CONGRESS, UNITED STATES (1866). 



115 



amendment, 184; first section prohibits the 

 States from abridging the privileges of citizens 

 of the United States, 184 ; the second section 

 fixes the basis of representation, 185 ; the third 

 section prohibits rebels from voting for mem- 

 bers of Congress and electors of President until 

 1870, 185; motion to recommit, 185; inau- 

 spicious time to propose to amend the Consti- 

 tution, 186; regret we have not found the 

 situation of affairs and the virtue of the coun- 

 try such that we might come out on the plain, 

 unanswerable proposition that every adult in- 

 telligent citizen shall enjoy the right of suffrage, 

 186; joint resolution passed, 186. 



In the Senate, joint resolution of the com- 

 mittee considered, 186; the resolution is the 

 result of an investigation into the social con- 

 dition of the Southern States, 186 ; great ob- 

 ject of the first section is to restrain the power 

 of the States, 187 ; it abolishes all class legis- 

 lation in the States, and does away with the 

 injustice of subjecting one class of persons to a 

 code not applicable to another, 187; the sec- 

 ond section does not recognize the authority 

 of the United States over the question of suf- 

 frage in the several States, 187; the three-fifths 

 principle has ceased with the destruction of 

 slavery, 188; numbers, not property, is the 

 theory of the Constitution, 188 ; the third sec- 

 tion cannot be of any practical benefit, 188 ; 

 amendment moved, 189 ; other amendments 

 moved, 189; amendments considered, 190; all 

 persons are citizens proposed, 190 ; moved to 

 except Indians, 190; moved to except Chinese, 

 190; modifications, 191; adopted, 191; man- 

 ner of the appointment of this committee, 192 ; 

 who has won? 192; what -are the facts of the 

 business? 192; an examination of the caucus 

 measure, 192; this thing cannot succeed, 193; 

 the fourth section provides that the public 

 debt shall remain inviolate, 194; the fifth de- 

 clares the debts contracted in aid of secession 

 illegal, and prohibits their payment, 194; 

 amendments adopted, 194; the resolution as 

 amended, 194 ; concurred in by the House, 195. 



Resolution requesting the President to trans- 

 mit to Governors the joint resolution to amend 

 the Constitution, 195; reply of the President, 

 195; reply of the Secretary of State, 195. 



In the Senate, a bill to protect all persons in 

 their civil rights and to vindicate the same, 

 196; the most important measure that has 

 been under consideration, 196 ; its purpose to 



carry into effect the Constitutional Amend- 

 ment, 196; the first section makes all persons 

 of African descent citizens, 196; the basis of 

 the whole bill, 196; one of the most danger- 

 ous measures ever introduced to the Senate, 

 197 ; does the adoption of the amendment give 

 Congress any such authority ? 197 ; was it ever 

 pretended that the Constitution conferred this 

 power? 197; not a particle of constitutional 

 warrant for the first section, 198 ; what is the 

 meaning of the amendment? 198; views en- 

 tertained by the members of the committee 

 reporting the amendment, 198; foresaw eman- 

 cipation would encounter vehement opposition 

 in the slave States, 198; it is said the eman- 

 cipation simply relieves the slave from the ob- 

 ligation to render service to the master, 198 ; 

 called upon to abandon the poor creature we 

 have emancipated, 199; have the advocates of 

 this amendment any such improper purpose? 

 199 ; no warrant in the Constitution for such 

 legislation as this, 199 ; this bill is a wasp with 

 the sting in its tail, 200; its provisions, 200; 

 what are the objects sought to be accomplished 

 by the bill? 200; we fear the emancipated 

 slaves will not have their rights, 200 ; I want 

 this Congress to say that in conferring these 

 civil rights they do not mean to confer the 

 right to vote, 200 ; bill passed, 201. 



In the House, a bill to protect all persons in 

 their civil rights, 201 ; following the Constitu- 

 tion, 201 ; if all our citizens were of one race 

 and color, we should be relieved of our dif- 

 ficulties, 201 ; this bill proposes to give to Con- 

 gress more dangerous powers than any other 

 bill, 201 ; no way in which these men can be 

 protected except by the action of Congress, 

 202 ; this bill the proper remedy, 202 ; the sole 

 objects of this bill to secure to that class of per- 

 sons the fundamental rights of citizenship, 202 ; 

 the power to pass it is derived from the second 

 section of the late amendment to the Constitu- 

 tion, 202; a most insidious and dangerous 

 measure, 202 ; bill recommitted, 203 ; reported 

 back and passed, 203. 



In the Senate, question of concurrence with 

 the House considered, 203 ; veto of the Presi- 

 dent, 203 ; consideration of the veto, 203 ; pro- 

 visions of the bill not unjust, 203 ; its features, 

 203; explanations, 204; bill passed over the 

 veto, 204. 



In the House, the Civil Rights bill passed 

 over the President's veto, 204. 



