Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1877-02-01
THE COMPROMISE DISCUSSION
Prominent congressman for and
Against the Bill.
Lamar, Watterson, Hill, and other
Southern Members in Favor Of
the Measure.
Republicans Opposed, with Town
send in the Lead.

| l. /
send in the Lead.
WASHINGTON, January 26.-Lamar, concluJ-
ing his speech, said the bill eliminated the
sword from the controversy, and sent it to a
tribunal whose character guaranteed justice,
| right and truth in its decision.
! Baker, of Indiana, declared the measure
unconstitutional, and criticised it for exclud-
ing from the commission the Chief Justice,
characterizing the discrimination as an odious
and unjust reflection on wise magistrate.
Watterson took the floor, and said that it
might not be true that the country was on the
brink of civil war, but it was true that
grave danger threatened every public inter-
est. He said that we'll organized conspira-
cy to place in the Presidential Office man
who had not been elected existed. He most
conscicntiously believed that the Democratic
party was strong enough to make its exit
from power by a great sectional war. The
Republican party was strong enough now to
precipitate the country into civil war if the
two houses failed to agree on some plan to
tide over the great emergency, and the coun-
try would see the Senate declare Hayes elec-
ted, and it would see the President of the
United States supported by the army and
navy prepared to seat him in office.
Hurlbut argued against the bill; said that
every word of influence and weight of the
Senate, the reputation Of its supporters, occa-
sional threats by injudicious men of a posi-
BILE civil war and possible complications, have
been brought to bear on the House to induce
individual members to forego their own con-
clusion and their own views of what the con-
stitution required of them.
Hill gave to the bill his hearty and warm
approval. In speaking of the South, he said:
l have been witness of the sorrows of that
people and willing sharer in all their suffer-
ings. May l, therefore. be pardoned on this
occasion for calling the attention of the
House and of the country to the spirit which
has been manifested by that derided people
during this entire controversy. On another
occasion defended their manhood, their
civilization, their humanity from what know
to be unjust charges. If the answer then
was unsatisfactory let the further answer be
found in the spirit which the people of the
South have manifested during the last sixty
days. There is scarcely man in that coun-
try who does not believe that the Democratic
ticket was elected, and who does not believe
that all that they have remaining of property,
Of right, of justice, depends upon the inaug
uration of that ticket. Yet during all this
controversy, say it is with pride and pleas
ure, the South has manifested but one spirit,
and that has been spirit of forbearance, of
kindness, and of fairness. With the chains
of the usurper still on her limbs, with the
greed of the stranger sitting her already ex
hausted Golfers, with the army Of the United
States now scattered throughout her borders
and standing sentinel for the protection of
her robbers, the South utters to those who
have been her despoilers and who now
threaten to be despoilers of each other, but
one voice, and that voice is peace. Civil war
ACu1CoSCS AO WAOuSos PACoCA VS0 LIZ AAooIo' -
you doubt look here and be convinced. l
hope that her people will never again be
derided with charges Of rebels and traitors
solely for offering up their lives in vindica-
ton of their honest belief that they were
right. Let NE express the hope that in the
future he alone will be regarded as the chief
rebel who, after the passage of this measure
of peace, shall again whisper the words of
sectional hate. Let him be regarded as the
chief traitor who shall again seek to breed
sectional strife. feel pride in being able.
to say that can look upon every foot of
American soil and thank God that it is part
of my country that can look on every per-
son in this whole land and say this is my fel-
low-citizen. And can raise my vision to
the uttermost boundaries of the republic and
say, my country, my whole country, blessed
is he who blesseth thee, and accursed is he
who curseth thee. Hill, upon closing, was
warmly congratulated.
Davy, of North Carolina, said that while
he did not mean to be understood as acqui-