782 



INDEX OF CONTENTS. 



this Mil with all my heart, 158 ; we are neglecting our 

 duty to take the governments of the rebel States out 

 of the hands of the rebels, 158 ; this matter of admit- 

 ting a State is one of compact, 158 ; what inquiries 

 proper to be made, 159 ; what is proposed here, 159 ; 

 every step in this discussion shows its magnitude, 160 ; 

 motion to adjourn lost, 160 ; no reason to delay the 

 vote, 160 ; said to be a commonplace question, 161 ; can 

 a question of human rights be a technicality ? 161 ; this 

 Constitution must not be allowed to pass this body so 

 long as it undertakes to disfranchise persons on ac- 

 count of color, 161 ; we must meet this question as it 

 is, 161 ; powers granted by the Constitution, 162 ; de- 

 nied that Congress may annex as fundamental con- 

 ditions any requirements it may see fit, 162 ; we have 

 an equal right to give the ballot to the whole popula- 

 tion, male and female, 162 ; it is merely converting the 

 Congress of the United States into a manufactory of 

 new States and new State constitutions, 162 ; this prin- 

 ciple will never meet the approbation of the people of 

 the United States, 163; to vote for this amendment is 

 equivalent to rejecting the Constitution, 163 ; nothing 

 has occurred which seems of such evil omen as the 

 course of the Senate, 163 ; provisions of the enabling 

 act, 163 ; three things required as conditions prece- 

 dent, 164; Nebraska fails in all, 161; equality of all 

 men, 164, 165 ; amendment rejected, 166 ; new section 

 moved, 166 ; agreed to, and bill passed, 166. 



In the House, an amendment offered, 166; the con- 

 summation of the great war is the recognition of the 

 rights of all men to participate in the Government of 

 the country, 166 ; we have recognized the doctrine that 

 the right of suffrage might be limited, 167 ; any power 

 of Congress over the elective franchise has been 

 claimed only within four 3 r ears, 167 ; should send this 

 question back to the people, 167 ; idle to assert that 

 the form of government in Nebraska is not repub- 

 lican, 167 ; power of Congress in regard to the States, 

 168 ; what was the republic contemplated by the Dec- 

 laration of Independence ? 168 ; is this a republic ? 168 ; 

 different views about the amendment, 168 ; its adop- 

 tion, 169 ; bill passed, 169. 



In the Senate, the amendment considered, 169 ; either 

 Congress has the power, or it has not, to declare what 

 shall be the exercise of equal rights in this Territory, 

 169 ; provision of the Constitution, 170 ; amendment 

 concurred in, 170. 



In the Senate, the bill returned with the President's 

 objections, 170 ; passed over the veto, 170. 



In the Senate, the bill for the admission of Colora- 

 do' considered, 170 ; amendment relative to suffrage 

 moved, 170 ; amendment agreed to, 171 ; bill passed, 

 171. 



In the House, the bill for the admission of Colorado 

 considered, 171 ; amendment moved and adopted, 171 ; 

 bill passed, 171 ; Senate concur, 172 ; bill returned 

 with the objections of the President, 172 ; the greatest 

 subject that can possibly be considered by Congress 

 is the legitimate discussion of this bill, 172 ; political 

 power in this country is unfairly and injuriously 

 lodged, and, without some fundamental amendment, 

 impossible for the system of government to be per- 

 manent, 172 ; bill fails to pass, 173. 



In the Senate, a bill relative to the territories con- 

 sidered, 173; object of the bill is to prevent any dis- 

 tinction on account of color in any of the territories, 

 173 ; amendments adopted, 173 ; bill passed, 173 ; do. 

 in the House, 174. 



In the House, the bill to declare valid and conclusive 

 certain proclamations of the President considered, 



174 ; we go to an unprecedented length when we un- 

 dertake to adopt the proposed amendment, 174; why 

 should we declare that, because men held appoint- 

 ments under the United States, it shall be presumed 

 prima facie evidence that all their acts were done 

 under the direct authority of the Secretary of War and 

 the President ? 174 ; bill passed, 174. 



In the Senate, the bill considered, 175 ; nature of the 

 bill, 175 ; amendment moved, 175 ; decision of the Su- 

 preme Court, 175 ; if the bill passes, the question of 

 the validity of the President's orders can never be 

 brought before the courts of the United States for in- 

 vestigation, 175; first time a majority of Congress 

 have ever committed themselves to the doctrine that 

 they possess omnipotence under the Federal Consti- 

 tution, 176 ; an amnesty bill to the officers and sol- 

 diers who have preserved the Union, 176 ; limit of the 

 bill, 176 ; no clause in it which is unconstitutional, 177 ; 

 does not relate to a case of private trespass, 177 ; the 

 bill, for the first time in our history, forbids the 

 courts to investigate a case brought before them by a 

 citizen, 177 ; previous laws, 177 ; its provisions, 177 ; 

 amendment rejected and bill passed, 178. 



In the House, a bill to repeal the 13th section of the 

 act to suppress insubordination, etc., which author- 

 ized the President to extend pardon to Southern offi- 

 cers, etc., 178 ; Congress has no control over the power 

 to pardon given to the President by the Constitution, 

 178 ; no necessity for immediate action, 178 ; object of 

 the bill to prevent an unwise restoration of property 

 to persons engaged in arms against the Government, 

 179; referred to the Judiciary Committee and reported 

 back, 179 ; effect of the repeal on the pardoning power 

 of the President, 179, 180; it is proposed to repeal the 

 13th section because it is broader than the Constitu- 

 tion, 180; the power of pardon is in the President, and 

 in him exclusively, 181 ; the power of the President to 

 pardon is comprehensive of every offence, ana in the 

 most comprehensive terms of the English language, 

 181 ; all proclamations of the President operate as laws, 

 181; no necessity for action, 182; original act .of con- 

 fiscation misnamed, 182 ; the great mass of the South- 

 ern people did not incur the crime of treason, 182 ; 

 high time that wholesale accusations had ceased, 182 ; 

 this repeal will be understood as an expression by 

 Congress against a conciliatory course toward the 

 Southern States, 183 ; bill passed, 183. 



In the House, a bill considered to regulate removals 

 from office. 184; its details, 184 ; also a bill of a former 

 session called up, 184; its details, 184; it rests upon 

 the hypothesis that the power of removal does not 

 rightfully belong to the President alone, 184; the 

 people have rebuked and trodden down the arrogant 

 pretensions of the Executive, 185 ; amendment rela- 

 tive to the heads of departments offered, 185 ; consists 

 ortwo propositions : first, the heads of the several de- 

 partments irremovable at the mere pleasure of the 

 President ; second, authorizes them to appoint their 

 subordinates, 185 ; if the first prevails, there is no 

 reason why the second should not, 185 ; situation of 

 the President and Secretary of State if this proposition 

 is adopted, 185 ; this is a radical change of the Gov- 

 ernment of the United States, 186 ; the proposition is 

 fraught with future embarrassment and inconvenience, 

 186 ; what right has aheaci of a department to a policy, 

 except it be that policy established by law ? 186 ; the 

 practice which it is proposed to change has obtained 

 too often and too long in the Government. 186 ; the 

 amendment rejected and the bill passed, 187. 

 In the Senate, bill reported from the joint select Com- 



