
disregard the facts and insult their con-
stituents as to deny the claim that the
rebel prisoners in this city during the war
were we'll provided for in every way. The
General and State Governments did oil in
their power to make the prisoners COM
Portable, and private charity nobly supple
mented public humanity. Gen. Hender-
son, of this State, bore similar testimony,
only with increased emphasis
But the most significant feature of
Blaine's speech was the testimony adduced
to show the real danger that still menaces
the country Andersonville is thing OF
the past, and it is hardly conceivable that
IN any event those horrors should be du-
plicated; but the spirit of rebellion may
crop out again in a way to threaten the
very existence of the Republic. History
warns us that conspiracies from within
against the life of Il nation rarely die with
the first failure. jeff. Davis has repeatedly
claimed that the cause of the Contederacy
was not necessarily lost. "Itappears So"
he said, on one occasion, "but the princi-
pie for which we contested is bound to reas-
scrt itself, though tmay be at another time
and in another form Such is the actual
danger. The very man who now stands
forth as the leader of the Southern De-
mocracy, Hill, made speech not long
ago, in Atlanta, which was threat that if
the Republican party carried the election
for President in 1876 another war would
result. He talked in 1875 precisely as
tire-eaters talked sixteen years before.
The eloquent statesman from Name has
the cordial thanks of the patriotic people
of the whole country for his most timely
very tender toward traitors, but belch
venom and fire at the very thought of
another Presidential victory by the party
of loyalty and charity Journal.