The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-02-24
REBEL RECORDS.
LIVELY TILT IN THE HOUSE OF REP.
RESENTATIVES
Between Mr.. Bragg and Joe RIackburu,
Over y Proposition 10 Purchase
Private Papers or several
Rebel Generals IN the
Late Rebellion.

House to-day, while the general sppTo
priation bill was under consideration, Mr.
Bragg raised q point of order agaiRs
the clause appropriating $4,000 for tht
purchase Of private papers ol the late Con
federAte Generals Bragg and Parks rela
ting to the late war.
Messrs, Baker and Blackburn contended
that the point Of order was not well
taken.
Mr.. Blackburn stated that the papers
referred to have been appraised under act
OF Congress, and 1t was late in the day
Tor the gentleman from Wisconsin 10 un.
dertake TO tell the House that there was
no law and no authority for that appro.
priation. He denied the statement made
by Mr. Bragg that the Secretary OF War
had recommended that the papers should
not be purchased.
Mr.. Bragg asked Blackburn to read the
SeCretAry's report, which Blackbnr re.
fused to do, stating II he sought tliCtation
as to what he should do, he would 20 to a
more reputable quarter from which 10 get
1t.
Mr.. Brsgg-0h, that has no effect here.
Mr.. Blackburn, continuing, said these
papers were necessary to fair statement
OF the history Of the late war, and he was
sure no gentleman on the other side OF the
house would oppose the proposition for
the purchase OF these papers.
Mr.. Bragg said he would debate Me
point ot order in different way from the
gentleman from Kentucky. Instead of
stating what the law WIS he would read
1t. Instead ot asserting what the SeCreta.
rY oil War had done he would read his
report, and II he were 10 70 beyond that
for facts he should say 60. The broker
who had induced the Government to buy
other papers had occupied his time In pre-.
venting these. papers being given to the
Government, In order that they might be
bought by the Government. He contin-
ued to argue In support Of his point Of or.
der, which, however, was ovsrruled by
the Chair.
Mr.. Thomas then moved 10 strike out
the clause making an appropriation. He
was opposed TO purchasing these papers.
Under the law all records of general
character, any that threw any light upon
the pathway Of history, belong to the Gov
eminent OF the United States.
Mr.. Baker opposed the amendment.
The government was engaged in an emil
nently wise work, work oil publishing
the record OF the war Of the rebellion. 1t
was important to this age and to ages to
come that the government should have
stsse .rRayc,aSsl|,, ..a-1 that, G9puihNu!nps
should be made TO them from every direC.
tion and from every stand point, In order
that the people and the historian might
look at the great struggle from every
aspect. When the government ceased 10
be large enough, and when the Northern
people ceased to be large enough to ap.
propriate few thousand dollars to leave
10 the coming ages the record OF all that
was done on oil side, in that unhappy
fratriCidal war, he for one should be
ashamed. He was an American citizen.
Mr.. MCCook said that the time had
come, or would soon come, when an Am.
eriCan citizen, without saying q word in
regard TO the cause, could have as
much pride In the pluck and determine
tion theConiet!erates as In the sturdy Cour-
age OF Northern soldiers, Lspplause.l but
when It came to purchasing papers OF two
SOhiehoiAto eVhoihlpI tSA Wuluh tuul6
was no necessity, II seemed to him 1t was
carrying the sentiment a little TOO far.
Mr.. Hawley opposed the amendment.
He would rather print some superlluous
records than that any critic should find
fault with the presentation Of a subject on
account OF partlality.
Mr.. Bragg proceeded to argue In favor
OF the amendment, and In the course OF
his remarks said there had been state.
ments made during the debate which were
lsarCastiCaliy) mistakes"
Mr.. BlaCkburn-By whom were thoy
made7 -....l.
Mr.. Bragg-By the gentleman from
Kentucky.
Mr.. BlaCkburn-That iB one statement
made by the gentleman from Wisconsin
which Ia not true.
Mr.. Bragg-1 do not yield to the gentle.
man. When he gets himself In 8 talking
mood he talks so rapidly 1t Is no wonder
he forgets what he says.
Mr.. Blackburn-1 am always responsible
for what | say.
MIR. Bragg (quietly)-Doubtless so. and
so am l. Applanse on the Republican
side That question oil responsibility is |
always present with everybody. II l err
or make mistakes am always willing to |
make amends. II say that which is un.
true, and say II consciously, I ought to be
punished, and hold myself responsible |
ior such punishment; but no man, cir, no
matter what he may like or how voluable |
be may be In speech shall deter me from
saying In my representative capacity what
deem the intereBta OF my constituents
require, me To say. [Applause on the Re.
publican side.
Continuing Mr. Bragg said: To enter on
the policy OF purchasing private papers
would be to hold out ah advertisement for
inen 10 come Ia and say they possessed
valuable records, which were necessary to
q true history Of the war These gentle.
inen came here wearing widows weeds
and uttering sishs Of wives and mothers,
whose husbands were In the grave, and
through such piteous appeals sought to
strike q chord OF sympathy and drive
Legislators away from their line oidnty, but
when an appropriation was passed II was
inuhl the widow wore pants and boots
aud had money enough to spend the
winter In Washington. Laughter]
Mr.. Blackburn saw no matter Tor any
feeling In this matter, a. nothing Unusual
had been presented 10 the House. When
The gentleman from Wisconsin said II had
been stated 10 debate that a commission
had been appointed by the Secretary OF
War which had reported upon the value
Of the papers and that the report had
been sent 10 the Committee on Apptopri.
atlnns, II he meant he BlaCkbntnl had
made such o statement, the record Of that
debate and the facts Of the case oil agreed
and united with him in replying that the
statement was not true. When the gen.
lietnan from Wisconsin talks about men
coming here TO indulge in Blghs and
plsadings for widows and orphans he
surely did not mean TO refer 10 the gen.
tlen6n on both sides who had favored
tbis clause. For the one upon the record
which the gentleman had made, and had
never failed TO make, and 10 which all
decent men were willing TO admit him en-.
a a II. - 40