Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-03-25
FIRM AS GRANITE.
6outelIe, the Rock OF Maine,
Stands to His Gun.
HOLDS A VERY UNIQUE POSITION.

Votes sinsly and Alone Against Restoring
. Privilege to Those Who Once Betrayed
the Government-Mills Pours Hot Shot
Into the spaniard-House and Senate
Conferrees Having Trouble with That
Cuban Resolution.
WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator Hills
bill to remove the restrictions against the
appointment as officers of the army or
navy OF persons who held commissions in
the regular army or navy before the re-
bellion, and who subsequently took part
in the war on the side of the Confederacy,
which passed the senate during the height
of the excitement over the Venezuela
terday after two hours debate with but
one dissenting vote, that Of Boutelle Of
Maine. The Democrats, except Cum
mings Of New York, who spoke as he
said 'as one of 10000 northern Demo-
Gratis who fought in the Union army"
and Wilson Of South Carolina, who was
drawn into the debate by Boutelle, re.
Trained entirely from participation. Huh
Of Iowa. chairman of tho military COM
mittcd that it would subserve no prac-
teal purpose and was largely sentimental
Boutclls Quotes South Carolina.
Boutcllc took the floor in opposition to
the bill. He did not hold n commission
from the Union soldiers, he said, and rep
resented nobody but himself, but he could
see no reason for the passage of this bill.
hr I,oy, ind 81 ho,
full, but what practical purpose would it
subservef Was there any officer who could
be commissioned under itP If no practical
purpose was to be served its only effect
would be to cast discrcdit on those who
enacted this law. 81 hold in my hand"
said Boutellc, Furnishing pamphlet
aloft, "a copy of the constitution of South
Carolina which provides a uniform tax
on all voters in the state save such a
served in the Confederate army, who are
relieved of the tax"
This brought Wilson of South Carolina
In the field to defend his state. He had
been member Of the constitutional con-
vention, he said, and the only discrimina-
ton in it in favor of ex-Confederates was
that those over so years of age should be
relieved from road duty.
Boutcllc called attention to the condi-
ton of affairs in the south which had
brought thirty contested election cases
into the house because the right to vote
was pcrsistcntly and Systematically with
held over a large portion of the territory
OF the United States. Docs THAT show a
condition of affairs that warrants us in
ripping up the legislation of the war;" he
asked. rs it light thing for men to
take an oath To support their country and
then draw their swords against it? l do
not desire 20 draw the line against any
man, but do say l cannot see why we
are called upon today to give such an
object lesson to the boys at Annapolis and
West Point
Unity Particularly Needed just Now.
Grosvenor got the floor next. If it had
been left to him, he said. he could not
have introduced the resolutions; but being
brought up he would vote for it, He did
not care what the South Carolina consti-
tuition contained, he would vote for any
bill that made possible n higher degree of
loyalty for every man who served the Con-
fcderacy Applause on the Democratic
side The time had come when we need
unity on both sides of Mason and Dixon's
line. He cited the numerous statutes re.
iicving the southern soldiers of heir dis.
abilities. Some of those soldiers, said he,
are now in the United States senate,
Others are in the cabinet, rs they have
been In Republican cabinets.
Boutelle Votes His Sentiments Alone.
There was hearty applause when Wal
ker, Virginia Republican and a one.
time Confederate general in Stoncwall
Jackson's brigade, said that much of har-
section depended upon the passage of the
bill. There were many Old Confedcrates
| in the south, who if wars were to come
would carry the battle flag of the Union
and ask the privilege to fight for the stars
and stripes. Cummings of New York
| closed the debate with plea for the pass
| ing of the bill. The bill was then passed
| with n shout ard when the noes were
asked for BoCtellc alone rose dramatically
| and responded NO"