Year: 1876

I


1t has been given out several
times during the progress Of the de-
bate upon the Amnesty Bill. that un-
less all the old frauds Of the Con-
federacy are restored to their politi-
cal rights by Congress. the sixty ex-
Brigadiers. on the floor of the House,
aided hy their Northern apologists
for Andersonvillc. will refuse to pass
the bill appropriating Sl.500.000 to
the Centennial Exposition. This has
not been threatened openly in Con
gress. but it has been reiterated hv
the newspaper correspondents at
Washington 80 frequently aS TO leave
but little doubt that m understanding
Of this sort exists on the Confederate
side of the House.


1t has come To n pretty pass II the
people of the United States must
get down before these spared monu
ments of the Lost Cause. and ask them
To he good enough to name the condi-
tions upon which they will allow q
measure OF legislation to 90 through
Congress. Better perish the Expo
sition than that this humiliation he
pnt upon the Nation. There is to-
day no person in the entire South
whose disabilities would not be re-
moved by Congress upon petition.
We doubt whether there would be
hesitation were the contumacious
To0mbs or jeff Davis himself to
ask, rs others have done. for a res
toration to their political rights and
privileges.


Considering what they have done.
to what cost of life and property they
put the people to preserve the Union
they sought to destroy. it would he
no hardship were they To remain eX
ceptcd from gencgal amnesty until
they come forward and solicit the ac
tion of Congress in their behalf. But
this does not suit the Confederate
side Of the House. They must he
amncstied Internationally. Con
gress must by its action imply that
they were guilty of no political Of
fense in levyIng war upon the United
States. The Confederate cause must
he made rs respectable rs the Union
cause, and unless this is done, the
appropriation for the Centennial is to
be defeated.


The privi lcge of legislation for n
National Exposition must be pur-
chased, and the terms are named.
But suppose Congress craven enough
to accept them. will they stop there:
When some other object Of National
importance IS to he voted on, what
price must hc paid before the ,'on
sent OF the Confederate eX-Briga-
dicrS can he had? There are the
rebel soldiers; are they not to be put
upon the pension list? If the Goa
federate cause is to he rendered re-
Specialize and put upon an equal
footing with that of the Tn
ion, why should not those who serv-
ed in the Confederate armies share
and share alike with those who serv
ell under Grant and Sherman?


1t will be for the Confederate
Brigadicrs to make new terms. They
can rely upon the support of the
Coxcs and Randails Of the House.
Will they say to the Republicans, I'm
less YOU consent to pension ''our'
soldiers--and they are very fond of
talking about ''our armies and
''your armics"--wc will defeat the
measure for the passage of which
YOU solicit our votes? We have not
observed that modcsty to the excess
of weakness has distinguished the
public conduct of these ex-Oilicers of
the Rebellion; and it would not he
surprising if they tried to block leg
islation till the conditions upon which
it is to he had are complied with. If
we begin by granting full amnesty
upon demand rs the price named for
an appropriation for the Centennial,
ut what point will there he an end
to conditions?