The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-03-26

III no practlcal purpose was TO De served
its only effect would be to cast dscredit
on those who enacted this law.
81 hold in my hand" said Mr.. Boutelle,
fiourishing a pamphlet aloft, "a copy of
the constitution of South Carolina, a
all voters in the State save such as served
in the Confederate army, who are re-
lieved of the tax"
This brought Mr.. Wilson Dem.) of
South Carolina in the field to defend his
State. He had been member of the
constitutional convention, he said, and
the only discrimination in it in favor of
ex-Confederates was that those over 30
years of age should be relieved from road
duty.
Mr.. Boutelle called attention to the
state of affairs in the South, which had
brought 30 contested cases into the house
because the right to vote was persistently
and Systematically withheld over large
portion of the United States.
Does that show condition Of affairs
that warrants us in bringing up the legis-
islation of the war? he asked.
oath to support their country and then
draw their salaries against it. I do not
desire to draw the line against any man,
but do say l can not see why we are
called upon today to give such an object
lesson to the boys at Annapolis and West
Point.
Mr.. Grosvenor Rep.) of Ohio got the
floor. If it had been left to him, he
said, he could not have introduced the
resolution, but it being brought up he
would vote for it. He did not care, he
said, what the South Carolina consti-
tuition contained. Continuing, he said
hn hot do
possible higher degree of loyalty for
every man who served the Confederacy
applause on the Democratic side).
The time has come, said he, when we
need unity on both sides of the Mason
and Dixon line. He cited the numer-
Gus statutes relieving the Southern SOL
diers from their disabilities. Some of
these soldiers. said he, are now in the
United States senate; others are in the
the cabinet, as they have been in Repub-
lican cabinets.
General Grant, who has been so high
ly eulogized, sent abroad as the repre-
sentative of the United States General
Longstreet, whom he considered as one
of the best Rebel generals.
Mr.. Grow, in brief speech, expressed
the opinion that neither party to the
Rebellion could perpetuate itself into a
party of perpetual hates.
At this point Mr.. Hopkins Rep) of
Illinois made motion to adjourn, which
was lost.
Then Mr.. Picker Rep.) of South Da-
kota spoke in favor of the bill.
There was hearty applause when Mr..
Walker, a Virginia Republican, and a
one-time Confederate general in Stone
wall Jackson's. brigade, said that much
of the harmony, good feeling and good
will in his section depended on the pas
sage of the bill.
SIS there not something in sentiment,
harmony and good will?" he asked, "and
it not this sentiment in the right direc-
ton? In the South there is today
turning to this Union in the minds and
hearts with a devotion that the people
of this country can not conceive. / adj
NIT that there are some who can not
learn and can not forget"
There were many old Confederates 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. In the names of
the Federal soldiers and their sons and
the Republicans of the South, who were
no longer prescribed because of their
political opinions, he asked the passage
of the bill
Mr. Cummings (Rep.) of New York
closed the debate for the passage of the
bill and said he hoped no ex-Confeder-
ates would vote ON the question.
The bill was then passed with a shout
and when the noes were asked for Mr.:
Boutelle alone arose dramatically and
Then, at 4:50, the house adjourned.