The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-09-07
AT cREENVILLE, o.

On THE 9TH day of last January
the following resolution was offered in
Congress by Mr. New of Indiana:
"Resolved that the fraternal feeling and
good will now existing in all sections of the
Union, and the manifest disposition and
purpose of the men who battled against
each other in the late civil war to Join hands
as one people IL the future is a most auspioi-
Gus ushering in of the Centennial year, and
while the people are thus making an honest
effort to live together in peace and uphold
the same flag for an undivided country, their
representatives in Congress should do nc
act which will unnecessarily disturb the
patriotic concord now existing and increas-
ing, or wantonly revive the bitter memories
of the past"
This resolution was unanimously
adopted. Its language is worthy of
attention. 1t ~recites that fraternal
feeling and good will were then exists
ing in all sections of the Union. 1t
states that the men of both sections,
who had battled against each other,
were determined to join hands as one
people in the future. 1t admits that
patriotic concord not only then exist,
ed, but was increasing and that the
people of our whole country we're
making an honest and successful effort
to live together in peace. And this
effort was to uphold the same flag for
an undivided country. And, after re-
citing all these suspicious facts, as a
glorious ushering in ofthe Centennial
year, it pledged Congress to do no act
to disturb the happy condition Of our
country, or to wantouly revive the
bitter memories of the past.
In four days after, Mr.. Randall, of
Pennsylvania, called up his general
Amnesty bill, The first speech made
upon it was Mr.. Blaine's famous An
dersonyille ~harangue; a bitter, vindiet-
I've, prepared assault upon one section of
the country, and a base attempt wantou-'
ly tt revive the cruel memories of the
war. The war of words which ensued
was the natural aud intended result of
his assault. The intelligent republi-
cans of the country condemned Mr..
Blaine. But that willy demagogue
understood himself. He was more
familiar than they with the mass of
corruption into which the democratic
spade was 500 to be put. He was
conscious that unless the attention of
the country could be diverted, and the
bitter memories of the past revived,
the whole country would soon stand
aghast at the rottenness below the
surface. He was conscious that his
W record as a railroad ~stock-jobber,
while Speaker of the House, would
soon be laid before the people. There
fore, to save the party, whose leader
he hoped to be in the coming struggle,
and to prejudice the court which was
soon to test his honesty as a public
man, Mr.. Blaine suddenly changed
front, deserving the ranks of the mod
crate men Of his party and claiming
position among the most radical.
The correctness of this criticism is
beyond question. General amnesty
was not a new thing in the House. 1t
wal not Confederate" suggestion.
As early as December 1873, Gen.
Grant had written to Congress as fol-
lows
l renew my previous recommendation to
Congress for general amnesty. The num-
Der engaged in the late rebellion yet labor
ing under disabilities is very small, but
enough to keep up q constant irritation. No
possible danger can accrue to the govern
ment by restoring them to eligibility to
Office"
On the 9Th day of December, 1873,
Mr.. Maynard reported, from the Com.
mittee on Rules, a general Amnesty
bill, including Jefferson Davis. He
stated on the floor that it was the
unanimous report of the committee.
OF this committee Mr.. Blaine was a
member and heard Mr.. Maynardis
statement without denial. The bill
passed the republican house, only 29
members voting no. Was it not emf.
nently proper in u Centennial year
to pass this bill again, when Congress
had just unanimously resolved that
fraternal feeling existed in every part
OF the Union that the men who had
battled against each other were deter
mined to join hands as one people, to
live together in peace, upholding the
same flag for an undivided country
and that patriotic concord was daily
increasing in the breasts of the people {
The proof OF MIR. .Blalne,s improper
purpose in discussing this bill is found
in the fact that his speech was made
after it had failed. Discussion was
not necessary to its defeat. 1t had
been defeated without debate. But
out of the debate, begun by Mr.
Blaine, upon a motion to reconsider
have come all the bitterness and hate
which other demagogues have at
tempted to stir up. From this. DAFT
began the attempt to revive the pre-
JUDGES and memories of the war. My
friends, MIR. Blaine's beginning hal
gradually drawn after him the who'll
body of the republican party. HI
had more sagacity than most of it