Year: 1876

There is a disposition on the part of the
so called Independent Press to fiout any
reference to the condition of Southern
affairs as being a mere political agitation.
The whole pack are attempting to cry
down what they are pleased to call ''bloody
shiEt' agitation, no matter what The truth
may be, or what the duty of the Republi-
can party may be to their people of that
section.


1t is 9 common device where reason fails
10 convince or facts are stubborn, to call
in the aid of prejudice and folly; and this
is Just what the Independent Press. in har
mOny with their Independent ideas, are
attempting in this matter. But it will not
down" at their bidding. 1t is generally
believed at the North that as long as op-
preston in any organized form exists in
the southern section Of this country the
war is not entirely over; and, furthermore,
it is believed that upon the present status
and the present actions of the representa-
tives Of the former slave States may be
fairly predicatcd wkatTCan be expected
from them ii the very lrail barriers that
now interpo5c between tthcm and full
power 10 run the national machine as they
may sec fit arc entirely broken down. The
inquiry as to what are the humane ideas of
the SoutI, and what is their standard Of
civilization, is, therefore, a Legitimate one,
aud its answer goes very far toward giving
the voters OF this country a clue as to what
may bc expected uuder certain exigencies.


Before the echoes OF the amnesty debate
have quite died away, it may be useful for
those voters in the North who are on the
fence" and those newspapers which are
on each side Of it at one and the same time,
to consider one single phase of the matter
which gives the clue to Southern feeling
ard is pregnant with suggestion and warn
ing. 1t will be remembered that Mr..
Biainc's amendment TO the amnesty resc-
luton differed from the original in only
one point. 1t proposed to exclude Jeffer-
son Davis from its terms. Explanatory Of
his reasons for this amendment he gave
sketch of the history Of Andersonyille, as
told by Catholic priest in the South and
from other Southern testimony, and charged
NDCH luG tA-1 ltHiuCill vi luC
completely by implication with this most
outrageous crime upon the name of hu-
manly; such a crime in the length and
breadth OF its fiendish malignity as has no
psrallel; such as crime as no one who
bears the form of man can excuse or pal
late, and which no one in this time who is
fitted TO cast vote should do anything but
condemn in the most unmeasured terms of
disgust. Now, how was this received?
Was it other than question put TO human
ity itself: Was it not in direct effect as
follows: Men from the South, do you con-
"demn or DO you excuse the shameful dis
grace that these human ghouls have per-
"petrated in your name: Does not your
humanity revolt from it, 1t seems to
us that there was no other question in
VOWED. 1t was test question as to their
humanity, and upon it the safety of the
country may rest hereafter. If there was
question of political policy concealed in
the issue, the Southern Representatives
knew well enough til at their cause would
be helped by the condemnation Of Davis,
and their policy clearly was to coin
eide in the amendment. No one pre-
tends that Mr.. Blaine endcavored or in
tended in any way to lay the crime at
their doors, as being personally responsible
for il. There was no such thought or il
tcniiOn. Il was thrown in as a surprise,
but rested on its merits s. a question which
would give clue TO their feelings of hu-
manly. Were they humane enough to
govern? That was its secret purport. Just
on this plea Mr.. Blaine raised the question,
and Just here he convicted the Southern
Democratic N embers Of an unwiIlingness
to act the manly part and condemn what no
living creature can excuse. For what was
the response? Did one Southern member
rise TO the nobility of saying that if "Jeffer-
son Davis can be convicted Of sharing this
crime l cannot excuse him. Not one.
The only response that came charged the
North with crime of greater magnitude.
Not regret, but shameless and unfounded
aspersion was the reply If it could or can
be shown that during the time of the rebel
lion a state of affairs existed in Northern
prisons approaching in any degree the
barbarities that were practiced in Southern
prison-pe there Is not Representative
from the North, nor man, woman or child
in all the Northern States, who would not
condemn the thought of palliating the burn
ing.shame. Here is the difference bet ween
us. There are no apologists in the North for
cold and deliberate murder wherever per-
petrated. But when the question arose in
the House Of Representatives of the United
States, what was Its effect? The two Sec
tions were on trial as to their humanity,
and what was the answer? The country