Year: 1879

/


HYPOCRISY OF THE sTALwART RADICALS


From Speech in the Senate, june lsthl


Let us see little further, however
about this dangerous person called th
Confederate Bngadier. Who frs
brought him here Z Who is response
bic for the introduction of the Con
federate Brigadier to the theatre o
national politics? Southern gentle
men around me on this floor are her,
because they thought the country wa
restored TO its normal relations tha
the States were rehabilitated under th,
Constitution that each State had th,
right to select its own representative
in both branches of Congress and tha
they were not compelled to ask leav,
to come of any set OF men from any
part of the country.


Gentleman, welcome you. Yor
are right in being here. You are met
however by party of violent unwel
come, with abuse and denunciatior
hurled as keynote to party warfare
by the great Senator from New York
and followed up by all the Senators OF
that side Of the chamber. Sir, ther,
is something due to history on thii
subject. Is tho Confederate soldier
unfit to take part in the affairs of this
government or is il in fact only the
Confederate soldiers who votes The
Democratic ticket to whom you object
Is it the Confederate soldier per Sc, OF
does the objection to him only arise
when he votes the Democratic ticket
IL Confederate soldier votes the Re
publican ticket, and indorses all the
rascality that overwhelmed the south
as deluge during carpet bagism, dc
you not embrace him Tell me wher
you have ever spewed such one oui
of your mouths. Tell me when you
ever repulsed him from your warmest
and most cfieetionate political embrace
None such have ever been cast out by
the Republican party. On the con
trary, all such have had seats of dig
nifty and robes of honor assigned.


1t is but little while ago since Q
Confederate brigadicr first took par
in the control Of public affairs. He
was invited to do so by the candidate
of the stalwarts for the next Prcsi
dency, General Grant. Grant appoint
ed Brigadier General Amos |. Aker
man, OF Georgia, to scat in his cabi
net. A majority OF the Republican
Senators sitting here today on theil
oaths voted to confirm him as the first
law officer of this Government. They
gave it TO him to construc the Consti
tuition to interpret the.laws to render
decisions bonding for years and per
haps for all time. General Grant put
into the hands OF Confederate Briga
der General Amos l. Alderman th,
portfolio of justice, and a Republican
Senate confirmed him and whyl no
because he was greatly learned in tn,
law. Nor did they object when b,
carried sword and killed whom b,
could, under the Confederate flag b,
voted the Republican ticket and tina
was enough it washed away all BIZ
sins and made him clean and pure il
their eyes, though his sins had beer
as scarlet before.


Another instance nearer home il
time and place occurs next TO my
mind. | know what profound salts
faction | will afford to the Senator
from New York [ Mr. Conkling] wher
| pause Tor moment to pronounce
eulogy upon the present administra
ton. ! know the appreciation which
his robust intellect has of the patriotic
and comprehensive capacities of the
administration now in power. | know
therefore, he will be grateful TO me fol
calling attention to the fact that al
though he has arraigned us for the
1isproportion of Confederation Briga
diers in this body TO the Union Briga
diers or Major Generals, yet this favor
tic administration of his has confdet
one of its very important cabinet port
iolos to another Confederate Brlga
dicr, General Key, of Tennessee.
have no word of disparagement fol
General Key or General Akerman.
am not here to abuse or dcnouncC
these men for changing their politics
they had right TO do so. ! do say
however, that Senators on the Other
side, after voting TO confirm these mer
for positions of the very highest pub
lie Importance, have not the shadow
of right to assail us for welcoming the
Southern Senators who arc on thli
floor.


General Key drew his sword under
the flag of the South and fought
through the war. He then came t
the Senate, and while here made {
speech. refer TO il now principally
to show how much the Senator from
New York has forgiven, to exhibit that
gracious phase of his character which
some do not know Of as well as do
TO illustrate that his forbearance ant
charity are as broad as the mantle
that covers all sin. General Key
spoke just before be was appointed tt
the place he now holds. Commenting
upon that very memorable field o
testimony wherein Eliza Pinkstor
covered herself and the Republicai
party with infamy, and while arraign
ing John Sherman for being the pat
ron of that paragon falschood, the
present Postmaster General on THU
floor on the 18th day Of December
1876, used this language;


"And on this testimony, the false
hood OF which is 30 apparent on ii
face, q State is TO be disfranchised, ant
President, whom the people nevci
elected is to be placed in office"


| told you, Mr.. President, ! woult
provo how generous the charity Of th'
Senator from New York has been
Within but few days Of his appoint
ment and confirmation, the presen