134 



CONGRESS, UNITED STATES (1871). 



of Sherman's agreement with Johnston had 

 been observed, there would have been no need 

 of this measure, 141 ; four amendments pend- 

 ing, 141 ; bill postponed, 142. 



In the House, a bill reported prescribing an 

 oath of office, 142 ; its provisions, 142 ; effect 

 of the passage of the bill, 142; repeals the 

 test-oath for every man who took part in the 

 rebellion, 142 ; peculiar state of affairs, that 

 the loyal people should be required to take the 

 test-oath, 143 ; where is the necessity of con- 

 tinuing the test-oath at all ? 143 ; are we pre- 

 pared to take this step in the dark ? 143 ; bill 

 passed, 144. 



In the House, a bill to enforce the fifteenth 

 amendment considered, 144; it is absolutely 

 atrocious, 144 ; it is the crowning act of cen- 

 tralization and consolidation, 145 ; has its ori- 

 gin in the interest of a desperate and unscrupu- 

 lous party, 145 ; details of the bill, 145' ; the 

 title is an untruth, 146 ; it reaches every town 

 with a population of twenty thousand, 146 ; 

 power to arrest is conferred on supervisors at 

 the polls, 146 ; the military made subject to 

 the deputy-marshal, 146 ; the marshals have 

 complete immunity from all liability to State 

 or municipal authority, 147; allows military 

 interference with elections, 147 ; the necessity 

 of the bill, 147; the constitutional power to 

 enact it, 148; substitute offered, 148-151; 

 amendments moved, 152 ; bill passed, 152. 



In the Senate, the above bill considered, 

 153 ; offspring of a bill of the last session, 153 ; 

 it assumes the powers of the General Govern- 

 ment to superintend registrations and elections 

 in the States, 153 ; the power given to the 

 States, 153; reason, 153; Congress can only 

 interfere to perpetuate the Government to pre- 

 vent its dissolution, 153; what does the bill 

 propose ? 154 ; its passage, 154. 



In the Senate, a motion to take up the reso- 

 lution relative to San Domingo, 155 ; another 

 resolution submitted, 155 ; both are of interest 

 to the people, 155 ; motion to refer to Com- 

 mittee on Foreign Relations, 155 ; object of 

 introducing the resolution, 156; treaty not 

 ratified, 156 ; is the Senate ready to recede? 

 156; we are asked to take a wide departure 

 from the original policy of the Government, 

 156; what are the facts? 156; the present in- 

 corporation of that people with us is not de- 

 sirable, 157; motion to go into executive ses- 

 sion lost, 157; the resolution commits Con- 



gress to a dance of blood, 157; it commits 

 Congress to the policy of annexation, 157 ; I 

 will not accept the policy, 158; some facts 

 about the negotiation, 158; Baez has been sus- 

 tained in power by the presence of our naval 

 force ever since the negotiation, 159 ; all there 

 are said to be in favor of annexation, 159 ; the 

 claims of Hayti wrongfully interdicted, 160; 

 no prudent man buys a lawsuit, 160. 



Nearly all the Senator's points are imma- 

 terial, 160; the protocol, 160; the resolution 

 simply provides for an examination, 161 ; it is 

 said the resolution is unnecessary, 161 ; he 

 would have been denounced if he had appoint- 

 ed commissioners without consulting us, 161 ; 

 the annexation of San Domingo will come, 

 161 ; grounds of opposition to annexation 

 stated, 162 ; advice to the Senator from Massa- 

 chusetts, 162 ; where then were you who now 

 talk of nothing but freedom? 162; are you 

 prepared to bring such a people into the United 

 States? 163 ; motion to refer lost, 162 ; resolu- 

 tion adopted, 163. 



In the House, joint resolution relative to 

 San Domingo amended, 163; adopted, 168; 

 amendment concurred in by the Senate, 164. 



In the Senate, a resolution to appoint a com- 

 mittee to investigate affairs in the Southern 

 States offered, 164; objected to, 164; motion 

 to refer the papers to a special committee, 164; 

 they present an appalling record, 164; had the 

 whole subject here at the last session, 165 ; are 

 these new charges? 165 ; a periodical per- 

 formance, 165 ; why turn them into capital for 

 a party? 165 ; the record of the last dozen years 

 does not justify such imputations, 166 ; thou- 

 sands of men have lost their lives, 166 ; this 

 Administration commenced with the words 

 "Let us have peace," 166 ; object of the reso- 

 lution to obtain some pretext to place the 

 Southern people under martial law, 166; mo- 

 tion agreed to, 166. 



In the Senate, a motion to consider the bill 

 to promote commerce among the States, 167"; 

 can Congress authorize the construction of a 

 railroad passing through different States, under 

 the power to regulate commerce ? 167; grave 

 considerations involved in the bill, 167; the 

 exercise of a dangerous power, 167; Congress 

 has the power to govern these railroads, 168; 

 pass some bill that will test the question, 168 ; 

 bill laid aside, 168; session closed, 168. 



First session of Forty-second Congress com- 



