Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-06-19
STEVENS AND SPALDING.
The Reconstruction Amendment.
Speeches of Hon. X PSpaIding of ohio
and Hon. Thaddeus v of Penn.
syIvnniR. on the constitutional
Amendment, Wednesday,, June 18Th.

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Mr.. SPALDING. Mr.. Speaker, 1
shall ever consider it the crowning honor
of my life that l vas permitted, as a hum
bic member of the Thirty-E Eighth Con-
gress, TO record my vote in favor of that
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States which has made our whole
country, the United States of America,
emphGtically "the land of the free" as it
is confessedly "the home of the brave"
And l hope that l may qe permitted this
day TO give one other vote which shall be
among the richest legscies l can transmit
TO my children.
Sir, on the 9Th day of January last it
fell to my lot to address this House in
Committee of the Whole. At the close of
my remarks on that occasion, l yentured
TO state a number of propositions which
1 supposed would satisfy my constituency
in this business of reconstruction. Among
those propositions was one to aamend the
the Constitution of the United States, in
respect TO apportionment of Representa-
tiyes and direct taxes among the several
states of the Union, in such a manner
that people of color shall not be counted
with the population in making upthe ratio
except it be in states where they are per-
mitted to exercise the elective franchise
Among the provisions of the amendment
to the Constitution now reported by the
committee I find one substantially cover
ing the ame ground. 1 say, as an indi-
vidual, that l would more cheerfully give
my vote if that provision allowed all men
of proper age whom we have made free to
Join in the exercise ofthe right of suffrage
in this country. But if l eaunot obtain
all that 1 wish, L will go heartily TO Sc
ure all we can obtain.
Again, sir, l said, "Insert a provision
in tie Constitution, prohibiting the repu-
diation Of the national debt, and also pro-
hibiting the assumption by Congress of
the rebel debt" That is also incorpor-
ated among the provisions reported from
the committee and acted upon by the Sen
ate.
Ialso said, " Provide in the Constitu-
ton that no person who has at any time
taken up arms against the United States
shall ever be admitted to a seat in the
Senate or House of Representatives in
Congress- The joint committee and the
Senate have adopted a provision which is
better by far than the one | proposed l
shall most cordially vote in favor of it.
l have been told that perhaps the close
of the third section might be open TO mis-
apprehension and misc0nstruction. l de-
sire very briefly to give my view Of that
question, as one given to the constituting of
laws and constitutions by practice and
education. The last clause of that section
is as follows:
d" But Congress may, by a vote of two
thirds of each House, remove such disabil-
ity."
Now, it has boen claimed by some that
this would put it into the power of
two-thirds Of each branch of Congress TO
annul this amendment of the Constitution
after it shall have been adopted. l say
that such never could be the construction
put upon this provision by any court I'M
der the light Of the sun. The section
reads:
"SEc. ,. No person shall be a Senate
or Representative in Congress, or electOr
of President or Vice President. or hold
any Office, civil or military under the
United States, or under any State, who,
having previously taken an oath, as a
member Of Congress or as an officer of the
United States, or as @ member of any
State Legislature, or as q executive or
Judicial officer Of any State, 10 support
the Constitution of the United States, shall
have engaged in Instruction or rebellion
against the same, or given aid snd comfort
TO the enemies thereof. But Congress
may, by a vote of two-thirds of each
House, remove such disability
Remove what disability? The personal
disability ia each Individual case, and not
to remove the provision OF the Cons.itu-
tion itself, which is to stand for all time.
L am satisfied to take this proposed
amendment as it is. l take it from the
first word Of the joint resolution to the
last syllable OF tie porpase4 amendment
and L give to the whole 2 hearty "aIpen, >
and l trust that the vote this day will
show that all the Union members Of this
House here present are actuated by the
same sentiments which now inspire my
bosom.