New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-16
THE DEBATE on THE AMNESTY BILL
Remarks of General Garfield.


resumed its consideration of the amnesty
bill. and was addressed by Mr.. Garfield.
He yielded to Mr.. Wood, of New York. to
make an inquiry a. to the continuance OF
the debate. He remarked that over one
thousand bills had already been introduced,
aud almost none passed. He understood
that :wen:y:hree gentlemen had Indicated
their intention 10 speak on the amnesty
bill. He wished, in the interes, of the
country, that the debate could terminate as
soon as possible. SO that the House might
proceed 10 he necessary business of legisla-
ton.
Kendall said be proposed TO move the
previous question in an hour after Mr.. Gar
tield should conclude.
Mr.. Blaine claimed that under the rules
ne. himself anu not Randall. had cuntro! of
the question.
The Speaker said he would rule upon
ina. poin. when occasion should arise.
Mr.. Garfield commenced his remarks by
expressing his regret at the course which
the debate. especially yesterday, had taken.
ANY one who had read the speeches OF Cox
ana Hill would not suppose tina. the House
was discussing the question Of relieving
men from political disabilities. He would
rather have said that ii was an alignment
OF the administration of the country. If he
had been called upon u pick ont the words
which constituted the topic of the debate.
re would have picked out the opening par
agraphs OF Mr.. Hills speech. in which ne
prayed that if the history of the past fifteen
years is an evidence of the grace and lhagnan-
unity of The Republican party, the country
nigh. be spared any future exercise of
House back 70 the real issues before it. In
doing go, he stated the two pending pro-
pos;tions-the one made by Mr.. Randall
and the other by Mr.. Blaine. He said that
the speech made by Mr.. Blaine had been
answered 10 the first place by the speech Of
Mr.. Cox, full of brilliant sallies, but it was
Joking at funeral to joke on such an occa-
sion; and in the second place by the speech
of Mr.. Hi, which aIraigned. no: the Re-
publican party alone, but arraigned 25,000,-
900 of people, arranged the history of the
republic, arralgned everything that was
glorious in rs record and high and
worthy in its achievements. He was
deeply and painfully sorry that such an ar
raignment should have been made on such
subject. He should try to be responsive
70 the points made by the gentleman from
Georgia tHill He did not desire to hold
Jefferson Davis responsible for the rebel
lion. He did not believe in the doctrine Of
vicarious atonement IN human affairs. JET
ferson Davis was NO more guilty than any
other man who went into the rebellion with
equal light and intelligence. The question
was whether he who was the head of the
rebellion practiced in the dread court of
war the rules of war; whether in appealing
to war he obeyed the laws of war, or
whether he so elevated the laws of that high
tribunal as that he did not deserve permits
sion to come back into his place in Congress
That was the whole question: and it was as
plain and fair question for delberatiOn
as had been ever stated in the House. He
wished that it had been discussed without
passion, and without passionate thoughts.
Coming down to Hills denial of the au-
thentici.y of the charges in regard to An
Jacksonville. he remarked that the charges,
whether just or unjust were made by the
government CT the United States, and in
that connection he quoted communica-
ton from the Secretary of War III May,
1864, calling attention to the condi-
,lcn of the large number of federal prison
ers who had just returned and arrived at
Annapolis, and stating that the enormity of
the crimes committed against these
prisoners were such and go well known to
the civilized world that it ought 10 be put
on record in some permanent form. It was
then that a joint committee of the two
houses Was appointed, which committee
had been characterized by the gentleman
from New York Cox as humbug COM
mittee, and by the gentleman from Georgia
(HilD as partisan committee. There
W0AC AoAA OouVSAdCiS uCuUCIS Ou
that Joint committee, ard they conceded
in the report, which was unanimous. That
report declared that it was clear from the
evidence that it was the deliberate purpose
of the authorities of the rebel government
80 to reduce those soldiers BY deprivation
of food and clothing as that they might be-
unit to re-enter the ranks. A large num-
Der of these prisoners had come from Belle
Isle and Libby, where they had been under
the very eyes of the chief head of the Con.
federate government
Referring to the order for the establish
ment of the Andersonville prison, az
quoted yesterday by the gentleman from
Georgia, he asked how was the order ex.
ecuted, and to whose hands was it com.
mitted. 1t was committed to the hands of
General Winder, q man Of whom the Rich.
mOnd Examiner said, the day he took hia
departure for Andersonville: Thank God
that Richmond is at last rid of old Winder:
God have mercy on those to whom he has
been sent"
Mr.. Garfield then quoted some of the tea.
timony given on the Wirz trial, as to the
condition of the stocksde, the dead line.
etc.. and remarked upon it that, in the
midst OF pine coantry, : place had bean
selected which had . miAsmatic marsh in
its midst, and that, small stream of Vater
having been found, troops had BEEN gta-
TONED on it above tho stookade, 60 that Il
was defiled BY al the. excrements Of the