Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-02-07

reply to that gentleman's dismissal of a
certain supposed class of Southern Demo-
Gratis, that if there were any sOreheads OF
disappointed Republicans in the North who
could not 90 into Congress without putting
on the lions skin Of the Democracy, they
should be very careful not to open their
mouths too wide when they got there.
Mr.. Mills, of Texas, expressed his belief
that not dollar of the money paid for war
claims had gone to man whose heart had
beaten in sympathy with the Confederate
cause. Loyalty had been found in the
Southern States during the war among suit
lers and dead beats and skulkers beside the
! Federal armies. To such men about $780,
600 900 had been paid. lie had always
voted against such claims, and he was in
favor of u constitutional amendment exclud-
ing such claims forever. The war was a
| legacy left by the founders of the Republic,
who did not venture to decide the question
for themselves. Two millions of the bravest
men had settled it on the battle field, and
to-day million of them were sleeping in
unmarked and unknown graves, while suit
lcrs and bummers were appealing to the
Government to pay them for cotton which
they had gathered up. For himself he
should vote against all these claims. Zap
plausc.
Mr.. Singleton, Of Mississippi, said the
South had lost in money value by the war
more than the North, but did not complain,
for they had gone into the war with their
eyes open. A large part of the Federal debt
was incurred by the payment of bountics and
hiring substitutes. while every Southern
hnuCphnl1 g.. 81
son or a brother slain in the war. As to
reading the Southern Democrats out of the
Democratic party, he cited the fact that the
South had given to the country before the
war seven of its Washington,
Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, jackson,
Polk and Tyler; that out Of 1876 cabinet
officers, the South lad furnished e..
No foot of territory (outsidc of Alaska) had
been acquired under other than Southern
Presidents. The SOUTH had 81 Democrats
on the floor, while the North had only CO,
and il the Southern Democrats were parted
from their brethren of the North, the latter
would be controlled by Republicans, and no
one could tell what would become Of them
The Senate en- Tuesday resumed considera-
ten of the resolutions of Mr. Eimurds in
regard to the constitutional amendments.
Mr.. Bayard, of Delaware, declared that the
first person to throw doubt upon the
validity OF the amendments was the Sena-
tor from Vermont. The resolutions SAVIOR
cd more Of party tactics than true states
manship. Ii it were proper tor this
Senate to declare the validity Of these
am cndments, then another party 10 power
could bring in a resolution declaring their
invaliiity. To such doctrine he could mover
consent. The amendments had been rccog-
nized by tho great political parties of the
country in their convention in 1872 and again
in 1876 in language too explicit; to leave room
for doubt. rhe real object OF the resolutions
was the construction to be given to the
lie argued that this was
Of power. He would aid in
no legislation that did no; recognize the
right of every man 10 al part. of the
Mr.. Edmunds said he concurred with his
friend, that every man should
have equal rights. If tha. was the attitude
Of his friend and his party. ;hsn there was
no difference in parties on the question Of
equal rights. Tho only question was how
TO get them. IL had been an accusation |
against great many gentlemen who |
thought as be (Eimunds) did, when they |
we're appealing for equal rights, that they
were promoting sectional hatred. 1t was the
mission of legislation somewhere to see that
this equality Of all was made real and |
should cease to be hollow pretense. The
party to which he had the honor to belong
ls humble trainer in tho ranks had ALWAYS
believed in the rights Of States in the U nion,
,ut they also believed in the rights of the
Jpion. IL was in aid OF hons rule and of local
that federal Government had
he power under the Constitution to protect
ne citizens 1t was not to overthrow States;
t was to support and uphold them. The
Of citizens had been lett with the
States for convenience. but when all the
'tstes represented in the Senate and all the
'.ople represented in the other House of
congress deemed it expedicnt to exert the
ederal power, they could do So |. was for
he Senate to say whether it ives ready to
xert its constitutional power fer the pro
cction Of civil rights that are essential to
be existence of the States
Further debate vas cut of by an execu-
i've session