Year: 1876

Mr. Blaine's Reasons for Excepting Jefferson


Davis.


During the debate in the House Monday
on the general amnesty bill Mr.. Blaine
took the floor in support OF his amendment
TO except Jefferson Davis from its opera
ton, and said:


Ill can induce the House TO reconsider
the vote whereby the bill was rejected, il
is my intention to offer an amendment.
Every time that the question OF amnesty
has been brought before the House by the
gentlemen of the other side of the last two
Congresses, 1t has been done with certain
flourish of magnanimity, which is an impu-
tation on this side OF the House as though
the Republican party, which has been in
charge OF the government for the last
twelve or fourteen years had been bigoted,
narrow, illiberal, and as though certain
few worthy and deserving gentlemen In
the Southern states had been ground down
under great tyranny and oppression, which
the hard heartedness of this side of the
House could not possibly be prevailed upon
TO remove. desire now TO place on record
just what the Republican party has done
in this matter. l wish TO place 1t there as
an imperishable record of q liberality, large
mindedness. magnamity and mercy. such
as has not been shown In the worlds his
tory by conquerors to conquered. The
gentleman from Pennsylvania (RandalD
and myself entered this Congress in the
midst of the hot flames of war, when the
Union was rocking to its foundation and
no man knew whether we were to have q
country or not. He would have been sur
prised, when he and l were officers Of the
38th Congress, if he could then have fore
-, L~f1 ryta nd
he should have seen sixty-one gentlemen.
then In arms against the United States
government. admitted TO equal privileges
with ourselves in this House, and all by
the grace and magnanimity Of the Republi-
can party.


When the war ended, according to the
universal law of war the party in posses
, sion Of the government, or the governmen,
itself. which was controlled by the party,
| had the right to determine what should be
the status of these people. Did We inaug-
urate any measures Of prosecution? Did
we set off on q career of bloodshed and
vengeance2 Did we take property? Did
we prohibit any man all his civil rights
Did we take from him the right which ht
enjoys to-day-to vote! Not at all; bu
instead OF general and sweeping condem
nation the Republican party placed in the
l4th amendment only this exclusion. Aft
er considering the whole subject 1t ended
by coming down 10 this:


THAT no person shall he Senator or Represen
4 tative in Congress, or Elector Of President anC
Vice President, or hold any ONCE, civil or military
under the United States or under any State. VIII
having previously tax zen oath as 2 member Of Con
gress OF as an officer of the United States, or
member Of any State Legislature. or as executiv
or judicial oficer of any STATE TO support the Con
stifuton Of the United States, shall have engaged
insurrection or rebellion against the same or givei
aid or comfort TO the enemies thereof but Congres
may, by vote Of two-thirds Of each House, remov
| such disabilities"


Now have never been able to determine
from any statistical examination. exactly
how many men in the South that excep
ton affected. 1t has been variOusly esti
mated that ut the time of its original inser
ton in the Constitution 1t included some
where from 10000 to sc, 900 persons, bu
as near as can gather from the facts II
the case included about Is 600 men In th'
South, and it let 60 free every man 0
the hundreds of thousands, or of the mil
lions If you please, who had been engaged
in the attempt TO destroy the government
and only held those under disability who
in addition to the general revolt, had vic
lated special and peculiar and persona
oath to support the Constitution OF tn
United States.


That disability WAS hardly nXeO On In
South until we began in this hall and II
the Senate Chamber (when we had NOR
than two.thirds Republicans in boil
branches) to remove It, and the very frs
bill took the disability Of from 1873 citi
zens Of the South. The next bill took el
1926 BY wholesale. Many of the gentle
men on this floor have come from tn
grace and amnesty in these two bills.


After these bills specify ing individual
had passed, small bills, which l Will no
further refer to, were passed. In 1872 tn
Congress of the United States BY vote Q
two-thirds of both branches (still bein;
two-thirds Republican, passed this geners
law that all political disabilities impose
under the third section of the l4th amend
ment Of the Constitution OF the Unite
States are hereby removed from all per
, sons Nhomsoeyer. except Senators an
Representatives in the Seth and S7th Con
presses. officers Of Judicial, military an


naval service OF the United States, head
: of departments and foreign ministers OF th


United States.


Since that act was passed very c0nsif


cradle number Of gentlemen included In


have been specially by name relieved fro!


disability; but believe In no one sing
instance since the act Of May n, 1879, hav


disabilities been taken from any man III


less on his respectful petition to Congrss


that they be removed; and believe 10


one instance except one, has there pee
} any diAculty by unanimous vote even


pass such bills.