Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-02-17
Congressional Proceedings.

| WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-SENATE-By 6
clerical error in the report of a recent
days proceedings, the bill introduced
by Mr.. Anthony to regulate suf
frage in the District of Columbia, is
made to confer the right of suffrage
only upon white persons. 1t confers
it upon all male persons residents OF
the District one year prior to the cleo
ton, and upon all who were entitled
to vote at the election of 1865. Ii
makes no distinction on account of
color.
Mr.. RAMSAY, of Minnesota, presented
memorial from the citizens of Mime
sofa, asking for the establishment of a
bureau of education at Washington. to
have charge of the educational inter
ests of the country, and to establish
common schools in every part of the
Union.
The joint resolution was then read
proposing the following amendment
Representatives shall be apportioned
among the several States which may be
included within the Union according to
their respective numbers, counting the
whole number of persons in each State.
excluding Indians not taxed, provided
that whenever the elective franchise
shall be denied or abriged on account
of color, all persons of such race or
color shall be excluded from the basis
of representation.
Sumner took the floor, and after a
few Introductory remarks called for the
reading CT the following proposition,
offered by him as substitute for the
above JOINT resolution:
WHEKEAs. II is provided that the Constitu-
ton NJ the United States shall guarantee to
every State in the Union republican form of
government, and,
WHEREAS BY reason of the failure of GER
tain States to maintain governments which
Congress can recognize, it has become the
DUTY of the United States, standing in the
place of guarantees where the principal has
made lapse, to secure to such States &C
cording to the requirement OF the guaranty
government republican in form, and,
WHEREAS, FURTHER, 1t is provided in a re-
cent constitutional amendment that Congress
may enforce the prohibition Of slavery by ap-
propriate legislation, and Ii is important to
this end that all relics of slavery should be
removed, including all distinctions of rights
on account of color, Now. therefore, to carry
out republican form of government and to
enforce the prohibition of slavery, be it
ResOlced, By the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives, &c, that in all States lately de-
oligarchy, aristocracy, caste or monopoly in
vested with peculiar privileges, and there shall
be no denial of rights, civil or political on
account of color or race, but all persons shall
be equal before the law whether in the court
room or at the ballot box, and this statute
made in pursuance of the Constitution shall
be the supreme law of the land, anything in
the constitution or laws of any such State
to the contrary notwithstanding.
SUMNER gave briefly his objections to
the proposed constitutional amendment,
which he characterized as nothing else
than another compromise on human
rights, as if the country had not already
paid enough in costly treasure and more
costly blood for such compromises in |
the past. 1t was wrong to admit in the |
the idea that man could |
hold property in man, and also the |
idea of inequality in race and |
that openly set at naught the first |
of the Declaration of hide /
pendence and the guarantee of a
republican form of government. There
ire four millions of citizens now robbed
country, while at the same time they
re taxed directly or indirectly for the
upport of the government, and this
tyranny of taxation without representa-
ion it is now proposed to recognize as
lot inconsistent with constitutional
lights and the guarantees of republic
n government. Speaking with sincere
difference for those valued friends from
fhom he differed, he submitted that the
lme had come at last when all compro- [
nises of human rights should cease,
specially there should be no thought