The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-01-17
The Amnesty Debate.


The sudden conversion of the House of
Representatives from the ordinary routine
of business to scene of forensic debate was
entirely unexpected by the country. 1t was
evidently the purpose of Mr.. Randall in
presenting the amnesty bill to signslize the
occasion OF the first Centennial legis' alton
in an act that would produce a greater COR
dislity between the different sections of the
Union. Like opening the prison doors in
the year Of jubilee, it was meet that the dead
past should be buried out of sight. Ten
years have passed since the close of the war.
The national government exercises its legit-
innate powers everywhere. The people have
tired of senseless clsmor over issues that
were settled by the sword, and that
weapon, then drawn, has been returned
to the scabbsrd, where 1t hangs idle
and rusting with disuse. The gen.
ersl sentiment of the country halls the
Centennial year as a fit time to extend the
baud OF courtesy and good will across the
lines, and commence the new century as the
last commenced, united in heart and hand
for the perpetuation OF the republic. 1t
would have been a decent thing to have
given unanimous vote in favor of the bill.
Nothing could possibly be gained in the
way OF party advantage by either approx
ing or opposing the measure. The only
issue that is made the occasion of this con-
troversy was Mr.. Blsine's amendment
singing out JEFF. Davis, to make him
conspicuous martyr, and thus stir up the
Southern members to defense of him. The
ia 90
idol any where, North or South,
just now, and the best thing
the whole country could do would be
simply to ignore him as an element OF strife.
He has spent all his political strength. He
could never be elected again to even place
in the lower House of congress, and it liz
sheer folly to make much ado over him.
But Blaine threw out the banter and wished
to make him conspicuous, and hence, when
tho issue was made the oratorical battle fol-
lowed. The Republican papers feel keenly
the defeat in the forum that Blaine has suf-
fered and they are whistling peans to keep
their courage up. The fact is, so far as the
debate has proceeded in argument and ora
toricsl effort, no unprejudiced person can fail
to discover how completely Blaine has been
answered. What Cox left unssid Hill has
supplied, and Garfield's effort yesterday has
not mended the matter for Blaine, and the
whole case thus far has shown that the
Republicans will gain no advantages by par
lismentsry tricks or strategy in the present
congress.
| The subject of the conduct of the war is q
matter that need not have been discussed
at this time. There have been no new
facts presented. 1t has been but rehash of
that which has been told over and over
again North and South, until everybody
has become tired OF it. 1t will not now, by
the recent rehearsal, excite any very deep
sentiment, or make political capital. 1t is
acknowledged on all sides that during the
progress of the war there were atrocities
committed against prisoners on both sides.
Here, in the North and in the
state of Indiana, confederate prison
ers, in their threadbsre gray and
butternut suits, were suffered to
stand until some were frozen in the cold in
the sight of depot buildings and churches,
in which they could have been warmed. So
barbarous and inhuman treatment was suf-
fered time and again by the Union soldiers
in the South. But these are the incidents
of warfare that always occur in a contest Of
such magnitude as the American people
were engaged in. War itself is not very
tender sort of pastime, and those who en-
gage in it try to hurt one another, and they
are not always very particular to do Il
scientifically and according 20 the rules o
, war. But what good can come of fghtiul
T the battle over with the ammunition of no
words? Whatever OF useless and evil pas
, sion is excited, whatever of sectional strife il
, engendered, Mr.. Blaine is responsible for it
He will gain nothing by it in the way o
, presidential preferment. Mr.. Morton has &
} presumption claim as an apostle of malig
; nancy and hate, and if the old war issues ar
TO become the basis of the presidential con
test. Morton will carry of the nomination
r with ease. The people, however, are tire
OF this sort of clap trap when the countr.
3 is being ruined by fraud and corruption
4 when the condition of the finances is ruin
a ing the fortunes OF thousands, when tn
] taxes eat up the profits OF labor. From tn
{ lesson Blaine and his friends have receives