The record-union., 1896-03-25
Debate in House on Bill Removing Re-
StriCtiOnS Against COnf6derateS.
The Measure Finally Passed by an Al.
most Unanimous Vote.
Boutelle Rep.) of Maine the Only
Member of the Honse Opposing the
Measure-The Bill Provides That
Ex-Confederates May be Appointed
Officers in the Army and Navy.

WASHINGTON, March 24-Quite
Unexpectedly to-day the House was
plunged toward the close of the session
into a debate in the course of which the
war was fought over again, and the
issue of which was the repeal of the last
remaining restriction against those who
served in the Confederate army.
Hull (Rep) of Iowa had presented
from the Committee on Military Affairs
for the consideration of the House the
Senate bill which repealed Section 1918
of the Revised Statutes, regulating the
appointment of officers in the army and
navy, providing that no person who
held commission in the United States
army and afterward entered into the
service of the Confederate States, or
any State thereof, should be appointed
an officer in the army or navy of the
United States.
Boutelle (Rep) of Maine vigorously
opposed the passage of the bill. He
said that it could conserve no practical
purpose; was a reflection upon the SEN
timent which had enacted the original
law, one of the measures, he said, which
made it possible for the Government to
live; that it was too late now to write
a new definition of the duty of the men
who took the commission of their coun-
try, and he said the country should not
now declare that it was a right thing
for man, after having taken an oath
to support and defend his country,
afterward to draw his sword against it,
In the course of his remarks Boutelle
said that some concessions should be
made from the other side. and he called
attention to the fact that the legisla-
~ Ixv
last year, levied, as he said, tax upon
residents who had served in the Union
army by a discrimination in the matter
in the payment of taxes in favor of the
Confederate veterans.
The bill was advocated by General
Grosvenor (Rep.) of Ohio, Picker Rep)
of South Dakota, Grow Rep) of Penn
syivania, Walker (Rep) of West Vir-
ginia, who succeeded Stonewah jack
sen in the command of the latter's ia
NOUS brigade, and Cummings CDem)
of New York.
The bill was passed after two hours
debate Boutelle alone voting in the
negative.
The unfinished business when the
House met was the bill introduced by
Curtis (Rep) of New York to reduce
the number of crimes subject to capital
punishment, and it was passed.
The House agreed 10 the Senate re-
quest for a further conference on the
Cuban resolutions.
Boutefle tRep) of Maine reported the
bill making an appropriation for main
tenance of the naval establishments for
the year ending June /, 1897.
The following bills We're passed:
House bill to increase the penalty for
transporting or selling liquors under
false and spurious brands; Senate joint
resolution restoring to the Mormon
Church the real estate now in the hands
of a receiver appointed by Act of Con-
gress; House bill authorizing appeals
from the DEGREES of the Circuit Courts
of the United States in the matter of
receiverships; House bill making cor
poration for the purpose of jurisdic-
ton only to citizens of States into
which their lines run; making persons
who commit crimes on Government
property and reservations not covered
by Federal statutes subject to the pen
alties for these crimes in States in
which the property or reservations are
located: making it an offense punisha-
bic with Imprisonment up to twenty
years to shoot or to throw a stone at
or into a railroad train in the Indian
Territory: making typewriter deposit
tions legal; authorizing persons hold
irg medals of honor for distinguished
services in the war of the rebellion to
indicate that fact by wearing a rosette
or bow. the design of which the Pres
ident is directed to approve; authoriz-
ing the issue to active or retired officers
of the army of brevet commissions
equal to the highest rank of brevet
held by them in the volunteer service.
After the appointment by Speaker
Reed of Hit (Rep) of Illinois, Adams
(Rep) of Pennsylvania and McCreary
Dem1 of Kentucky as managers on the
part of the House in the conference
asked for by the Senate on the Cuban
resolutions. Senate bill repeating the
law forbidding the appointment of any
person as officer in the army who held
a commission in the army at the break
ing out of the rebellion, and who after
wards served in the Confederate army,
was called up by Hull (Rep) of Iowa.
The bin was intended, he SAID, to
wine ont the last restriction imposed
upon the Confederates. They were in
Congress. in the Cabinet. and could be
elected. he thought, to the Presidency,
and the army restriction. now that wars
and rumors of war were heard, was
about the worst policy that could be
pursued.
BouteIIe asked if Hull knew of anyone
who would be benefited by the passage
of the bill. and the latter replied that
he did.
BouteIe characterized The bill as un-
necessary and wholly sentimental legis-
lation. Addressing the Republicans,
RoutelIe recalled the effort to place
General Grant on the retirAd list of the
army, a proposition which he said, he
was sorry to say met the unanimous
opposition of the gentlemen for whose
benefit the present proposed legislation
was proposed. These men, fe said, had
not hesitated to act as barriers in the
case of the United States against Fftz-
John Porter, and voted solidy TO place
him on the retired list
Wheeler (Dem.) of Alabann-I am
man who voted against putting Grant
on the retired list. 1t was unanimously
passed.
Boutelle retorted that the democrats
prevented even an opportunity TO vote
on the bill. The bill, Boutelle csntended,
would not be effectual. 1t vpuld not
give to any of the soldiers on ne Union
side who was now in private life the
right to bear a commission in ne army.
Hull CRep.) of Iowa-Neithe does it
give the right to the Confederdes.