Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-25


rumors of wars were heard was about the
worst policy that could be pursued.
He wanted everybody that was in the
Confederate service, If the country was
TO engage in another war; to have the
right 20 fight against and get shot in his
place If he wanted to.
Replying to questions. Mr.. Hull said
he knew of no opposition to the bill from
from union soldiers; on the contrary, he
had received letters urging its passage
Mr.. Piekler. republican, of South Da-
kota--I believe that to be the sentiment
of the union soldiers.
Mr.. Boutelle, republican. Of Maine said
he had no commission to speak for 9TH
ers, but for himself he wanted TO hear
some good reason for the passage of the
bill
Mr.. Hull rejoined that the reason was
found in the fact that no necessity ex-
listed for the legislation.
Mr.. BoutelIe asked il Mr.. Hull knew
of any one who would be benefited by
the passage of the bill and the latter re-
piled that he did not.
Mr.. Boutelle criticised the bill as piece
of Unnecessary and wholly sentimental
legislation, 1t could be intended for no
other practical purpose than to cast
reflection upon the sentiment of the eoun-
try which was represented in the law at
the time it was enacted. That sentiment
was right then, he believed, and the law
ought not to be disturbed now. No good
could be accomplished by these meas
ures, and they served only to awaken
and arouse recollections that should be
buried While he had been accused of
some aggressiveness of thought on this
subject, Mr.. Boutelle said he never
brought in any of these bills; these dis
eussons were not introduced by him.
Addressing the republicans, Mr.. Bou-
telle said he recognized the fact that
there was a sentiment of reluctance
among them of expressing any views
which might seem to reflect upon those
who fought on the Confederate side who
were in public life, and especially those
who were in the house with them. He
said he would remind them that the gen.
tlemen on the other side had never hes
itated to express their views upon these
questions and were not backward in
supporting them by their votes. He re-
called the effort to place General Grant
on the retired list of the army, a propo-
sition, which,-he said, he was sorry to
say met the unanimous opposition of the
gentlemen for whose benefit the present
legislation was intended. These men, he
said, had not hesitated to act as Jurors
in the case of the United States against
Fitzjohn Porter, and voted solidly to
place him on the retired list.
Mr.. Wheeler, democrat of Ala bama---
Name a man who voted against putting
Grant on the retired list. 1t was unani-
mously passed.
Mr.. Boutelle retorted that the demo-
Gratis prevented even an opportunity to
tOte upon tHe Dlif uHtll Tie
driven to their wits end and fearing that
the gavel would fall at the end of the
session and Grant would die before he
could receive honor at the hands of con-
gress, surrendered the rights of a rep
resentative from Iowa, who sacrificed
his seat to the demands of the demo-
Gratis, and after his successor had been
sworn in, and not until then, the DEM
aerats consented to vote on the bill
watch placed Grants name on the retir-
ed list
Mr. Boutelle asserted that in the south
there was still prescription against the
uion soldier and mentioned that the
constitution of South Carolina adopted
only last year virtually taxed its resi-
dents, who served in the federal army,
by discriminating in the matter of poll
tax in favor of the Confederate soldier.
He called upon any representative from
that state to state the facts In regard to
the matter.
Mr. Wilson democrat of South Caro-
lima, said that as to his recollection the
constitution exempted Confederate vet
Grams from all road tax, which was i'm
posed on all other males between the
ages of Is and so years. The war had
been over thirty years, adding that to
eighteen made forty-eight, so that the
exemption applied only to those old sol
dies between the ages of 4S and 90 years.
The bill, Mr. Boutelle continued. would
not be effectual 1t served no good pur-
in the discussion of bill that confess
edly had no practical effect. 1t would
not give to any old soldier on the union
side who was now in private life the
right to bear commission in the army.
Mr.. Hull, republican, of Iowa-Nejther
does 1t give the right to the Confeder-
ates.
Mr.. Boutelle fsharply)-well. do you
want to give them that right?
Mr.. Grosvenor, republican, of Ohio,
cai haf ba Ip sod his Gllnnnrt of the bill
on the belief that his action here should
be in the way of aiding so far as it was
possible for him to do so, the encourage
ment of loyalty and devotion to the flag
in all parts of the country. (Applause;)
Mr.. Boutelle-Does the gentleman be-
Iieve that the government should pass
legislation of this kind.
Mr.. Grosvenor--I believe that the gov
ernment ought to do what is right. He
said that after the war legislation had
been enacted which disfranchised large
proportion of the people OF the south,
they were even denied the use of the
mails for a time, but one by one these
restrictions had been taken off, AS far
back as the time OF General Grant, that
great and illustrious hero, who had re-
ceived the high encomiums of his friend
from Maine had taken one of these Con-
federates into his cabinet; he had made
Mosby. the great cavalry leader OF the
south. consul-general at Hongkong, and
he would say, with all Difference to the
opinion of those who differed from him,
was in his Judgment the ablest rebel gem
eraI Il a position of high honor and
-trust.
Mr.. Boutele--And wasn't Longstreet
ostracised for taking IT.? (Cries of no.
Mr.. Grosvenor said that for himself
he had always hoped to live to see the
time when 1t should be the policy of his
party to remove from the statute books
Everything that tended to discriminate
between the residents of the different
sections of the country.
Mr.. Boutelle--Does the gentleman
know of any southern man who has ask
ed for the passage Of this bill? Who
brought 1t in here?
Mr. Grosvenor--tsod only knows. But
I would not be so willing to grant 1t for
the asking as would TO give 1t freely as
a. matter o. grace. (Applause).
In conclusion Mr.. Grosvenor said that
II was his desire that all men should have
an opportunity for displaying their loyal
ty and patriotism under the same condi-
tions. and that he would ask no class -
carry load which he was not himself