The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-01-12

1OT inc TtieaSe OF our CaptlVc lellOW-Cltl-
zens has known no abatement, but has, on
the contrary, been still more deeply af-
fected by the additional suffering to which
they have been wantonly subjected by de-
privation of adequate food and clothing
and fuel, which they have not been per-
mitted to purchase from the prison suit
lers," and then he adds
"The enemy attempt to excuse their
baIbarous conduct by the unfounded ale
cation that it was retaliation for like con
duct on our part" Now | undertake to
say that there is not Confederate soldier
now living who had any credit as a man in
his command, and who ever was a prisoner
in the hand of the Union forces, who will
say that he ever was cruelty treated, that
he ever was deprived of the same ratons
which the Union soldiers had, or the same
food.
Mr.. Cook, of Georgia of
them.
Mr.. Baine-Well, take issue on that
and l cay that not one can truthfully state |
1t. As for measurers of retaliation, though |
goaded by this terrific treatment of our
friends in prison by Mr.. Davis, the senate |
of the United States especially refused to
pass resolution of retaliation as contrary |
| to modern civilization and to the first pre-
cepts of christianity. There was no re-
taliation attempted or justified. 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
what took place in Richmond Of that kind
was known on either side a day or two
thereafter.
Now this is not proposition to punish
Mr.. Davis. There is nothing attempting
to do that. | very frankly say that l al
ways thought that the indictment of Mr..
Davis at Richmond under the administra-
ton of Mr.. johnson was weak step, for
he was indicted only for that for which he
was guilty in common with every other
gentleman who went into the conlederate
movement, and therefore there was no par
!, ticular reason for singing him out for in
dctmen, But will undertake to say this
and with good deliberation, that there is
not civilized government on the face of
!, the globe-very certainly not an European
government-which would not have ar
rected Mr. Davis, or which when it had
him in its power would not have tried him
r for maltreatment of prisoners or war and
shot him within thirty days. France, Rus
} sis, England, Germany, Austria, any Of
2 them would have done it. The poor VIC
| tim, Wrz, deserved his death for the bru-
tai treatment Of prisoners, but | always
thought it was a weak movement on the
! part of our government to allow Jefferson
s Davis to go at large and hang Wirz
n Wirz was nothing in the world but a mere
= subordinate tool, and therefore there was
. no philosophy in selecting him for punish
/ ment. Still, do not say that he did not
d deserve it, and he deserved no mercy. Bat
+ at the same time his execution put me in
: mind of skipping the president, superin-
, tenGent and board of directors of a railroad
u company, in the case of great accident,
d and hanging the brakeman on the rear car.
o Laughter, There is no proposition here
e to punish Mr.. Davis Nobody is asking to
it do it. The time for such thing has gone
l. by. The statute of Limitation and the COM
e mon feeling of humanity would intervene
It for his benefit but what you ask us to do
7. is to declare by a vote of two-thirds of both
IS branches of congress, solemnly, that We
Vt consider Mr. DAVIS worthy to fill the high.
is est Office in the United States, if he can get
sc constituency to trust him. He is a voter
le he can buy and he can sell he can go ant
y come he is as free as any man in the
4 United States. There is a long list of subor
1T dinatc offices to which he is eligible
J. but this proposition proposes, in view o.
k the record which / have read, to declare
10 by two-thrds vote of the senate and
in two-thirds vote Of the house, Mr. Davis
l. eligible and worthy to fill any Office up tC
s. the presidency of the United States. Fo
he one, on full deliberation, l will not do it
'e 1t has been frequently said in mitigation
of Mr.. Davis action in the amnesty matter
m that the men who died in such large mum
ct bers (the victims, believe, number 10 900
r. tell victims to an epidemic and died o
I'd diseases which could not be avoided. Now
h, the record shows that out of $4,000 mel
is about thirty-three per cent died-that is
to one in three. Of the soldiers who were en-
camped within half a mile of the stockade
r and who guarded it, but one man in fou
III hundred died. Now, as to general amnesty
it is too late to debate it. Whether it has, il
~ all respects been wise or unwise. | shall
no not detain the house by discussing. Evel
at If l had convictions on that question, | d
III not know that it would be productive O
n. any great good to discuss it. But at III
i'll same time, it was a very singular spectacl
of that the republican party, in possession o
n the entire government, deliberately cale
back into public power the leading men o
~, the SOUTH every one of whom turns GU
- its bitter, relentless, and malignant foe
IL and that, to-day, from the Potomac to tn
Sc ltio Grande, the very men who receive
he this generosity are as busy as they kno,
,,o how to be in consolidating into one CON
Nv pact political organization the old slav
fy states, just as before the war, and agai
1t, we see the banner blagoned with the r
rh scIption, that with united south and
he few voters from the North this country ca
EN- be governed.
en- | want the people to understand that thi
ng is precisely the motive; that this is the an
~, mus and intent. do not think that Offer
to ing amnesty to the $50 men who are no,
as without it will either hasten or retard ths
e. movement. / do not think that grantin
or refusing amnesty to Mr.. Davis will has
le- ten or retard it. | hear it said that we ar
IN going to elevate Mr.. Davis into very grea
To- consequence by refusing amnesty to hin
That is not for me to consider. | only Sc
IT, before me, when his name is presented, tn
OF man who, by n wink of his eye, by
nd wave of his hand, by no
IT, of his head, could have stoppe
the atrocities of Andersonville. Some
W us had kinsmen there most of us ha
1t, friends there, and all of us had countryme
on there, and in the name of those kinsmer
,te friends and countrymen, here protest, an
shall with my vote protest, ever calm
'e back and GROWING with The full honors c
to American citizenship the man who organ
rs lied that murder
N. Loud applause greeted the conclusion c
or Mr.. Blaines speech on the republican sid
he Of the house and in the galleries.