Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-05-16

The debate IN the Senate, on the Army
interference bill was able and strong The
most noticeable speech on the Southern side
was by Senator Ben Hill, Of Georgia, who
is man Of great ability, and of more ma
tional and patriotic feeling than the average
Southern Statesman. Mr.. Hill took up Mr.
COnkling statement with reference to the
number Of ez-COnfederate4 officers in
Congress aud argued that the pre-
sehce Of such Representatives FUR
nisEez no cause for alarm The
argument of Mr. COnkliug, he said, proceed
ed upon the presumption that the Southern
men were enemies Of the Government He
denied the truth of the presumption, and
delivered himself Of some eloquent sentences
in defence of the To- atty ard integrity Of the
people Of bis section, and Of their Repre-
sentatiTes IN Congress. He argued that
many # these Southern Representatives had
earnestly resisted secession, and related his
OWE personal history in this regard, quot
ing from letters and speeches in which he
denounced secession as u folly and crime
Referring to "a statement made BY Mr. Blaine
to the elect that the repeal Ct the election
laws would lead to another rebellion, MIR.
ilill SAID that secession was dead bevond all
hope oil resurrection. Those who went into
secession wanted no more experiments
Of that kind. The men who had
suffered 20 much and lost everything
we're opposed TO further strife, and 1t wa
only thuSc who had gained ali that they lost
who would favor another war lie quoted
largely from Madison and Webster. a. to
the character Of the National Government
and argued that it was both national and
lt!erai The House of Representatives wa
national, the senat6 vas Federal, while the
t2ttuii'c Was both national and fedora!
NeT York in the House of Representative
st- %. greater than Delaware, while in the
senate New York was only equal to Della
ware and IN tae Electoral College. which
va Confederate power, New York Wa
I lanes greater than Delaware. He CHARGED
that the Republicans were the advocates If
consolidation 10 the destruction Of the
auiunuIIT Of tie states. doctrine which.
he sid was a. dangerous a. that of sece,
sion. lie denied that the President haiHhe !
night t. use the veto power except to prevent |
unconstitutional or hasty legislation. and |
argued that the Objectionable section. in the |
appropriation bills were neither unconst;tu
tcnal nor hasty The use of the veto upon |,
Inc ground OF political cIpediency would
afectualiy prevent the people from chang
ng any Ia~ unless they succeeded in
'.ecting TIC thirds Of tho Representatives. in
ongres' Mr.. Hill vas clearly OF the opinion
hat everything will he well 1t only the Cor
r1eritc Democracy be let alone and per
hittci T. manage affair to suit themselye-
here would have hccn no rebellion if the
ayci"ii,ng sluth had been allowed to carry
ma IT. own plans without let or hindrancc.
.'rh h!t,r even state had seeded and sci
q! : 'Nrrnmcnt ut their own. Mr. Hill,
''Art warmed within him when he heard
hat a Ir-cc conference had been called 10
ccate '"tscSsion7 from the North which
would ensure II continuance Of southern
Innination IA the Union and an extension Of
layery uycr the territories But there were
eriain Ie-tilent people ia the North like
.ici Chandler, who wrote to Gov. Blair OF
lichigin expressing hope that the dele
ate- from that state 10 the conference
would be selected with view to the stiff
less 81 their bdakhone-. and also affirmed his
the that a little blood letting" would be
ccessliy Tor the viniicatiOn OF national in
egriY u there had been no stalwart Re
uhiiHtr- "a thuse DAYS, the civil war would
ave been lEcri,d, the South appeased and
be NHth itdDcei to its proper condition Of
nieruIuy. lhu- poke Hi Of Gcurgia IN
ubstiLcy a1l eject
Then NJ. Chandler had sometime To -ay
q rcIly lie I'D not remember whether any
hing Wa sad about blood lettiug"
J ms letter = Gov Blair, but IN
ny case he stood vi ling to father
he remark attributed to him lie ias.
hed lbs position by the fact that secc--
ION Wa4 already an accomplished fact, 50
IT a seven etates we're concerned and there
IA nothing further that could be done hy
.iy pi negotiation, without di4bonor to the
auonaI cause. All suggestions Of compro-
use had hecn contemrtuouSly refused and
ne rehel z was already raised lilo was
repaired to stand by that letter. He ex-
ected 10 punish traitors The rebels
'ught to overthrow the government because
rey were not invited to control 1t for their
8n ends Having been whipped back into 5
re Union, they now hope 10 subyert the /
institutional PRINCIPLES upon which the re- l
lhiit Is iuut i,h =
inr 1't,t' Va Ltiau.i ty senator 7