National Republican., 1878-04-09
FoRTY-F1FTH CONGRESS.
[Continued from FYra P1oe. /


would not vote under any circumstances for
Confederate.
Mr.. BUTLER would not say that he would
not. Bnt he drew distinctions between men
who had always been loyal to the flag and the
country that educated. him and those who did
not. Applause IN the galleries and on the
1oor.l Mr.. Field was traitor to his country.
The penalty Of treason, II strictly enforced,
was death, and he believed he (BUTLER) was
the only man who had strictly enforced that
extreme penalty After the war this man
went to Egypt and entered into the employ Of
tho Khcdive. He was really under the Sultan
Of Turkey, and the Sultan allows no man to
remain in his service who does not take an
oath of allegiance TO him, and oftcntimes an
oath to Mahomet Is required.
Mr.. HUNTON said that Mr.. Field had never
accepted any commission in = foreign service
that in the least affected his allegiance to the
United States.
He entered into contract exactly like that
in which some Federal officers entered. As
sistant-Surgeon William J. Wilson, First Lieu.
tenant r. NJ. Rogers, of the Second Artillery I;
Lieutenant Charles F. Losche, of the Eighth
Infantry, aud Lieutenant Eugene o. Febtce,
all obtained leave OF absence to serve in the
Khedive's army, and under the same contract
In which General Field entered.
In that contract II was agreed to serve In
the Khedive's army in any war unless con-
flict should arise with the United States of
America.
Mr.. BUTLER said there was n difference
between these young officers named and Gen
eral Field. These young and subordinate Of
ficers got leave Of absence for q specific pur-
pose. Did Mr.. Field ask the leave Of the Presi-
dent?
Was he at the time even n citizen Of the
United States2 There was great doubt about
that fact. He begged the other side not to
f,rp his maj int Ia
sore yet up North. The graves of Union SOL
dicrs are yet too green. Don't press the North
quite so fast. Don't send widows and orphans
weeping to the soldiers graves with rccollec-
tion that Confedeates are being rewarded.
BE little tender and go little slower iu
this direction. The North has not yet got to
that point where IL can look on quietly and
see Confedcratcs rewarded. He would say to
the men of the North that this is no small mat
ter. Men Of Pennsylvania, State so true in
the hour of peril TO the nation, he wanted to
say that such actions as this would light up
every hill top with n flame like that of the
red cross. DO not do this thing Now, by
the visitation Of God, the office Of Doorkcepcr
is vacant, and let us fill the Office with that
true Union MANNED soldier, the hero of two
wars, General James Shields.
Mr.. FRYE also referred to the record in the
case, and argued that at that time General
Shields was elected in violation of the law and
constitution Of Missouri, and instead of hav-
ing a majority of several thousand as was
claimed all that lie set up was majority Of
six or seven hundred.
Mr.. BRAGG would not vote to put General
Shields in this Office, but he would chcerfully
do him justice in another direction. The res
olutiOn offered by General BUTLER was mere
cap.trap. He had resolution which he would
offer, aud that was to place General shields on
the retired list of the army with the rank of
brigadier general. Applause.
Mr.. BUTLER then demanded the previous
question, and the House hy vote of ITO yeas
to l2J may refused to second ito
Mr. CLNMER then got control Of the mat
ter and offered his resolution as substitute.
Mr.. HALE did not wonder that gentlemen
on the other side were worried. They are CON
frunted with a resolution affecting u Uuion
soldier us against Confederate. The other
side wont let tho dead past bury its dead
rhcyare continually Oncmsively thrusting the
| ex-COnfcdentcs forward. 1t was for this that
| the Ways aud Means Committee in the last
Congress selected Hamilton Us their Clcrk--a
man who named his son after the assassin OF
| President Lincoln.
| 1t was for this that the Sergeant at Arms OF
| the Confederate Congress was selected as Door
keeper. In the caucus on Friday, as he under
| stood the matter, General Shields was uOmi.
| mated, but the Democracy chose to nominate
Il ~
| Point at the cXpcnsc Of the Government, had
broken his bonds Of loyalty. lie left West
| Point to go into the rebellion, aud gained
rank and distinction there.
At the close OF the war he expatriated him.
| self, and upon his return it is proposed TO give
| him the only Office in the House which has
| any great amount Of patronage attached to it.
| If the Republicans, aided by u few Democrats,
| should elect Shields, 1t is not expected other
wise than that the DUorkecp.rs Office will be
| run in the interest Of the Democratic party.
| For Shields is a Democrat and lie has nothing
| 10 recommend him To the Republicans but his
| record us IL soldier. But the other side must
| put this cup to their lips and determine
whether they will select Union soldier or
Confederate. The subject was one which could
not be bIinked
Mr.. BLACKBURN said that question was
| settled when your government accepted the
| surrender OF the Conirdracy.
Mr.. HALE objected to the term your
| government That expression was used too
much, and II gave great Otiense. lie supposed
gentlemen would be willing to call it our
government and not your government.
Mr.. BLACKBURN said that if the gentle.
| man had paid attention he would have found
that he was speaking of a time when the
| United States Government was not his govern
mcmt II was with reference to the war that
| he made that remark. The gentleman from
Maine dispOr,s himself rs though the Govern
ncmt was in his especial keeping. Applause J
lie, for one, denied that he had ever uttered
| q word that would revive the bitter memories
| ul the war, and Southern men were quiet un-
| less their manhood was attacked. lie dvspised
the men. who like ghoulS and hycnas, delvc
continually in the trenches OF blood. 1t Vas
reserved tor the gentleman from Massachusetts
MIR. BUTLER) to boast that he was tho only
man who had hanged another for treason.
We have been told that General Field and
others deserved TO be hanged ior their treason,
and that they were indebted to Republican
mercy Tor their miserable lives. lie denied it,.
Ii was false, and the lalschood should blast the
lip that uttcrs IT, How could you say that the
men deserved to be hanged. Would you g.
more the conditions Of surrender aud violate
them
Mr. BUTLER said he had not uttered Il
ished after the surrender
Mr. BLACKBURN said they could not very
well have been.
Mr. CI.IMER then demanded the previous
question aud it was seconded.
The motion 10 proceed to the election Of
DUOrkecpcr was then agreed to.
MIR CLlMER nominated Charles W. Field,
OF the State Ol Georgia.
Mr. BUTLER nominated that tried and true
Union soldier, General James shields.
Mr. RANDOLPH nominated that tried and
truu Union soldier, John Il. Trent, OF Zen.
nessre.