The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-02-09

the greatest number. BE could not do what
he would that was no reason wby he would
not do what he could. The resolution of the
Committee said to these people, you shall not
nave any more political power than you are
Wllllng to concede to all within your borders
was this mean compromise? Were the
Committee of Fifteen and the House of Rep
resentatives placing themselves in the same
category as Pontius PLATE. with the negro
typlfying the Saviour of the world, and the
Southern people Barrabas? Had they not
done something in saying to those people that
their political power would be in direct pro
portion to their action in the right direction
The freedom of the slaves is of course source
of soreness to those who once owned them,
but time will cure all that, and those people
will say to themselves Is it not foolish to de-
prive ourselves of SO much political power;
will it not be better to educate and advance
this race, that by their aid we may secure
larger share of Government?" Having brought
forward the advantages OF this proposition, it
now remained to consider the objections. One
of them was that it was remuneration of the
power which belonged to Congress. The SEN
ator had argued that Congress could legislate
on the subject. Well, by presenting this pro-
position did they, could they, renOunce that
power. They may omit to exercise If. but
those who come after them may not. All the
Congresses that have existed since the crea-
ton could not abrogate right which the Con-
stitution gave. According to the Senator, a
government where slavery existed was not
Republican, yet the trainers of the Constitu-
ton had guaranteed to every State Republi-
can form of government, and especially recog-
nlzed slavery. He then entered into defini-
ton of the word guarantee, and said that it
did not mean that the General Government
should examine into every statute passed by
the different States, and send its marShals and
military force to regulate the laws as it saw fit
If that was what was meant by guarantee the
States would have their hands full. He took
it that the guarantee provided for in the Con-
stitution did not 60 so far as that, and when
the Senator from Massachusetts, contended
that it was the duty of the United States to
60 into every State and see that every man
voted, he went rather farther than the foun-
ders CT the Government contemplated.
Mr.. Sumner said he had made no such ar
gument that the United States could revise
the statutes of the different States, except in
case of a lapse of Government in the States.
Mr.. Fessenden-The Senator says we must
secure this In those States which have lapsed
That is anew phrase. The honorable Sena-
tor, in his able, eloquent and exhaustive argu-
ment, proposes substitute for our resolution.
heJ uS Scc uOW. ldT Ll6 TGlQcuy Will D6 6IQCa-
cious If the Senator would excuse him, he
would say that his remedy was very much
like an exceedingly short whip with very long
handle. After such preamble he had hoped
some adequate provision would follow. He
looked for some machinery that would provide
for the enforcement of the right to vote; that
the courts should be invoked, and it they were
powerless, then the military, which would
shock the sensibilities of his friend from Indi-
ana, Mr.. Hendricks; but there was nothing of
the kind. Suppose these States refuse to do
what the Senator wished, how could they be
made to do it? Mr. Sumner said that after
the solemn act of the Senate last Friday, in
decreeing equal civil rights to all, he had re-
NAKED to friends on both sideso of the chamber,
that it was now their duty to decree equal DO
litical rights, and he had therefore been impel-
led by that conviction to offer his resolution. i
L Mr.. Sumner explained. aJi nj liiBqioiIJa4
[ Mr.. Fessenden was much obliged to the Sem
ator for his explanation, but must confess that
he could not understand asserting that the
proposition brought in by the Committee was
compromise, a surrender, disgrace, an
abandonment of moral principle. The Sena-
| tor had brought in remedy which but re-en-
| acts the Constitution. He should not have ex-
anlined it SO closely but for the violcntr-he
might say virulent-attack made on the action
of the Committee by the Senator from Massa-
chusetts. 1t was useless to put upon the stat
ute book provision which entailed penalties.
1t is nothing more than legislative declara-
ton. aAyAsA 9sa ,sl,eua i.17s 9Isd qi9di zsd
Mr.. Sumner-That was all intended. Lra
Mr.. Fessenden-AH he intended ?-then
where was his proyiso of human rights Sir,
lam afraid there is too much of this cry of
human rights, which ends only in words. We,
| the Committee of Fifteen, have done more
than words, but after the declaration of the
Senator it would i'll become me to continue at
| greater length. '''4 t'o'll* --'! IL
| He concluded by saying that under this bill
| he believed it would be pertinent to discuss
the present condition of the rebel States, and
he had thought he would reply to the remarks
of the Senator from Maryland, Mr.. johnson
| and the Senator from Pennsylvania, Mr. Cow.
an, but he did not know that it would be best
for him to speak on any other matter than the
one just under consideration, and he would re-
serve his remarks for future occasion. He
1 would commend this proposition to their care
| full consideration. 1t was all that they or their
constituents hoped to accomplish, but it was
an important step in the right direction Z q
! He had great hopes of those who were re-
Gently Confederates, and who now, when they
! knew that they could not do all that they de.
! sired, and their attention was called into the
/ right direction, the road would seem SO pleas
| ant that they could not fail to enter upon it.
| they could not expect to do everything in a
day, and if what they hoped could be accom-
| plished in few years by this proposition,
/ which addressed itself to their interest and
/ love of power, all men might be placed ON the
/ same proud and Constitutional level, enjoying
| their rights in the same way, and moving on
the same path. He might not live to see it,
but he hoped the Senator from Massachusetts,
wouid 3Af1 hGa ,b.le.-.sG ID HHHs 5misi9 a.4