The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-11-30
Remarks OF Speaker Collar ON tho
Admission OF Southern Members.


Admiration OF Southern Members.
On Saturday last, a large number
OF the friends of ex-Speake, Cola1
compimented him with serenade by
the Marine Band, in Washington
city, on which occasion he made a
speech. After thanking them for the
honor done him, and referring to the
cond1t1on OF the country, now as
compared with the time of the closing
of the last Congress, he proceeded at
length to speak of the probable action
of the next Congress, when represen-
tatlves of the States lately in rebel
lion would be seeking admission to
take part in the legislation of the
country and said:
The Constitution, which seems
framed for every emergency, gives to
each House the exclusive right to
Judge of the qualifications, election
and return of its members, and / ap-
prehend they will exercise that right.
Congress, having passed no law on
reconstruction, President johnson
prescribed certain action for these
States, which he deemed indispcnsa-
bic to their restoration to their for
mer relations to the Government.
which I think eminentlv Wise ac;!
patriotic. First That their conyen-
tlons should declare the various ordi-
nances of secession null and void, not
as some have done, merely repeating
them, but absolutely, without any
force or effect. Second-That their
Legislatures should adopt the Con
stltutlonal amendment abolishing
slavery, that this cause of dissension
and rebellion might be utterly extir-
pated. Third they shall for
mally repudiate the rebel debt,
though, by its terms, it will be long
while before it fell due. as it was to
be payable six months after the recor
milton of the Confederacy by the
Unit d States.
This reminds me of an old friend
in Indiana, who said he liked to give
his notes payable ten days after con-
venlence. Laughter and applause.
and cries of "gooI'] But there are
other terms on which think there
IS no division among the loyal men
OF the Union. First, that the De-
claration of Independence must be
recognized as the law of the land,
and every man, alien or native, white
or black, protected in the inalienable
and God-given rights of life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness. Mr..
Lincoln, in that emancipation pro-
clamation, which is the proudest
wreath in his chaplet of fame. lap
plause, not only gave freedom to the
slave, but declared 4hat the Govern
ment would maintain that freedom
Applause. We cannot abandon
them and leave them defenceless at
the mercy of their former owners.
They must be protected in their
right OF person and property, and
these freemen must have the right to
sue In courts of justice for ali lust
claims, and testify also, so as to have
security against outrage and wrong.
L call them freemen, not freedmen.
The last phrase might have answered
before their freedom was fully Sc
cured, bat they should be regarded
now as freenlen Of the Republic.
Second-The amendments of their
State Constitutions, which have been
I"oP'eu ny many OF Their cOnven-
tlons-so reluctantly under the pres
sure OF dispatches from the President
and Secretary of State-should be
ratified by majority Of their people.
We all know that but very small
portion of their voters participated
In the election of delegates to these
conventions, and nearly, if not ell the
conventions, have declared them in
force without any ratification by the
people.
When that crisis has passed, can
they not turn around and say that
these were adopted under duress, by
delegates elected by meagre vote
under provisional governors and mil
itary authorities, and never ratified
by popular vote and could they