Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-26
THfRrY-NETH CONGREss-FIRsT
SESSION

THfRrY-NFNTH cONGREss-FIRsT
SESSION.
Senate. W AsHINeToN, Dec. %.
Mr.. Wade presented memorial of tn
: Society of Friends, of Baltimore, askin
/ that something be done in behalf Of ia
4 freedom Of the South. Referred TO IN
2 Special Committee on Freedmen.
q The bill for the payment OF twenty
five thousand dollars to Mrs. LiRcol
f was passed.
! Mr.. Morrill,, from the Committee ol
! District of Columbia, reported Dill L
regulate. elective franchise, in the Dis
o trict. by removing distinctions Of color a
a qualification for its exercise.
! Mr.. Sumner hoped II would be actet
, on very soon, as the country demanded
It.
Mr.. Davis called Mr.. Sumner to order
making il point of order that the bill
was not before the Senate for discussion
, Mr.. Anthony reported, from the Com
/. mittee on Printing, a resolution fol
printing three thousand copies Of tn,
, eulogies delivered on the late Senator
Collamer Passed.
Mr.. Cresswell called up the House reso
luton providing for a recess, and moved
that the Senate recede from its amend
! ]
mittee of Conference was agreed to.
Mr.. Sherman presented a petition
signed by a number of citizens, asking fOi
land grants TO soldiers of the late war
Referred TO the Committee on Public
Lands.
Mr.. Sumner presented a petition oi
citizens of Massachusetts for the appoint
meut of Provisional Governor over all
States lately in rebellion guaranty OF
the rights of all loyal citizens in those
States; enfranchisement and equality
before law, etc He also presented SINH
lar petitions from citizens of New York,
Maryland, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, New
Jersey and Kentucky. The petitions
were referred TO the Special Committee
Of Fifteen, on Reconstruction.
Nj Sumner also presented the petition
Of DIR. Cheever, Of New York, Mr.. Par
ker, of Pittsburgh, and Others for equal
ity before law in the Southern States.
Mr.. Wade, from the Committee on
Territories, reported favorably bill TO
give the consent of Congress to the an
nexation of the counties of Buckley and
Jefferson, Virginia, TO the State Of West
] Nirg'Ria.
Mr.. Morrill, from Committee on De-
partment of Columbia, reported favOra-
/ bly, on the bill TO regulate the elective
! franchise in the District of Columbia with
/ amendments, one Of which mOdities the
| privilege by restricting il to those who
/ Shall be able TO read the Constitution of
! the United States in the English language
and write his name. A new section is
| inserted prescribing a penalty of five
/ thousand dollars and imprisonment not
! exceeding one year, for wilfully rejecting
or refusing to receive the vote ofany per-
| son entitled to that right.
Mr.. Wilson called up the Senate bill to
maintain the freedom Of inhabitants in
! States declared in insurrectiOn and rebel
/ lion by the proclamation of the Presi-
/ dent of July first, eighteen hundred and
/ siXty-twO. 1t abolished all laws, statutes,
acts, ordinances, rules and regulations,
which make inequalities in rights and
! immunities account distinctions or differ
| ences of rule, race or descent
Mr.. Sumner" When I think of what
! occurred in this chamber yesterday;
when call to mind the attemptto white
wash the unhappy condition of rebel
| States, and at this time throw the man
! tie of official oblivion over the sickening
and heart-rending oUtrages, where
human rights are sacrificed and barbar-
ism receives a new letter of license, feel
as if ] ought to speak of nothing else to-
day. Sir, l stood here long ago, in the
days of Kansas, when a small commun-
ity was surrendered TO the Vaccinations
of the slaye-master, and now l stand
here, alas while an immense region
with millions of population, is surren-
dered to the machinations of slave-mas-
ters. 1t belongs to Congress to arrestthis
fatal fury. Congress must learn 10 be
brave and TO be just. But l am not
willing to be diverted from the precise
question before the Senate, although l
am naturally led to pass in review the
condition of the rebel States"
The Chair suggested that the question
before the Senate was the motion to re-
fer the bill to the Judiciary Committee,
and on this motion a discussion of the
merits of the bill was not in order
Mr. Trumbun suggested that Mr.. sum-
ner be permitted to proceed, and as no
objection was made
Mr.. Sumner continued his remarks,
He said on the bill before the Senate all
must agree. It was an excellent meas
ure. Ii undertakes nothing more than
the assurance of equality before the law
which il is assumed il is essential to carry
forward and maintain. The Proclama-
ton Of Emancipation to which the Ma
tioual Government Is pledged-the words
of the ProclamatiOn-nO one can forget.
They read that the slaves shall from this
time henceforth be free, and the Execu-
tive, with the military and naval author
ities, shall maintain them in their free
dom. There is your pledge which has
gone before the world. 1t goes wherever
the limits of your Republic extend, and
it is as sacred as your national life.
Wherever that flag floats, 80 long o. the
r,la -
10 be observed. How shall we see that
this pledge is preserved? Isit to be COM
mitted to States? No, sir. The preser-
vation of that pledge must be by the Ma
tional Government which made IT, which
gave freedom, and sOlemnly promised to
maintain that freedom.
Mr.. Sumner read number of extracts
from the Southern correspondence of the
Boston AdUertiser and other papers, and
from private letters received by him from
reliable parties in the South, 10 show the
disloyal Sentiment Of the Southern peo-
pie, and the cruelty with which the freed
men are being treated in the late rebel
liOus states.
In conclusion he called upon the SEN
ate to pass this bill or any other bill cal
culated to secure justice for the freedmen.
mark. There seemed to be an appre-
hension in some quarters that the Demo-
cratic party was again 10 come to power,
through the present executive; there
was already an opposition party spring
ing from the ranks of the Republicans.
He would say 10 the President that ne
ought 10 stand firm by this policy and
if he continued in that policy, two mil
lion of faithful men IN the North would
support him, although they did not vote
for him, and would welcome contest
| whenever it came.
Mr.. Cowan was unwilling, TO let Mr..
| Summers speech go 10 the country with
out a protest The extracts read by him
| from private letters were not impartial
nor unprejudiced. The cases referred TO
were exceptional, Where one man out
of thousand was cruel 10 the negroes, it
was published, but there was nothing
said about the nine hundred and ninety
nine others, who treated the negroes pro-
/ perry. Mr.. Cowan alluded 10 Mr.. Gum
ner's charge OF whiteWashing, used
against the President, and defended the
! President from it. He read extracts from
I the message Of yesterday, and expressed
| his belief in its fairness and truth.
! Further consideration Of the bill was
postponed until tomorrow.
A message was received from the House,
| announcing the death of Mr.. Kellogg,
1 member of the House from New York,
and the passage of q resolution of respect
| for his memory.
Mr.. Harris pronounced eulogy upon
the deceased member.
Mr.. Trumbull, from the Committee
1 on Conference on the subject Of adjourn
ment, made a report in favor of adjourn
/ ing from Thursday, hetwenty-f inst,
to Friday the fifth proximO. The re-
port was agreed to.
The Senate adjourned.
House " AsHISCroN, Dec. 20,
Mr.. Morrill,, from the Committee
on Ways and Means, reported bill au-
I thorizing the Secretary Of the Treasury
TO appoint Assistant Assessors Of the In
( ternal Revenue. Passed.
Mr.. Stevens, Of Pennsylvania, in
troduced bill to pay pensions and dam
ages 10 Union property by the rebels out
OF theif oonGscatsd property. Referred
TO the Committee Of the Whole.
Mr.. Lawrence, of Ohio, submitted
a resolution, which was laid on the table
| To be printed. affirming that jefferson