Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-12-19

Mr.. Wade. | was IN hopes that the merits
of the bill would not be discussed upon a mere
motion to take it up for consideration; but
vhen the Senator from Massachusetts under
takes ID advance, and out Of order, as l think,
TO prejudice a measure of which L am the
advocate, [ must Re allowed a moment to
answer hin. He Gays there is no merit In
the bill, and therefore it should no. be taken
up-undertaking himself to prejudice 1t and
ID judge fox the whole Senate. In this Judg-
ment IL is Z bill OF DO merit. Sir, it he were
the sole Judge here, l should give up at once
I should come down very quickly but he
is not the Judge 20 decide ultimately Tor this
body and this way OF dealing with the Pub
iec5 Is not altogether satisfactory 20 me. As
the Senator has made aiiusion to antiquity,
he VIII permit me to remind him that there
was an ancient saying that some men would
: strain at a gnat and swallow a camel and L
do not see but that the remark IS applicable
TO him on the present occasion. why, sir,on
the very objection which the Senator mikes
10 is himself committed upon the merits OF
the bill 20 vote Tor it. No Jesuit can draw
the line Of distinction between his votes Ga
former measures an! the vote l ask him &c
give or this measure. How was Ii when the
CONSTITUENCIES Amendmens was up last ses-
sion That Senator voted for 1T Did that
com pei a state before coming into the Union
20 allow franchise TO all citizens ind;scrIDin-
ateiy No, sir, net at al the oaiy penalty
il pIescrI oej tor a state which made dlscFim-
nations was thai. tie class whom 1t excluded
from the franchise should not be counted IN
the bases OF representation. So II will be
with Nebraska II we pass tails blli. Inc
only dIff-rence between the cases Is that the
Senator gave his vote In favor OF a rebei
safe thai now las her representation On TINS
fl Jor-equliiy divided between rebellion and
InvulrC ~ voted that sn1 IDlynt coma In.
L aiiude 70 tennessee.
MIR. Sumuer. Dsi | vote Tor that
MIR. Wade. | believe you did.
Mr.. Summer. On 10.
Mir. Wade. But the principie on which
you did vote would have brought It in lever
theless. /. is exactly TIE same question, with
this difference Tins IS i territory when has
always been loyal. always patriotic, WHICH
sent INTO the field to fghi the battles agains.
rebellion more troops IN proportion TO her IL
habitanis than perhaps any other State or
territory III the UniOn, and yet, Sir (turnlng
20 Mr.. Sumner) you nox raise an objection
against her, though you voted for a rebel
State. That is ali there Is N the Gaze. 1
hope no such consideration will induce US for
one moment 10 postpone the consideration OF
this bill. Let US put it upon Its merits, and
let Us do justice - the Representatives, and
Senator's from these new states that are walt
ing here. My judgment is that no territory
ever knocked at your doors for admission as s
state with greater reason to be successful tL-an
does this territory of Nebraska. There are
gentlenea upon this floor ami elsewhere COZ
tending ;ilst Ih6 little state VI Florida, with
nos - many inhabitants as Nebraska state
SCARED eli owe. with rebellIGl-nns 5e az
m;tEed here, AM cannot wall a moment, but
waen the loyal territory vi Nebraska, With
more inhabitants, asks Tor admission she Sena-
tor from Massachusetts stands Ike Il lion 10
the pathway - Keep her out, when really he
wants her I'D TO carry great measures Ii the
direction tina hs ant advocate. L hope ;he
question VII 10. be postponed.
Several otaer S-naeors spoke for or against
taking up the Nebraska bill, and toward the
c'ose of the debate Mr.. Sdmntr again took
the foor.
Nj. Sumner. The Senator from ONO re
marked that l vosei Tor the Constitutions
Amendment. ! dId vote for the Constitution
al Amendment. But | should ike to ask the
Sauator whether he considers himself b3un1
now 10 admit one OF these rebel states II Ii
refuses Suffice TO freedmen | should like
30 ask mg irisad 70 answer that.
Mr.. Wade. No, | DO nos.
Mr.. Sumner. | knew be dbl Mt.
MIR. Wade. | do not know that | under
stand the Senator. Let me say that | shouic
consider myself bound by tie Constitutions
Amendment, ii ne Southern States compiled
with II within = Ieasona5.e time, and tia
reasonable time IN my judgment Is nearl,
elapsed. By q reasonable time, | mean a
soon as their Legislatures can consider IT. 1
they adopt the constitutional Amendment ant
comply with the terms prescribed by the re
construction CO nmittee and adopted By Con
gress | should feel bound to vote for their ad
missicn. / voted for the constitutions
Amendment on that ypothesis.
Mr.. Sumner. Even with the word WHITE
in their Constitution?
Mr. Wade. Without regard to tba'.
Mr.. Sumner. Without regard to the right
Of reedmen?
Mr.. Wade. On complying with the requ.
sItions Of the Constitutional Amendment.
should vote for them
MIR. Sumner. l do not agree with the Sen
ator, and L distinctly stated when the propo
sIsion was under discussion that | did no
accept it as Q f0alisy that | was not i
any respect bound TO It that SO far as | ha'
a vote N this hcor | wou d insist that ever.
0Ie OF these Sates before their REPRESENT
ariyes were received In Congress should coz
/ Ter impartial suffrage without Instruction o
r color. SIT, we are now seeking to oDiIterat
tne word - " bite " from ali institution.
and constructions there, and yet Senator
here, with that great ques.ion Detoie theE
g rush swiftly forward to admit a new Sat
with the wocd {" whi.e p" n lis Constitution
IL o:har days we sll uEite1, (m my of US dix
and toe Senator from OlIo was among TIA
> number, } in saying : NJ more oiave States +!
9 L now insist upon another ery-'no NOR
0 States with the word white in their Consgitu
ten Ga that question | part company wit
Gay irield from OHIO. lie 10 now &bout
We COM them.
The Senate voted 10 take W :he bill By
vote Of % ayes TO IL nays.
Although the S.na-e vosed with Ssnaic
Wade, We think it quite apparent that Sent
tor Sumner had much the best of the argt
ment and we hope il will turn ous that ,h
two Senators from Vermont voted, as S enato
, Eimunds yotsd las: session on the Coiorad
o bill, against any further liberation Of new
9 states 3hich, attempt to keep alive the unr'
{ publican doctrine tina. this is a " white man
8 government
Ii Congress is not ye, ready t, insist tia
. civil and political rights 10 this country aha
$ henceforth be enjoyed and held without di
~tinction of color, it m'srepre sents the pcopl
{ No act has been more impeiatively demande
than the one just passed abolishing the coll
di s.inction at the bailot-box In the Distri'
r Of Columbia. Yet Nebraska and Colorad
are yet territories, and as completely In tt
e power of Congress es tie District of Colun
!, bis and he leg ~islative body which will yo
d one day against the exclusion of coloTed me
from the bal ot in that District. and Il
next day in favor Of such exclusion In n