Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-03-13
Mr.. Coke of Texas also put himself in the

Mr. Coke of Texas also put himself in the
same boat with Jefferson Davis -
/ hold, Mr.. President that Mr.. Jefferson
Davis is no worse man than myself; than
other gentlemen upon this floor than the
mass of the Southern people who selected
him as their leader during the great civil war.
hold that he is not more guilty, no more
criminal; that he is exactly the same man
morally that the great mass OF the men OF the
South are in this regard. | am neither
ashamed nor afraid to record my vote on this
amendment Just as my heart and judgment
dictate.
No more interesting passage occurred dur
ing the debate than the following, which we
copy entire from the Record, between Mr..
Ransom of North Carolina and Mr. Hoar -
Mr.. Hoar-I have had occasion to believe
that the senator from North Carolina deals
with great candor with this class of questions.
Would you, if YOU were in our place. consent
to law which would put President Davis up
on the muster-rolls, if you were satisfied that
he was not now loyal in feeling and attach
ment to the government!
Mr. Ransom-I will answer the senator.
Mr. Hoar-Let me say, in putting the ques-
ton, that have the most absolute confidence
and belief in the sincerity and the absolute
truth of what was said by the senator from
Texas in regard to his own attachment and
that of many of his associates and colleagues.
/ may err. As we err i'll forming our Judg-
ment about men who are our contemporaries
we sometimes err in forming judgment
about historical characters; but we have to
act on that judgment. In my judgment.
from the belief which derive from what
hear and know of the man, ] believe Presi-
dent Davis not TO be attached 10 this country
to-day as the senator from North Carolina
and as Postmaster-General Key and the SEN
ator from Texas are. | believe that he de-
sres to revive the rebellion | do not sup
pose that he expects to do it himself; but he
tries to inculcate into the minds of the South
attachment to ''the lost cause" and he has no
attachment to the government. Now wheth-
er | err or not, that is my belief. If the
senator entertained that belief, in my place,
would he vote for law which would put
him on the pension-roll? That is the ques-
ton.
Mr.. Ransom-I might give the Senator an
answer that would not be as frank as that
intended to give him. | might say that if
were in his place | should not have that be
lief: but ! will meet the issue presented to
me by the Senator. tell him that if | were
in his place as | am now in my place, and !
speak deliberately, and | believed Mr.. Davis
was an enemy of his country, | not only
would not pension him, but would have for
him feelings of unutterabe aversion. But.
Mr.. President, it is impossible that Mr.. Davis
can be an enemy to this country.
Mr.. Iloar-I think he has been.
Mr.. Ransom-No. sir; in one sense, in the
sense intended by the Senator, he never was
an enemy to this country.
Mr.. Hoar-In the manner in which he new
er was perhaps he is not now
Mr. Ransom-Mr President, | protest
against this unfounded assumption that Mr..
Davis is an enemy to this country-his coun-
try. ! shall pronounce no eulogv upon him.
nor dwell upon his public service as an Ameri
can soldier and statesman. He belongs to
history as does that cause 10 which he gave
all the ability and devotion of his great ma
ture. There trust both. He is, like all of
us, human, and, doubtless, has his resent
ments, his consciousness ofundeserved abuse,
of outraged sensibility, and of personal dis
appointment. But, sir, no one can follow his
career as il is written in our history and doubt
for one moment that he would unhesitatingly
sink all personal modification and personal
aspiration rather than infict injury upon his
fellow-citzens. He and his family live under
the protection of the flag. His trusted friends
are here on this floor, and the Senator from
Massachusetts has accorded to them hi- conf
dence in their patriotism. Irepeat again and
again il is impossible that he can be an enc
my TO this country.