Year: 1867

wish to ask the honorable gentleman from
PENNSYLVANIA, whether this House did not
adopt a resolution making it the duty of MIR.
McPherson, its Clerk, to forward the very
constitutional amendment about which he
Is arguing TO the different States lately in
rebellion before he knew the Secretary of
State had forwarded it?


Mr.. SCOFIELD. do not recollect any
such action of the House. But if sent to
them by us it was only to allow them an op-
portunlty to prove their loyalty by giving it
their assent In the preamble to the bill re-
admitting Tennessee their assent to this a.
mendment is recited, among other things, as
evidence of the loyalty of the government
de tacto, and as a reason for legitimatizing it
and admitting it into the Union For this
purpose We of course desired tn. m to have
a copy, but, unlike the Secretary of State,
we did not expect that the assent of these
communities would fasten this amendment
| upon the country without the concurrence
of three -fourths of the adhering States, nor
that their dissent would defeat it if that con-
currence was had.


The Secretary is clever in work of this
kind. An English nobleman was at one
time exhibiting his kennel to an American
| friend, and passing by many of his showiest
bloods they came upon one that seemed
nearly used up. This" said the noble
man, is the most valuable animal in the
pack although he is DID, lame, blind, and
deaf. How is that 2 inquired the Wis
itor. The nobleman explained: His edu-
cation was good, to begin with, and his
wonderful sense of smell is still unimpaired.
We only take him out to catch the scent and
put the puppies on the track and then re-
turn him to the kennel" Do not suppose
| that | intend any mparison between the
| Secretary of State and that veteran hunter
Such comparison would be neither digni-
| fled nor truthful, because the Englishman
went on to say Il have owned that dog for
thirteen years, and hard as he looks he
never bit the hand that fed him, nor barked
on a false trail " Laughter and applause
on the floor amd in the galleries, promptly
checked by the Speaker.


[ would inquire of the Chair if my time
has expired.


The SPEAKER. 1t has not.


Mr.; STEVENS, (in his seat. The chair
the dog. Renewed laughter.


Mr.. SCOFIELD. | mistook the fall of
the hammer for a notice toquit However,
| have but little more to add. The charge
is often made here and elsewhere that the
Republican policy of reconstruction leads to
disintegration rather than reunion. In re-
ply to the charge [ am endeavoring to show
that its tendency is to harmonic and cement
the Union. | follow this narrow line of al
gument because it has fallen to others to
discuss that policy in connection with the
abstract principles of republican govern
ment, justice, religion, humanity and civ
lllzatlon already.


When interrupted was going on to say
that the Secretary, in his efforts to battle
the Union policy of the Republican party,
will even claim that his guerrilla govern
ments have the implied sanction of Con-
gress. Formore than year these organiza
tions have usurped the control of public af
fairs in their several localities and systemat-
icaly oppressed and prosecuted the Union
people there For more than year we
have been inactive, if not silent witnesses
of these usurpations We have taken no
steps to suppress them nor to provide the
people with constitutional governments.
The existing ones are only the confederate
governments revlved-more oppressive, ma
lignant, and resentful, under the feeble re-
straints of cowed opponent, than under
the iron rule of the confederate president
himself The despotism and barbarities of
Davis were not wanton. They had a pur
pose-the success of the confederate cause.
The ''stern statesman" allowed no further
license; but under the Seward dynasty
lynching and murder has become a pastlme.
Better by far for the Union men of the
South if their governments were again placed
under the restraining despotlsm of Jefferson
Davis. At least he would not allow help
less and unoffending people to be mobbed
and murdered for no confederate or pubic
purpose.


How much longer shall we turn deaf ear
to the cry of the oppressed? How much
longer shall we stand here and see the brave
men who for four years, amid obliquy, per.
secution. Imprisonment, and torture, refused
to forswear the flag, now when that flag is
triumphant, in part through their suffer
ings, driven from their homes and shot
down in the street like dogs? If we thus
meanly desert our friends the rebels them
selves will despise us. But how about the
Secretary, his cunning, his precedents, and
his judges? They are not to be feared;
They may protract our national trouble and
DELAY the restoration of the Union little
longer; but that is all. The people have
concluded that the best way to harmonlze
and cement the Union is to bury whatever
is left of slavery and confederate nationality
in common grave; and it will be done.
The Nile NAV be damned with bulrushes,
but the Just benignant, and well-considered
purpose of forty million nation cannot be
turned aside by the tinkle of one old man s
bell nor the rustic of another's gown. For
one | am ready for the vote.


The most awful event of this century is
the great famine in India. In Orissa it is re,
ported that t,to millions FIRE hundred ntonsa'M