Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1882-05-23
Us SFNATE CHAMBER.
WASH TNGToN, Nav rs, 1882,

WAshINGToN, May Is, 1882. ]
Dtar Major, Il have NOT had an ear
lier moment When could reply to your
letter.
Briefly. the matter is this. was not
in ih0Senale a any time. during the
proceedings on HE So-callcd rebbs case,
until the morning when the resolution
proposing to retcrihe bill. and all the
amendments which had been offered, to
the judiciary Committee, was calle,l in
regular order.
Without 4 word of debate the vote was
taken. voted for the resolution of ref
erence. had meanwhile run my eve
overthe proceedings, as they are given
! IN the Record, and thought then. and |
do now believe, that understood the
merits of the question
| voted without hesitation. and am now
! the more assured Of The correctness and
the Wisdom Of that vote
The retcrsiiCe was strictly the lpgisla-
t'yething TO do: il was the thing to do
10 arresta father ill-tempered line ofdis-
cussion which had been unhappily pro-
| voked.
You viii observe that the original
/ proposition was 10 relieve Dr. 4. sidney
frbbs II thetliSahii,y imposed hy a Ger
tain statute of the United States. | am
quito spre there would not have been n
! word OF objection to this distinct propo-
siiion. Uniformly, | believe, all and
Singular lbe ~ippirRlonS heretofore
male FOR Snct relief have been granted.
even in times when there fingered preju.
dices of the war as to individuals and
section.
This simple proposition, however. was
madc the occasion for a bill repeating n
statute, practically dead, IN the form of
an amendment to the Tchbs Bill. II
was the absolute conversation of AN mdi-
! vidual bill OF relief into one repeating n
statute. No one on the Military Com
niittee-nota Republican Senator. il an
pears, objected. In this form the hin
came up for consideration, hen dis
cusscn followed which evoked bitter
ness aud insligaicd the Offering of sever
al amendments. II was here aud IN This
condition | found the subject and voted
| for The reference 10 the Judiciary Com
| mittee, whose province it righlfi,llv Is TO
formulate any act repcaing statute.
and The more so when The proposition
was now ErunGcyed with proposed
amendments, in some respects incongri,-
Gus, and In some respects If not absurd
falling Gas il occurred to mel below the
! dignity orthc subject.
As To the statute which, excludes those
who were in the Confederate mi,itar,
service from holding commission In
the military service Of The United S'ntcs
broadly stated, my opinion, my judy
mcnt and my feeling are, that IL involves
nothing practical 10 HE Confederate sol-
| dicr-n0lhing more than sentiment
and That hc. with bcroming srlf-rcsppr,.
could only desire and appreciate The r,.-
ln0yal Of such disability when u roncs
! ol The voluntary motion Of tine rrurrsru-
I tatives OF that section and side In the
unhappy struggle by which Il was i'm
| posed.
The power and the right Ia 'nipn.c
such disability were determined Glll,
aud finally at AppomatioX, aud Tie Com
te,lcralo soldier. in my opinion, will
proudly bear eNrty conscquutc Of Lees
surrender: not In anger, nor because
there fingers with him amy hcsituncy IN
his obedience 20 The laws which his ia.
role 1T AppOmalloX h0uoWbly bouul
him 10 respect, nor any reservations IN
hs allegiance to u rc-uulrd country.
] cannot permit myself to aid IN max.
iug the graves OF Confederate soldiers.
or their widows and orphans. tho stakes
and plwns ~ tie glwc Of politics.
! VIII not hccuulp party 10 prulltlcss
discussion Of illIiplug questions that
nie c,iculHlrd TO t1rsbcn issues which
nrc naturally closing. aud when The
whole country is drifting surely aud
earnestly To The safe anchorage OF pence
aud fraternity, under Tie guidance of
Prcsidcpt whose whole policy toward
the South Is one Of fricndshp.
but why this lattcr-dny anxiety for
declaration OF zeal In behalf of Confcd-
crate soldiersY Mind you. It comes from
the political Hseocla,csof those who from
1879 to 1881 held control Of both Houses
of CongrAs Why not lake that oppor-
tune Oc,NsionY II Ia not violent sup
position that the many gentleman In
Congress WHO had been Confederate sol
dicfs were then. and viii not doubt are
now, unwilling to make an unmnnly re-
quest for this supposed high grace,
! Will. by uo'word nor net nf mine,
check The paoifymg and llbcmlislng IN
ilucnccs upon The whole country which
Virginia has set IN motion Lat uH
thank the patriots who ARE helping MS
In this great work, and move on heroi.
cally to our high purpose,
lam, very truly yours,
.- WM, MALONE.
Mi, N. w. lIoorndh, Egnchburg, Va.