The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-02-03
- - I-.,,,,,.
PRo1T wAsHINGTON.

- Representatives ofiWest Virginia for
/ and the Other two Against the
\ Amendment. i'ie 80 43,,t 81;
l. iWAsHISGToN, Wed. Ev'ng, Jan. 81, 1866, I
4 In the House to- day Mr.. Stevens, from
I the Joint ComrnitteA on. Reconstruction,
to whom were referred the jointiresolu-
Iition5 and allGof the proposed amend
.ments to amend the Constitution OF the
| United States, so as to provide for a new
basis OF representation, reported the fol-
flowing Joint resolution as substitute
\ for the propositions referred to them:
ReSoLUed, by the Senate and House OF
| Representatives, &C., two Lhirdslofboth
Houses concurring,) that the following
article be proposed to the GegiSl latures
| of the several States as AN amendment
| to the Constitution of the United States,
which, when ratified by three-tourths
| of said Legislatures, shall be valid as
part of said Constitution viz" Artl-
| Gle. Representatives shall be ap-
portioneu among the several States
! Union according to their respective
| numbers, counting the whole number
| of persons in each State, excluding In
dians not taxed: provided, that when
| ever the elective franchise shall be de-
| MED or abridged in any State on ac-
| count of race or color, all persons there-
| in of suclI race or color shallbe exclud,
I IL
kTThis amendment is the same hereto
Efore under consideration, except that
| the words stand direct taxeS'' are strick-
en,out after the word Representatives ]
Mr.. Stevens addressed the House in
support of the amendmentasm modified,
which he had just reported. He SAID
| that it differed only from the amend-
| ment heretofore under consideration
by striking out the words "and direct
l,ta xes. .itEaHe held differently from the
position at the other end of the avenue,
| that the constitution needed no amend
ment, butiShould remain as our fathers
made it. But Congress had duty to
discharge, he contepded, onlyequalled,
for veal ior1woe, to that convention
| which issued the Declaration of indie
DenClence.5 . The present and future
generations, awaited the legislation of
this Congress on the basis of freedom
with the greatest and deepest interest.
If the fathers had placed the constttu-
| tion on the basis of freedom in the
Declaration of Independence, there
would have been no necessity for the
Dresent amendment, and every one
| now would have been free and equal
before the law. But at the time when
it was proposed to reduce the prtnc1-
pies of the Declaration into the organic
| law ofIthe land, spirit hot from hell
appeared among the founders, OF the
povernment, which had been growing
larger and stronger ever since. The
fathers, to preserve and harmonic the
conflicting views of the thirteen colo
nies, mnde q compromise in the consti-
tuition. At the time that TOOK place
there were but ninety bales of cotton
exported. Now there were three mil
lions Then there were but few slaves,
while now there We're four millions Of
freedmen-the slaves having increased
so rapidly as TO exceed even the White
population of the Southern States. he
Viewed the present time as one to DO
Justice to the principles of freedom by
amending the constitution, and. Ihe
would say now. that he would rather
not live than to entertain the sentiment
of the gentleman from New York, MI.
Raymond) and those above him, that
the constitution did not need any
amendment.
Mr.. stevens misunderstood him in say
ing that he opposed all amendments:
He : expressly conceded that some
amendment similar TO the pending one
shonld be adopted.
Mr.. Stevens continuing, said he allu-
ded as much to gentleman atthe other
end of the avenue as 10 the gentleman
from New York. He had as much re-
spnct for the President as any one, but
he did not endorse him for he had put
forth a document in the shape ofa COM
mand to this House, which was a usur-
patton and a violation of the rules and
privileges of this House, and hundred
yeurs ago would have costa British king
his head had he sent such an edict in
such a way to Parliament. Without
this a amendment he commended that the
States always had the right to regulate
the elective franchise, and he held that
the pending amendment DID not take
away this right when IL became incor-
porated in this constitution. 1t said,
however, to these States, that If they
abused the elective franchise the consti-
tuition would hold n penalty over them.
All knew of the aspiration and ambl7
ton, of the Southern States to rule this
nation, for having failed to ruin the
country they would now try to rule il;
buti3i!this! constitutional amendment
would say to those States, just so far us
y6tiJa btish the elective franchise by re-
fnsine a vote to the most loyal part of
youripopulation,ju just SO IN proportton
shaIliyou lose your power in the gov
ernment, by losing your repTesentatioRG res lI3G
in the halls OF Congress. The South
would lose by this amendment thirty
five representatives. Their representa-
ton would be reduced from eighty TO
forty-five, and then we could add, he
said, the whole nest OF copperheads,
and freedom would still be triumphant
Mr.. stevens then proceeded to favor
the edueation-ciyil and reltgious-of
the freedmen for four or five years 70
come, and when they became qualified
he would, give them suffrage. But he
did not want them to vote until they
were qualified, and then he would give
themTeptesentannn- he Yonld frank
ly saythat be did not want their repre-
sentation until that time. In a few
wears he woIiid not be here to see those
on the other side of the House draw
daggers on him when he made such
speech us he was now making, as was
the case many years ago, but tfeemen
would Occnpy their places. He opposed
Mr.. Schenckts proposition TO apPortion
representation among male voters. II
was, he said in one respect objectiona-
BE. 1t seemed to- indicate fear
of rivalry with the women as
much, US the democrats had
feared the rivalry of the negro.
WhiIei he could not get all he wanted,
rheiwoulri take what could be carried
through the States md through
two-thirds of both Houses. While
he had respect for the recent
opinion1sof the President, 1t was
well known that this amendment did
not t-po to him for his signature, and it
was therefore all the, more kind for the
President 10 send his opinion TO this
House.s lGreat laughter. M
/ MIR. Smith, of hy:, called for the
reading OF the Presidents views to
which Mr.. Stevens had alluded. The
Clerk then read the Associated Press
telegram in Mondays papers, giving a
conversation of Senator with the
President-
Mr.. Ingersoll, of Illinois, asked Mr..
Stevens how he knew those 10 be the
Presidents views.
MIR. Stevens said he was satisfied in
l,f17 7ovyu mind with his authority that