Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1878-02-22

enlargement which could be held out to
that section, showing the Presidents good
faith. which the President had not resorted
to. lie intlmated it might be the cOnstitu-
tional duty Of the President to see that no
injustice was done to citizens OF the United
States.
Mr.. Gibson, of Louisiana, denied there
had been any such compact for immunity
from crime as had been asserted by Mr.
Hale. Weber, in West Feliciana parish
had been murdered by man OF his own
party a personal enemy. Since the Nichols
government had been inaugurated no man
whether poor or rich who committed crime
had escaped punishment. lie denied that
the returning board was being prosecuted
on political grounds. Reverting to the
charge OF compact between the authOri-
ties of Louisiana and the federal govern
ment, he denied it, for the Nichols govern
ment, fer his friends, for the President and
| his cabinet.
Mr. Elan, of Louisiana, said in view of
what had occurred during the last Is years.
and the attempt now being made to recon-
| cile all portions of the country, it was IN
| fortunate that this issue should come up.
! The President and his cabinet had no right,
| however, to interfere with a state court.
| lie believed the trial of Anderson was fair
and honest.
Mr. Carlisle, of Kentucky, quoted from
| speech by the President to prove that the
troops were withdrawn from constitutional
duty, and not as an act of Cancellation.
Mr.. Hale asked them If the people Of the
south were placed under any obligations by
| it.
Mr. Gibson replied they were placed IN
der the highest obligation VIZ, a. Tree
men to obey the laws of the state and gov
| eminent.
Mr.. Clymer, Of Pennsylvania, said the
people whom he represented desired that
| persons connected with the electoral fraud
should be punished Tho returning board
prosecutions could do no harm in tho pre-
sent and might be OF immense value in the
| future.
Mr. Garfield saii if there was people on
earth that had a right to be weary OF poll
| tics it was the Americans. He pictured
three stages in transitions from war to
peace viz, military. semi-military, and tho
civil President Hayes was an optimist
whose faith and hope had been larger than
those of most people. lie had gone to the
limit of his power to bring about an era OF
good feeling and pacifcstion. He had
| tried in every way to aid the President in
his project To do that world of things
must be forgotten and forgiven on both
sides. IL the strict letter of the law had
been adhered to. there would have been no
end of awful spectacles of prosecution and
punishment.
Mr. Gibson asked if Garfield held that
every man in the confederate service had
been guilty Of treason. Cries of yes"
from the republican side.
Mr. Garfield replied he would only an
swer by asking the gentleman to look at the
naked statute passed by the first Congress
and signed by Gen. Washington. and then
| let him as q lawyer, answer his own ques-
| ton. The President had carried on his
purpose further than any other American
citizen had ever carried great purpose to
accomplish result.
Mr. House, OF Tennessee. be had the
support of the republican party in the north
in his efforts at Cancellation?
Mr. Garfeld-He has had their support
| Just so far as they had reason to believe that
q reciprocity OF feeling would follow his
efforts. Applause on the republican side.
Mr.. House asked if the entire republican
party, with here and there an exception,
had not opened war upon the President for
his attempt to conciliate the country, and
charged him with deserving his party. APP
plsuse on the democratic side. and cries oil
mo. on the republican side.
| Mr.. Garfield replied that there had al
ways been men here and there who dis
trusted the result of that policy, and he
| was grieyed to see that the number had
been increasing week by week, and recently
hour by hour. Applause.
Mr.. Waddell, of North Carolina, asked
if the troops had not been removed from the
south as a matter Of constitutional duty,
and did no. the republican party make
war on the President for that?
Mr. Garfield replied that the withdrawal
| IF ho ha "a
o ice in New Orleans was a constitutional
duty. He did not doubt that Packard had
| been honestly and fairly elected governor.
| IL the commission sent down by the Presi-
| dent undertook to get the members OF one-
| legislature into another. it was improper
executive interference,
Mr. Chalmers, of Mississippi. asked if
Garfield had not said recently that at the
worrlley conference it had been agreed that
the troops should be withdrawn.
Mr.. Garfield replied, No, he never heard
| of such an agreement. He did not mean to
say it was wrong for the President to send a
commission to Louisiana in order to obtain
information. but he meant that the commits
sion had no right to Interfere In the lorna
ton of the legislature.
Mr.. Gibson stated that he believed the
commission had had no such Instructions or
any purpose to accomplish such an end.
Mr. Garfeld-Thst is the gentleman's
opinion. Let Us hope it is true. Mr.. Gar
field then referred to the progress reconcile
| alton had made, and said while the work
of Cancellation had been going forward
there had commenced at the North
| The affirmed it boldly the process ofiaying
the keel for another presidential campaign
and the order had gone forth to Louisiana
to open upon the mem bers of the returning
| Nd fn 1ar ha tnrn nj
state proceedings.
Mr. Stenger, of Pennsylvania. From
whom has that gone?
Mr.. Garfeld-The order so far as delivered
was from our distinguished and kind
hearted friend from Pennsylvania (Clymer)
Laughter and if this thing had been seen
IN a green tree what shall be seen in dry.
Laughter lie said, weeks ago the de-
tails Of all that was now taking place in
Louisiana had been fore-shadowed by many
persons as part OF programme. The i'm
preston was abroad that the prosecution OF
the returning board was the beginning of
purpose to open the whole question.
Mr.. Finley, of Ohio, said the committee
of the 43d Congress certified that Wells had
committed perjury,
Mr. Garfield asserted that this was
an ex-parte statement. All this per-
secutiOn was but q cloak and cover
for raid to be made for political purposes
in the name of the party upon the title OF
President. II this sort OF proceeding went
forward the President would be crippled in
his concillstorv policy. and every man who
supported him would be crippled. II the
democrats desired to rob him of whatever
support he had hitherto had they were TAX
ing the best course to do it.
POLITICAL CURRENTS