Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-01-15
EVENING STAR.
sATTRDAY...... January Il. Is16.
FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
Closing Proceedings Yesterday.
Another Field Day-Defeat OF the
Amnesty Bill.

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consider, obtained the right 10 speak. He
said that the only object on his side OF the
House was not to be obstructive, several
democrats, I'VE hope Dot,'D not to delay
legislation by any OF those means with
which the last House was so familiar. They
had no desire 10 filibuster. Although the
civil rights bill, witch had been designed To
give the rights OF manhood To colorel men
had been ready TO be reported from COM
mfttee, hllbustering cut OFF the chance TO
report 1t for seventeen consecutive Monday
mornings; and one of the chief parliament
tary glories of his friend from Pennsylvania,
(RaDdall,) was that, through the extreme use
OF that power, he had prevented a considera-
lion OF that bill. They designed no such pro-
cess They simply desired TO have a vote on
In this general amnesty. IL his friend fro n
Massachusetts, (Bauksl whom he saw
sD'ilit with that winsOme smile, to which
lie tblalne) was always glad 10 respond.
would excuse him, he would suggest that his
(BIaine's) amendment was better than the
sehtlenan's in another respect. The gentle
mans lBanks) amendment allowed the
cam 10 be taken in any state court OF record
IN "a probate court, for instance "a republic
can member: ''Or Police Court."6 lie
Inought mat II was matter in which the
United stains government was dealing with
some of It's erring citizens. who were coming
rack 10 be reclothed, rehabilitateI with the
Ihii rlShls and glories OF American citizen
snip. lie thought that such an important
transaction should be equitable oaly in the
United States Courts. He believed there
amendments.
Mr.. Kasson Iowa.)-Oh, yes. the latter
Proposition requires an oath of Obedience To
an laws made IN pursuance of the Constitu-
Mr.; Hoar Mass $50 that If man violates
any law he becomes guilty OF perjury.
| Mr.. Blaine.-Then my friends hanks
mendment is harder on them than mine. |
want 10 be generous to them. ILaughterl
Under The gentleman's Banks amendment,
| II man refuses to put a two cent stamp on
| his check he violates his oath.
Mr. ban ks-We intend To obey the laws.
Mr.. Blaine.-Yes; but at the same time
there should be no pit fall for the unwary to
fail into.
Mr.. Banks.-There are no unwary on our
side.
Mr.. Blaine.-which is the gentleman's side?
MI. Banks.-It is the side of the Constitu-
| ton OF the United States, and of the laws
made in pursuance thereof TGreat applause
on the democratic side.l 1 do not see that
| there is any difference between the men OF
| this country who are under political dis
abilities and the aliens who come here and
| ask To be admitted 10 citizenship, and who
| are allowed to take the oath in the state
courts.
Mr.. Blaine.-I endeavored this morning to
| nave letter read, and L will read il now.
with that fascinating eloquence which my
| friend from Massachusetts Banks posses
| ses. he called our attention TO the great value
IN this centennial year of having no man in
the land under the slightest political disabil-
| lilies; and why ironically except poor JEFF
Davis? / will now read the letter. 1t is ad-
dressed to myself, aud is dated Raleigh, n
G. 18th January, 1sf6.
Mr. Blaine thereupon read q letter from
W. w. Holden, Ex-Governor OF North Caro-
| lima, stating that he had been impeachei
and removed from Office as Governor of that
| state solely on account of his movement
| against the ku-kluX; that this was done by
| the democrats of that state, the allies and
| the echoes of northern democrats; that he
| had been also disqualified, by the judgment
| of removal, from holding Office in that state
| that the democratic legislature and its late
| constitutional conyention had been applied
| fri 70 WA q nll
| disabilities; that the late convention in
| which the democrats had one majority, by
fraud, had refused. by strict party vote, TO
| remove his disabilities; and that, to-day, he
| was the only man in North Carolina who
| could not hold Office; and that he thought
that these facts should be borne in mind
| when the democrats in Congress clamored for
| relief TO the late 1nSurgent leaders.
| When he reached the name and read 1t,
| there was AN outburst OF contemptuous
| laughter on the democratic side, aud seve-
| raj Of the North Carolina members, Messrs.
| Vance, Robbins, Ashe and others, tried to
get the floor TO reply 10 Holden's letter; but
| Mr.. Blaine absolutely refused TO yield; and
said Ctauntingly), What have you got TO say
10 that? Purely a political impeachment.
| Mr.. Ashe N. C)-He is not the only person
| in the land deprived of office.
| Mr. Blaine.-It is purely political mot
| prosecution, butt persecution-the persecu-
| lion Of Union man. And TO day it'll within
| sippi to remove Governor Ames from his
| chair by Impeachment, and 10 disqualify
| him. These two friends OF the Union, one a
| Union man in North Carolina and the other
| as gallant Union soldier as ever TIED a sash
| around his body, are to be DISTINGUISHED and
disabled men, and poor Jefferson Davis is TO
be let free 10 enjoy the Centennial at Phila-
| delphia. Laughter on the republican side. |
Mr.. Southland (Ohio).-I would like to know
what Governor Holden was during the war?
Mr.. Blaine.-I do not desire to go one single
point from this debate. Now, L desire to
| offer my bill, and will yield the floor to any
| gentleman on that side of the House to move
| 10 strike out the exclusion OF Jefferson Davis,
| and probably, as the temper of this House
| is, that bill can be passed within thirty min
| ules.
| Mr.. Ashe IN. c. rose to ask question.
Carolina will get up and say that he is for
| universal amnesty, including Gov. Holden,
/ will give him the floor.
Mr. Vance IN. c. IL will speak for Nor tn
| Carolina, and say that am.
Mr.. Blaine.-Oh, yes! But why didn't the
| constitutional convention do ii? Come here
gentlemen, yourselves, with clean hands and
not as prosecutors. Applause on the repub-
lican sIdel You come here prosecuting men
| who never rebelled against the government
of the United States. Voice on the de mo-
| cratic side: Holden did, You come here
disabling men who fought grandly for the
| United States. You come here with intent
| to drive from the executive chair of MIssis-
sippi Adelbert Ames, and to disable him in
| this centennial year, and you come here re-
| fnsing 10 remove the political disabilities of
| w. w. Holden. / now offer my bill, and
| will yield TO any gentleman.
| Mr.: Randall made the point of order that
| Mr.. Blaine had no right to offer bill at this
| stage.
| Mr.. Blaine.-Does the gentleman object?
Mr. Randall.-You must proceed in order.
| Mr. BlaineaDo L understand the gentle
man TO object?
Mr.. Randall have the right to speak in
| reply TO your remarks.
| Mr.. Blaine.-I ask unanimous consent to
| offer this bill, yielding at the same time to
| any gentleman who desires TO move to strike
out the exclusion of Jefferson Davis.
Mr.. Randall object.
| Mr.. Banks.-It Is not In order.
| MIR. Blaine.-It is by unanimous consent.
| Mr.. Banks.-The bill is not before the
| House.
| Mr.. Blaine.-It can be done by unanimous
| corset.
| Mr. Banks Not even by unanimous con-
| sent.
| NJ. Blaine.-Oh, nonsense, what is there to
prevent 1t?
Mr.. Banks.-The rules of the House pre-
| vent it.
Mr. Blaipe-Is 1t because this motion to
| reconsider is pending?
Mr. Randall.-The gentleman knows he is
| out of order.
| Mr.. Biaiue.-In what?
lDl