davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20

THE CENrENN1AL.-The prospect for
a national appropriation to the Centen-
nial Exhibition is low good, as there has
been change in sentiment on the part
of several Northern Congressmen, and
the friends of the enterprise are sanguine
of united Southern vote in its favor.
Senator Gordon, Of Georgia, is open in
his advocacy of-the bill, and claims it is
both constitutional and in accordance
with numerous preeedents. The follow
ing are the reasons he gives for desiring
the passage of the bill:
First, that no section is so deeply in
terested in the proper celebration and re-
establishment Of tie principles Of l776,
and the restoration of good will in the
country, as the South. Second, that the
proposed appropriation would cost only
about three and half cents per capita in
the United States. Third, that Pennsyl-
vania has paid s4,5O0,0OO of the $6,OOC,,,
900 already expended; and that it would
be unjust to make that State paw more /;
whereas the appropriation by Congress
would perfect the national character of
the celebration. Fourth, that foreign
nations having accepted the invitation to
come, the reputation of the government
is involved in perfecting the arrange
ments. On this account he would regret
to see the South vote against it.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20

Blaine. "I want distinct understand
ing" More shouts of 'order'' from the
The previous question ordered: Yeas
1873, nays 92.
Seely. of Massachusetts,, called atten-
tlonto The faulty grammar in the coll
struction Of the bill, the phrase "eaeh
and every person" being treated as in tie
plural instead of the singular case. The
error was ordered to ha corrected. The
House then proceeded / vote on the pas
sage of the bill. The v We resulted, yeas
1872, nays 81. So the requisite two-thirds
not voting in favor Of it, the bill was re-
jected. There was intense interest man.
ifested rs the call of the yeas and nays
proceeded. Some Of the prominent Re-
publicans brought their influence to bear
on some of the members of their party
who had voted aye on the preceding vote,
either to vote in the negativeor to refrain
from voting.
Rainey, Of South Carolina, was con-
spicuorsly the object of such attentions.
He did not answer when his name was
called. Haralson of Alabama, who WAS
in the same position also, withheld his
vote at first, but finally rose and answered
aye, amid the plaudits Of the Democrats.
George A. Bagely, of New York, who
had vo;ed in the affirmative, changed his
vote to the negative, at which the Repub-
licans rejoiced. Wells, of Mississippi,
tried tc' explain why, although he was In
favor Of general amnesty, including JEFF
Gratis shouted him down. Lynch of MIS-
sissippi, however, managed to get the
chance of saying that though he was in
favor CT the bill, he voted no with view
of letting Blaine offer his amendment,
although he (Lynch) would vote against
the amendment. Purman Of Florida,
who had also withheld his vote when his
name was first called, afterwards rose
and voted no.
On the result being announced, Blaine,
of Maine, took the floor, and, by a mo-
.tion to reconsider, obtained the right to
speak. A long personal debate followed
when Blaine offered his bill. Banks
said he was out of order, and Randall
and Hill objected. He then said, if the
gentlemen declined his proposition and
wanted no further debate, he would give
the gentleman from Pennsylvania, (Rsn-
dall) the opportunity to bring. up the
Centennial bill, which had been post
poned an entire week by this Amnesty
bill.
Ran iall. ''The time of the House Con-
sumed and the consequent postponement
of the Centennial bill are wholly charge
able to your side of the House,"
Blaine. ~ will now end this matter,
and I have it in my power to do so. I
withdraw the motion to reconsider"
triumphant laughter on the Republican
side, and apparent astonishment on The
Democratic sfde.1
80. In nr, I,a
Democratic side were on their feet, willie
the Republican members were in their
seats, and the latter set up general cries
of "orderP' "orler!" 'orderW Ran
dali asked Blaine to give him an oppor-
tunity of saying word; the request was
met ty still louder cries Of "orderF'
from the Republican side Of the House,
in which calls Blaine himself Joined.
Randall again renewed his request, and
Blaine refused it, and there the amnesty
matter: ended for the day.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20
DEFEAT OF THE GENERAL AMNES.
TY BILL.
WASHINGTON, Jan. i

WASHINGTON, Jan. IA.
In the House to-day the committee re-
ported back the amnesty bill. 1t reads !:
'sThat all the disabilities imposed and re-
naming on any person by virtue OF the
third section Of the fourteenth article OF
the amendments to the Constitution of
the United States be and are hereby re.
moved, and each and every person is and
shall be forever relieved therefrom on
Court of the United States, or any court
of record in the State of which he is a
resident, and taking and subscribing the
following oath, to be duly attested and
recorded: I, A B, do solemnly swear or
affirm that will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States against
all enemies, foreign and domestic; that
I will bear true faith and allegiance to
the same, and obey all laws made in
pursuance thereof, and that take this
obligation freely and without any mem
tai reservation or purpose OF evasion
whatever"
Knott moved the previous question on
the passage of the bill.
McCrary, of Iowa, member OF the
judiciary committee, asked Knott to
Weld him the floor for moment.
Knott replied that it would afford him
pleasure to yield to his colleague and to
other gentlemen on each side of the
House, but that he felt that neither the
peace of the country nor the harmony of
the House required any further discus
sion of the proposition.
Frye, of Maine, also O member OF the
judiciary committee, asked Knott to per-
init him to ask single question. Seve-
raj Democratic members objected, and
Cox, of New York, said: "We have had
enough of talk" a..
Blaine, of Maine. @Will the gentle
man (Knott) allow me without one word
of debate to have a letter read"
Cox, Randall and several other Demo-
cratic members objected.
Knott. II cannot consent to open the
debate at all. insist on the previous
question"
Frye. "I simply desire to ask wheth-
er the Republican minority on the judi
ciary committee concurred i'll the re-
Cox. (vociferously.) "I call the gen.
tlelnan to order. Maine is always out of
order" [Laughter.]
Blaine. 81 understand that the gentle
man from kentucky declines either to
admit an amendment or to allow debate"
Loud calls of "order" on the Democrat
ic side.]
Randall, lin a tone of remonstrance.)
"You know better than to do this.
Cox, (somewhat more angrily.)-
"You have been in the chair yourself,
and ought to know better" Laugh
ter
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20
MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

As the law now stands there is no PEN
atty for illegal voting at municipal cleo
tons, and unless there is special pro-
vision in the charter requiring electors to
take an oath as to their qualification for
suffrage aud designating person to ad
minister such oath, parties voting illegal
" cannot even be indicted for perjury.
Hence any number of persons who might
choose to vote at any municipal election
can easily do SO, though every one might
know they were not entitled to do SO, and
there would be no chance to punish them.
A pliable conscience is the only requisite
to fraudulent yeting, and there is no
chance to meet the evil, In consequence
of an omission in the election law. Re-
cognizing the necessity for a remedy to
this omission, James L. Orr, Esq, has
secured the passage of a bill in the House
of Representatives to place municipal
elections ON the same footing as general
or Congressional elections, so that any
person voting illegally is liable to indict'
msnt for SO doing. This bill has gone to
the Senate and now awaits the action OF
that body We hope it will become a
law as it is necessary for the security and
order as well as the justice of municipal
elections throughout the State. There
is no class of citizens that are not inter-
ested in good order and fair dealing at the
ballot box, and an exception at munich
pal elections is dangerous to the interests
of all classes. 1t should be remedied,
and Mr.. OT's bill will accomplish the
desired end. The Senate should act
promptly upon it. ..7.,-...
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20
THE GREENvILLE NEWS.

an. H..UE !. q
Our contemporary seems unnecessarily
disgruntled at the harmless -conumdrum
We put to the Columbia Register not long
ago. It's dynamite propensities leads to
profanity even, and its claim that the po-
litical course of this paper has been in
Auenced in the slightest degree by the
Greenville Ms,csis certainly unique and
unapproachable. The self.styled "whip-
per in" can have free and unlimited ae-
cess to the files of the Lntel3sgencer when
ever it suits him to come over, and he
will be convinced by perusal that fealty
to the Democratic party has been one of
our cardinal virtues, even to the abandon
ment of party lines for the sake of har-
mony. This was the case in the, last
campaign, when conservative mass
meeting decided almost unanimously to
ignore party nominations in Anderson
County. Hence, its allusions to the cleo
ton of Cochran are entirely gratuitous
and unfounded. We were bound>by the
action of the conservative convention,
and neither the Greepville Neass nor Mr..
Cochran can allege that he received any
assistance from this quarter in his elec-
tion., We advocated the election of hon
est and competent men, and left to the
people to decide who filled these require
ments, in accordance with the sentiment
which governed the convention in de-
termining this question for the conserya-
tiyes of Anderson County, From first
to last, We have consistently advocated
party nominations, and We are not
ashamed of the record, ' .'';
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20

allusions to these topics will become the
keynote of the coming contest among
the Republican politicians, His protes.
tationsjo of .lovetfor the Union and patri-
otic devotion to the Federal government
will bescointed as naught, and his refer
ences to Andersonville ani Elmira will
serve the purposes of many scurvy pol
itician in the next campaign.
Another reason for Mr.. Hill presery-
ing silence on this occasion may be Civ
en-. The attack of Blaine was mainly,
directed against the officers and soldiers
of the Confederacy, who were charged
by him with cruelty and inhumanity to
prisoners under their charge, and when
Confederate Generals were content to let
such unjust accusations pass unnoticed,
Mr.. Hill was not specially called upon to
answer for that portion. of the Southern
Confederacy, for he was not connected
with the army during the entire war, we
believe. There were men of ability and
good Judgment upon the floor of the
House, whose right to speak in behalf of
the Confederate army cannot be ques-
toned, and yet we do not hear from them
in answer to the reckless assertions of
Mr.. Blaine. They knew it was useless
and worse than useless to engage in such
a t!ebate, and they had the good sense to
keep aloof from the discussion, relega-
ting the entire matter into the hands of
Northern Democrats. 1t might have
been better for Mr.. Hills reputation as a
statesman had he pursued a similar
course, and awaited another opportunity
for the display of his splendid oratory.
We are aware, in making this express
sion, that the view we take of Mr.. Hills
speech will not receive the sanction of
many persons at this time. His talents
and attainments are regarded with great
admiration across the Savannah, and his
speech on amnesty is really fine pro-
duction. But cs.i 6onof Where's the
coed to be accomplished by such decla-
nation? 1t will suit admirably to bene-
fit Mr.. Blaine's aspirations for the Pres
idency, and that astute gentleman will
likely. make every use of it that is posi-
BILE. But not single point has been
proven by Mr.. Hilps speech which was
not already in existence, as tangible evi-
derce in behalf Of the Southern people.
Their calmness, patience, forbearance,
endurance under the vilest wrongs, were
vindicating the truth of history far moro
effectually than can be done by patriotic
orasory and flaming eloquence, and it
will be well that the example of MIR. Hill
is rot emulated by other Southern men,
bers of Congress during the present ses-
sion
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20
: REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.

Pursuant to call from Gov. Morgan,
the Chairman, meeting ofthe National
Executive Committee of the Republican
party was held in Washington on the 14th
inst, at which eighteen members of the
Committee were present and thirteen
represented by proxy. Cincinnati, Ohio,
was selected as the next place for the
meeting ofthe Nominating Convention,
and the 18th of June fixed as the time of
meeting. Messrs. Howe, Morton, Chan
dler, German and Fulton were appointed
to issue the usual call for the Conyen-
tion, which says, fthat in calling State
Conventions for the election of delegates,
the committees of the several States are
recommended to invite all Republican
electors, and all other voters, without re-
gard to past political differences or pre-
vious party affiliations, who are opposed
to reviving sectional issues, desire to pro-
mote friendly feeling and permanent har-
mony throughout the country by main
tanning and enforcing all the constitu-
tional rights of every CITIZEN, including
the full and free exercise of the right of
suffrage without intimidation and with
out fraud, who are in favor of the contin-
ued prosecution of all official dishonesty,
and of an economical administration of
the government by honest, faithful and
capable officers, who are in favor of max
ing such reforms in the government as
experience may from time to time sug-
gest; who are opposed to impairing the
credit of the nation, by deprecating any
of its obligations, and in favor of sustain
ing in every way the national faith and
financial honor who hold that the COM
mon school system is the nursery of
American liberty, ard should be main
tained absolutely free from sectarian con-
troll; who believe that for the promotion
of these ends the direction of the govern
ment should be continued to be confded
to those who adhere to the principles of
1776, and support them as incorporated
IN the constitution and the laws who
are in favor of recognizing and strength
ening the fundamental principles of Ma
tional unity in this Centennial anniver-
sary of the birth of the Republic"
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20

SENATOR CocHRAN.-The Abbeville
Medium extends its compliments to the
Senator from Anderson in vigorous style:
Under date of November IA, 1875, Sen
ator Cochran, of Anderson, wrote us a
private letter asking that We publish his
reform letter in our valuable paper" "
and saying "Help me to keep the ball in
motion. The movement is gaining
strength. A brighter day is dawning for
South Carolina" Just one month after
this letter was written we find this man
Cochran, this great reformer who was
going to restore the State to her ancient
glory and blaze out an honorable road
for succeeding statesmen, ~ voting with
the blackest Enave in the South Carolina
Senate for w. J. Whipper as Judge of
the most important circuit in the State.
What miserable inconsistency! What
loud professions and what empty deeds
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20
RESUMPTION OF SPECIE PAYMENT.

The act of the last Congress requires
that the legal tender act, whereby debts
not contracted to be paid in another me-
dium can be paid in United States treas
ury notes, shall be repealed on and after
the first day Of January, 1879, and that
coin shall be the only recognized medium
of exchange after that day. The attempt
thus early to enforce return to specie
payment has already begun to show itself
in paralyzing business and producing a
stringency in money matters that is to-
day causing numbers of failures, and is
destirled unless stopped to spread fnan-
ciaE ruin throughout the entire Union.
This is one of the Republican party's
acty, and like every other deed of this
party, tends to protect the strong and in
jure the weak-to enrich the wealthy cap
italist snd impoverish the poor laborer.
It WIS enacted to assist in the general
scheme of centraliEing the controlling
influences of the government and placing
the political power, which is incident
upon the financial power Of the land, in
the hands of few individuals, which
ultimately ensures the conversion of our
republic into a monarchy, should the
policy contemplated be pursued with
success. Numbers of petitions have
been sent to Congress from public meet
ings throughout the Union, requesting
the repeal of this injurious and danger
GUS act, whose enforcement forebodes
such untold ruin to the laborer and small
capitalist. What action will be taken
upon these petitions remains yet to be
developed. 1t is not improbable, how
ever, that the Democratic House will
pass bill repeating the act, and the
Senate, which is Republican, will be
likely to defeat it, or if not the President
will no doubt veto it, and thereby pre-
vent repeal of the present law. We
do not favor wholesale imitation of the
currency, nor, indeed, do we care to see
any further imitation of the currency now
in circulation. On the contrary, we be-
lieve that some slower, yet sure and prac-
tical plan for resumption could and
should be devised, whereby the evils Of
paper money would be made gradually
to disappear from business without pro-
ducing such great utringency or causing
such widespread disaster.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20

representation for want of contiguity, the
State has not been legally districted, and
the present Legislature must 4re-district
and order new election. $
The Election Committee decided to
take the map as eyidenceiin this contest,
which shows thatone county is separated
twenty-five miles from the balance of the
District, and plainly in violation of the
act of Congress. The committee, how
ever, before taking any decided action,
propose to inquire into the manner of
passing the act by the Legislature, and if
it is clearly established that it was done
for preventing representation to the mi
nority, Hoge will be unseated. The OBJ
tject of the present arrangement Of the
Congressional Districts was generally
commented upon when the Legislature
took this means of preventing the elec-
ton of Democrat from South Carolina,
and it will not be difficult to satisfy the
| committee from the records that such was
the purpose of the Legislature. The in
PRODUCTION of various bills and the delay
in districting the State were intended to
| meet the desires of the aspirants for Con-
gressional honors, and it is too plain a
case to admit of any doubt that the pur-
poses of Mr.. Hoge were subseryed by
attaching Richland to the Third District,
for he gaTe up a lucrative Office to .entor
the race for Congress. It would not be
difficult to establish the object of the
General Assembly, moreover, if the re-
cord was searched, and the few Republi-
cans voting against the present arrange
ment were interogated as to thair rea-
sons. Either their own purposes were
set aside, or they recognized that this fla
grant disregard of law was too much even
for their sanction to be given to such an
unwarranted course. The House of Rep
''resentatives can easily procure the eYi-
ldence to sustain, the allegation that this
effort was mainly to stife minority repre-
sentation, and for that matter every bill
introduced since reconstruction has been
shaped with this. view. The very first
action of the Republicans, in taking pos
session of the State, was to strike down
the arrangement which had existed with
out interruption for many years, by which
the upper tier of counties in South Caro-
lima were organized into a Congressional
District. " Anderson was first disjointed
from the, rest, and then Piekens and
10conee were made to- follow. Such has
been the uniform practice of the Repub-
.icans, and it is well understood among
them that this process of gerrymandering
was intended to secure the entire repre-
I,entation of the State for their party.
Not meeting with any restraint in this
4,onrse, they we're emboldened to more
iylaring and palpable violation of the law
than ever before, and it is time that the
remedy was quickly applied. Congress
will do justice to itself and the people in
denying representation to South Carolina
at this time, and unseating the entire
delegation, and at the same time teach
The sapiunt Lawmakers in Columbia that
they are not exactly rulers on this conti-
nent yet awhile.
The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-01-20
BANKS ON AMNEsrY.-The following


are extracts from the speech of Banks:
Therefore, sir, I do not hold either
that the President Of the United States is
responsible. tor all or for any acts of his
subordinates, no matter how near he may
have been in connection with them, nor
how closely they may be allied to him by
friendship or political relationship; nor
do I held Mr.. Davis responsible for any
thing that occurred under the gov
ernment of which he assumed to be the
head. In regard to the atrocities at An
derson7ille, and elsewhere, I dismiss from
all consideration the declarations, argu-
ments, aspersions, ordinations and re-
ordinations, which for week past |
have heard so constantly in this chamber.
/ do not doubt that the soldiers of the
Confederacy may have suffered in the
North, nor do I doubt that the soldiers
of the North may have suffered terribly
in the South. II was incident to the con-
dition of things. For the guilty, whoever
they nay be, pray forgiveness; for the
suffering, whoever they may have been,
1 invoke the blessing of God; for the
crimes themselves, 1 say let the earth
hide them, let us shut them ont of sight p
Applause on the Democratic side.
hThere is one thing, Mr.. Speaker, which
is especially desired by all the people, and
that is peace, general peace. Peace in
all sections, with all parties, classes and
races. This declaration of amnesty is
the first step that has to be taken to that
end. The very first step. Nothing else
will answer in the place of it. Credit
has been claimed for what has been done
already in the way of amnesty, b tevery
step in that direction has been compelled
by the people of the country. Ispeak in
part for New England I speak in part
for Massachusetts,, and 1 hope that Mas
sachusetts will give vote approaching
unanimity upon this question. There is
no act of any government since the crea-
ton of the world that will compare in
sublimity with this act if it shall be pass
ed, and to take this sacred document
this majestic declaration of the people,
and plaster it over with the crimes that
may be charged against an individual is to
blur the grace and glow of clemency-to
take the nose from the fair forehead of a
god-like act and stick blister there. u
Applause 'Mr. Speaker, when the peo-
pie of other States shall come here du-
ring the present year to witness the
achievements of our Republican govern
ment after the expiration of a century,
remembering as they do, even better than
ourselves, the events of our great war,
our highest triumph will be to let them
hear the shouts of the whole people in
joyous congratulation upon this grave ACT
of peace I'D oblivion to all classes and
persons for all crimes connected with the
late war" Applause on the Democrat
ic side.