The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-02-15
AlisesIlaneous Seeming.
New Basis of Representation.

ton. As O matter or 1ntercsI, anu, 10
place ii on record, we subjoiR the pro-
ceedings of the House on the occasion OF
its passage:
Mr.. Stevens, from the Joint COMMITTEES
on Reconstruction, to whom We're re-
fsrrsed the joint resolution and all of the
proposed amendments to amend tho Con-
stitution of the United States so SIS to
provide for new basis of representation,
reported the following joint resolution as
a substitute for the propositions referred
tothern:
Resolued, By the Senate and House OF
Representatives, etc, Gwc-thirds of both
Houses coneurring, that the following
article be proposed to the Legislatures OF
the aeyeral States, as an amendment to
the Constitution of the United States,
which, when ratified by three-fourths OF
said Legislatures, shall be valid as part OF
said Constitution, viz;
article le-Representatives shall bsaap-
portioned among the several States which
maybe included within this Union accor-
ding to their respective numbers, count
ing5the; whole number of persons in each
State, excluding Indians nes taxed Pro
rided, That whenever the elective fran
chise shall be denied or abridged in any
State on account of race or color all per-
sons therein of such race or color shall
be excluded from the basis of represents
ton EThis amendment is the same
heretofore under consideration, except
that the. words-sand direct taxes'-are
stricken out after the word Representa-
tive
Mr.. Stevens addressed the House in
support of the amendment as modified,
which he had just reported. BE said that
it differed only from the amendment
heretofore under consideration by striking
but. the words sand direct taxes. He
held differently from the position at the
yother end of the avenue, that the Consti-
sutton needed no amendment, but should
remain as our fathers made it. But Con
gress had duty to discharge, he conten-
sded, only eqnaEed fol%weal or woe to that
Convention whichissuedt the Declaration OF
Independence The present and future
generations awaited thelegislationof this
Congress on the basis of freedom with
thesgreatest and deepest interest.
IF the fathers had placed the Constitu
ton on the basis of freedom in the Dec
.Iaration of Independence, there would
have. been no necessity for the present
amendment, and every one now would
have been free ind equal before the law
But at the time when it was proposed to
reduce the principles of the declaration
into the organic law of the land, n spirit
Z hot from hell appeared among the foun.
ders of: the Government, which has been
growing larger and stronger ever since
The fathers, to preserve and harmonic
theconficting views of the thirteen col
onies, made compromise in the lConsti
Triton. At the time that took place
there were but 80 bales of cotton expor
ted. s Now, there were 9,000,000. Then
there were but few slaves, while now
there;were4 ,0000 900 freedmen-the slaves
having increased SO rapidly as to exceed
even the white population Of the South
ern States. He reviewed the present
time as the one to do justice to the prin
ciples of tho Constitution, and he would
say now, that he wonld ratheranot live
than to entertain the sentiment of the
gentleman from New York, (Mr. Ray
mead,) and those above him, that the
Constitution did not need any amend
mcnt. .sz.sss, x
Mr.. Raymond Gnterrupting) said thai
Mr.. Stevens misunderstood him in say
ing thatshe opposed all amendments. III
expressly conceded that eamendmen
similar to the pending one should .b'
adopted.
Mr. Stevens (continuing) said he allu
ded as much to a gentleman at the othel
end of the avenue as to the gentleman
from New York. He had as much re
spect for the President as any one, bu
he did not endorse him, for he had pu
forth a document in the shape of q com
mand to this House, which was usur
patton and violation of the rules ane