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INDEX OF CONTENTS. 



separate, ITS; has not the Constitution settled this 

 question ? 178 ; in the act of March 4, 1862, 178; the 

 resolution is revolutionary and destructive, 179 ; I would 

 keep out traitors, not keep out States, 179 ; the country 

 is alarmed, the people are anxious, 179 ; why these new 

 measures? 179; who introduced this cause of dissen- 

 sion ? 179 ; if we choose to admit or refuse to admit 

 Senators on this floor, what has the House of Eepresenta- 

 tives to do about it? 180; this body is independent of 

 the House, 180 ; a division between what are called the 

 Radicals and the Conservatives, 180; if our Kadical 

 friends do not want to get run over, they had better get 

 off the track, 180 ; this is to overcome the letter of the 

 Constitution by a resolution of both Houses, 181 ; noth- 

 ing said about the right of each House in the resolution, 

 181 ; the question of admission is always in the hands 

 of a majority, 181 ; we owe it to ourselves that this mat- 

 ter shall be properly investigated, 181 ; resolution adopt- 

 ed, 182. 



In the House, a resolution relative to the continued 

 contumacy in the Southern States, 182. 



Besolution for amending the Constitution relative to 

 the power of Congress to make laws affording protection 

 to persons and property, 182 ; resolutions relative to the 

 power of Congress for the protection of emancipated 

 slaves, freedmen, etc., 182, 



Joint resolution for amending the Constitution re- 

 ported by the committee on reconstruction, 182. 



A bill to provide for restoring the States lately in in- 

 surrection to their full political rights, 183. 



A bill declaring certain persons ineligible to office 

 under the Government of the United States, 188. 



In the House, the joint resolution for amending the 

 Constitution considered, 188 ; magnitude of the task im- 

 posed on the committee, 188 ; would not refuse to do 

 what was possible, 183 ; the proposition is not all that 

 the committee desired, 184 ; the great labor of the com- 

 mittee, 184; provisions of the proposed amendment, 

 164 ; first section prohibits the States from abridging the 

 privileges of citizens of the United States, 184; tho sec- 

 ond section fixes the basis of representation, 185; the 

 third section prohibits rebels from voting for members 

 of Congress and electors of President until 1870, 185; 

 motion to recommit, 185; inauspicious time to propose 

 to amend the Constitution, 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, unanswer- 

 able proposition that every adult intelligent citizen 

 shall enjoy the right of suffrage, 186; joint resolution 

 passed, 186. 



In the Senate, joint resolution of the committee con- 

 sidered, 186 ; the resolution is the result of an investiga- 

 tion into the social condition of the Southern States, 

 ISC; great object of the first section is to restrain the 

 power of the States, 187 ; it abolishes all class legislation 

 in the States, and docs away with the injustice of sub- 

 jecting one class of persons to a code not applicable to 

 another, 187 ; the second section does not recognize the 

 authority of the United States over the question of suf- 

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

 ciple has ceased with the destruction of slavery, 188 ; 

 numbers, not property, is the theory of the Constitution, 

 188 ; tho third section cannot Le of any practical 

 benefit, 188; amendment moved, 189; other amend- 

 ments moved, 189; amendments considered, 190; all 

 persons are citizens proposed, 190 ; moved to except 

 Indians, 190 ; moved to except Chinese, 190 ; modifica- 

 tions, 191 ; adopted, 191 ; manner 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 in- 

 violate, 194; the fifth declares 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. 



Eesolution requesting the President to transmit 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 impor- 

 tant 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 dangerous measures ever introduced to 

 the Senate, 197 ; does the adoption of the amendment 

 give Congress any such authority ? 197 ; was it ever pre- 

 tended that the Constitution conferred this power? 197 ; 

 not a particle of constitutional warrant for the first sec- 

 tion, 198 ; what is the meaning of the amendment ? 198 ; 

 views entertained by the members of the committee re- 

 porting the amendment, 198; foresaw emancipation 

 would encounter vehement opposition In the slave 

 States, 198; it is said the emancipation simply relieves 

 the slave from the obligation to render service to the 

 master, 198 ; called upon to abandon the poor creature 

 we have emancipated, 199 ; havo 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 tho sting in its tail, 200 ; its provi- 

 sions, 200 ; what are the objects sought to be accom- 

 plished 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 Constitution, 201 ; if all our 

 citizens were of one race and color, we should be relieved 

 of our difficulties, 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 clasa 

 of persons the fundamental rights of citizenship, 202 ; the 

 power to pass it is derived from the second section of tho 

 late amendment to the Constitution, 202 ; a most in- 

 sidious 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 President, 203 ; considera- 

 tion of the veto, 203 ; provisions of the bill not unjust, 

 208 ; its features, 203 ; explanations, 204 ; bill passed 

 over the veto, 204. 



In the House, the Civil Eights bill passed over the 

 President's veto, 204 



In the Senate, the bill to enlarge the powers of the 

 Freedmen's Bureau considered, 205 ; a practical measure 

 for the benefit of the freedmen, 205 ; some determined 

 to sacrifice the Union and the Constitution unless they 

 can achieve the right of suffrage for the negro, 205; 

 not necessary to call in the aid of the black man to the 

 government cf this country, 205 ; this was not a part of 

 the verdict of the war, 206 ; nature and provisions of 

 this bill, 206; claimed under the second section of tho 

 amendment that Congress may do any thing necessary 

 in its judgment to secure to the negro all civil rights that 

 are secured to white persons, 206 ; not intended to make 

 the bureau a permanent institution, 207 ; object to bring 



