, 1866-05-28
RECONSTRUCTION IN TIE SENATE.


ps-ecll Of SIC nator Stewart, Of Nevada,
Oh ahe t'otlhtltutthn4I Amendment.
Mr. STEwANr said that IN the conflict Of |
'pinlun On questions Of expedicncy, the only
aic course was to do right; that there was
ittle difference Of opinion upon tho funda-
mental theories Of our Government; that all
9en arc equally entitled to 9 Lie, ii1s5ty and
o the Presidents t!an Of reconstruction was
is failure to realize the fond hopes Of the
American people; that four millions Of citi-
:cns, whose only offence is fidelity to the
Government, should posscss these inalicnahle
lights and be added to the strength OF the
financial burdens Of tle war and that his
plan Jailed to furnish any security against the |
sway Of The rebels in their local
State Governments With IN Increased
representation ia Go"grsss Of the dis.
would admit that It was better than no
plan, and that he WAS slow to condemn it un-
less, and until he could improve it: An i'm
proycnent Of tue Presidents plan Involved Il
cure, moi .a aErsayasio'l. Of the eyils com,
Suffrage were the only obvious remedies.
Thcseawc1e endorsed BY justice and human1ty,
but opposed by prejudice und passion. Those
Nho md assailet him iSlewart} ior the ad-
yocacy Of tue resolutions hc Ind offered, had
fallcd to find argument to rcfutc the correct.
|
views had been modified by thr progress oi
events, he lIad but followed the maxim Of
Mr. Lincoln, to ulopt new views whenever
they appeared to be lrne views and II lie
could secure tho support Of those only who
had changed their opiEions BY. the constant
development Of new facts for the last six |
years, he was sure Of the SUCCESS Of lis prop !
osition. The trouble was that some incu at |
tempted 10 apply Old theories to new licts; |
the theories vi slavery to condition Of free |
dom. His only hope Of return to correct
principles was the manifest danger OF do.
ing wrong. Leading minds Of the 1alion |
and tle voice Of the loyal press
had from the beginning expressed q willing
ness 10 settle our difficulties by adopting uni
vcrfal amnesty mud impartial su1i nse. The
spirit Of Mr.. Lipcoln whiah proclaimed 'tmal-
ice toward none, hut charity ior ALL" aninat
into ii demand Tor justice and mercy. Mr..
Stewart contcndcd that the people SHOULD be
trusted that any other theory was In conflict
will Democratic principles that tue blacks
were among liz, and must have the ballot for
self.protectioa Or determination as predicted
by their late masters; that with the ballot
tlley would have plenty Of friends, politicians
loying F1tes more than they hate negroes
that Civil Rights bills and Frecttn,cn's Bit
reaus could only he made ctlectual lY thu war
dcspotism if carried 10 the. extent required
for protection; that the ballot was self-pro-
tecting and selcsu.tainins, and in harmony
with the principle TINT disfranchise.neat
IF the ,.,s! fei,s!S involved military despot;
n xeaseanaa aiedin aausf s9 c re9is 69 Si
disiraucl'iscmcl't, and Of the hate TO
ward tue negro by depriving him OF the bal.
lot, was utterly destructive Of tree govcrn-
mcnt in the South. Somebody must vote, and
i; VIZ selected classes to vote, and rejected
until everybody WAS satisfied. there would be
few left III the enjoyment Of the franchise.
The Government would be 4 miserable aris-
tocracy or i cruel dcsFotisn, and the conflict
coulu not cease without an extension Of sut-
iras;c to lllc blacks and civil and political
t done and mercy extended, the evils Of tie
past might be buried in oblivion, and crimiua-
| 1on and rccrfmination cease in the bright
l!orc Of future peace and prosperity. lie in-
| sisted that none whu HOW arc entitled to vote
arc DISTINGUISHED; TINT those hereafter to vote
| slall be subject to the same intellectual,
| moral and property qualifications that no
possible harm could result to the country,
| bnt on the contfury 1t would change the base
and strengthen the foundations Of our iusti.
tuiion>, md prepare them for the grand SUPER
structure OF human freedom designed by our
fathers. 1t was hard to disffuncAisc the rebels,
and in their struggle to achieve the ballot they
would have the sympathy Of Republicans
throughout the world but in III ettort to
cnir..ncllise tho black nun, the sympathies OF
mankind would sustain those engaged in the
good work. Congress had already committed
Tic Union party 10 negro suffrage, aud the at-
tempt 10 deny 1t would be false issue, fol-
! lowed by certain defeat. The Democracy
did not argue against suffrage, but assumed
it to be Il great crime, and charged 1t Oh the
could hc proved. It was idle 10 deny 1t.
| There was no choice, but to confess that im-
partial suffrage is Il part Of our creed, and
justified bclorc the people. Let the Dcnioc-
racy say, II they will, that a Union soldier
| shall be disiruncliscd, rebel soldier cnIral-
shall not vote, hut that he who starved them
shall; that our friends shall be punished aud
our enemies rewarded. aud let them con.
tend for distrunchiscment and punishment oi
Rebels il they aare. when "e proposed amnes
address Of the Republic Of Switzerland
10 tho Congress Of the United States,
and appealed to Congress to finish
tho work, Us therein recommended. He said
| that the evils to be avoided were three in
| numl,cr; two political and one financial. Ths
political daiycrs were t1tc domination Of dis
| loyalty in tile State Governments Of tht
South and increased representation in Con
gross uf tue same element. The plan ot tht
committee proposed no remedy Tor the tyrau
ny Of local State Governments, and but q par
tial reduction rather than the eradication o
the dfsloyai element in Congress. 1t rroyid
| cd for part Of the financial danger by repn
diation OF the Confederate debt, a1,t Of tlt
claims for enlancipated slavts, but left tht
national credit to be constantly disturbed b,
consolidated and intensified disloyaIty botl
ut the South and in Congress. aud 10 be sha
ken by contcnding factions oi both hlacks ant
, the olt-repcated question: . Would yoa al
, low rebels aud traitors to return 10 Congress
| there again TO plot trcaspn:" Mr. $tewar
said he would answer, No; hut that lie wonl.
: take the proper means TO exclude; that h
/ would cl,ain them to the ballots OF the Iowa
people, both black and white, 10 keep then
: out Of otl1cc in the same way that III
. North excludes Corpcrhesads and syn,
: lcl;cctual chicffa1ns OF the rebellion arc c9
. cludcd from otIica, and ut the same time 10y
atty Is excluded from the ballot-hoS, trcaso
J Will find expression through lower aud mcanc
r men. Thai the faith Of the Government wa
, pledged for the protection OF the b1ack man
n and tho nation dare not violate its obligation
r The time might again come when It would b
important to divide tho South, and to abstrac
4 from its material resources the labor Of 90
o 0Q0 black men and add it to the resources t
1 the Government which once divided the Sout
Il and has;enled the overthrow Of tue Rebellion
+ The emancipation proclamation was til
dcatl.-bluw to treason, aud left the South
IS house divided against itself. IL the black
l. a1r left to destruction, may tley not be pc
:, suaded by their late mastcrs that enlancip:
! blessing" aud after their hopes and aspirs
it tions for liberty shall have been cxtinguislle
II hy the iron hand Of oppression, may they NJ
c refuse In future conflicts which promise Il
IT them. He argued at length tho advantag.
b ol f,l> plan, mud compared It with the rcpo
% Of the committee. lie appealed to Senator
&c To- stand by their principles, TO deal honcstl
Of with themselves aud frankly with the South
1t and 1t was time the South understood II
II | fl,11 RYfnrf nj hn i.r, dc Of
re they were made to understand that the
rc could be no peace, but that the conflict mu
re proceed until lull protection was extended |
In every loyal man, whether he be black
sc white. Mr. Stewart said he .wculd appeal
:" the South to join In the good work aud list,
n to those who are anxious to be their friend
rs but VINO were constrained to speak the trut
he and to put no faitf. In modern Dcnocrac
nc which had deceived them froul the bcsinnin
= ! and was utterly powcrless In the future, as
-. | overwhelming power Of the loyal North, IN
re they would cease 10 do evil and learn to
in. right. When they would let the bondrn
re- depart In peace. with the ballot as sui.
he and bucklcr, their friends In the North VOL
nj be like the sands Of the sea-withont numb
Cd | he eShortcd them to extend tho ballot to I
mr. black race, and thus retain 1t for themscl,
cf- and their postcrity. lie warned them Il
I'M t,y Continuing the conflict they endangc1
he their on n liberty, and might bring on all I
Ith war. Tie declared that blood, dls1ranchl
tut mtnt and contlscation was no part Of |
pic platform Of the Union party 90 which he
CT lonacd, and his mountain home was for Pc
s." vada loved the countty-tAe Whole count
lch | The citizeus Of Nevada wese natives oil ev
The State in the Union. Restoration brought
The them friendly social relations, peace and h
he rin,ss:
ing VI. Stewart said that he appreciated
nit l Il m ffnsf f}.n%f f1,a rn