Jeanine Pirro lashed out today at
the post-Civil War Congress for enacting a law that prevented political leaders
of the Confederacy from holding any federal or state political office. The law allowed
individuals to be granted political amnesty by two-thirds vote of both houses.
“This is yet another
attempt by the Radical Left to muzzle leaders who speak for the people!”
Liberals were divided by the
proposal, some believing that the South deserved to be punished for rebellion,
and other stating that this measure was vindictive and would be
counter-productive.
In the Reconstruction Committee, Rep.
Raymond said that the South was already being forced to make concessions— adopt
a massive civil rights bill, a law that stuck them with their war debts, and more.
Addressing one point of the law,
Pirro lambasted the Reconstruction Congress: “And they
have a law to deny masters compensation for slave who were freed. How is that
fair?”
Concerned that the North was pushing
to far, Rep. Raymond said that we offer the South “the right to be represented on this floor, provided that
they will also consent not to vote for the men who are to represent them!”
The measure passed. Rep. Sumner spoke
for the majority when he justified the measure: “The
choice of citizens for office, whether state or national, of constant and
undoubted loyalty, whose conduct and conversation shall give an assurance of
peace.”
***
The Jeanine Pirro element is a
parody grafted on to actual debates and an actual law passed by Congress during
the most our nation’s most divisive period. Free speech and representation of
the people are essential to our democracy—but certain speech and political
themes have potential to alter our core national character.
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