THE FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT 205 



The old fear that the ex-confederate would immediately manip- 

 ulate the newly reorganized States to his own interests accounts for 

 this proposition. Even in the House there was considerable dissatis- 

 faction manifested by many who otherwise favored the resolution. 

 It was felt that it worked an injustice to many and that it was in- 

 spired by feelings of sectional hate. Some did not hesitate to call 

 it an action directly opposed to the original spirit of the Constitu- 

 tion and a decided step toward centralization. Mr. Raymond of 

 New York who supported the amendment with the exception of this 

 section, voiced the sentiments of many when he said that " if his- 

 tory teaches anything, if any principle is established by the concur- 

 rent annals of all nations, it is that sentiment cannot be coerced; that 

 opinions even cannot be controlled by force ; and that with any 

 people fit to be free, or fit to be the countrymen of men who are 

 free, all such efforts defeat themselves and intensify and perpetuate 

 the hostilities sought to be overcome." 



The sentiments of those favoring the section were expressed by 

 statements such as McKee of Kentucky made when he declared tliat 

 without this " the widows and orphans of the slain soldiers of the 

 Republic " would be insulted by having traitors to frame their laws. 

 '' The loyal alone should rule the country which they alone had saved." 

 Mr. Stevens in closing; the debate in the House, was most urgent in 

 his plea that this section should not be stricken out. In his usual 

 extravagant but unquestionably sincere manner, he denounced the 

 confederates as unfit for the present to wield the ballot. He did 

 not wish to " sit side by side with men whose garments smell of 

 the blood of my kindred." 



It was soon evident that something more conservative would be 

 substituted in the Senate. Senator Wade of Ohio proposed that the 

 only discrimination which should be made which would affect repre- 

 sentation " should be in virtue of impartial qualifications founded on 

 intelligence or property or because of alienage or for participation 

 in rebellion or other crimes. This was immediately attacked on the 

 ground that property should never be made a qualification for voting. 

 Senator Wilson proposed as a substitute " that no person who has 



