The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-03-09

tonal amendment the ouestion NJ reprss.ntation vii,
oe decided by the citizens Of the rebel siatesby which
uan not only whte citizens but mean the people OF
the uned statesthe people that are as free and have
ine same rights as you and have to-day The question
or.a,,y you VIII permit In new organic act OF the
Sons,ution, q portion OF the people OF the Southern
states and rebels and traitors at that 10 say who shall
pe upon the floor Of the Senator These are
tne questions do not put them for the sake Of en-.
barrassing the Senator from Massachusetts but put
tncm TOT my own information as have not yet decided
whether shall support the amendment or not The
fact Is the questions have dsturbedme 10 some extent
ana would IKE TO have them answered
Mr wnsoS SAD 81 viii endeavor to the ques-
lions OF MI. Yates frankly. Iwill say 10 begin with
that the constitutional amendment which was proposed
mere py the Senator from Missouri Ar Hendersonl and
reported py the Senator from Illinois (Mr TrumbuD
adopted by Congress and ratified by the people was
never understood by In the senate or House OF
Representatives, or by the public press or tho country
as conierrng upon Congress the right 20 fore the suf
frage ON any State OF the Union say further that n
ihad been supposed that II gave that right Il would
never have passed Congress received tho sanction OF
the States win say, sir, that think, beyond doubt
or question: II clothed Co with ample and full
power u protect the civil d immnnlti0s of every
ema nclpated slave in the that that slave W. as
Tree as am, that the CHI paled In his cradle to-
dhy Is M Tree as the Senai illinois myself; as
mucn citizen OF tho I'm as either OF ~. but,
SIR citizenship never did country carry with II the
right OF suffrage or the rgLt 10 mold Office man may
be citizen and not have the right Of suffrage There
are men In Massachusetts, who have been citizens for
Tor forty years and have the right OF suffrage day
Mr. YATEs-Was II understood at the time OF the
iisa;ss = ''' amendment 'D'' II would confer civil
Mr. wnsoS-I supposed IL did give Congress ample
power 70 make these men as free as the voting
whlte popuia0n OF those StateRas free women aud
children or persons who had the right OF suffrage
but did not understand then and do believe now
thai gave Congress the TO coihe these people
with the right OF suffrage or the right 70 hold Office
. MI fArs-Supposo do not deny the proposition OF
ihe senator, viii put this question ITO him do
dcny the power OF tho States " regulate suffrage by
means or to decide upon the qualifications OF those who
are to vote, to devise and 10 make rules and regu-
latons II is the duty Of the States 10 regulate this
IL ma tlp natl nr
from Massachusetts, whether ne believes In the power
OF the State OF Massachusetts, OF South Carolina in
snpy regulating the right OF suffrage 20 deprive the
citizens OF State OF tho right to vote altogether
:, Mt wnsos. answer that, right or wrong, the State
Mr. YArr-rhat Is not tho question
MT WILsos-Tho Senator may say that II In right
that u ought not 70 be done agree with him In my
own State voted against the state con.
stitution requiring tho qualification Of reading and
writing
Mr. YArys-I ask II the proposed amendment docs not
allow the rebel States 70 exclude the freedmen from
votingy
Mr. WILSON, have never read or hoard, or seen any
thng that convinced me that the adoption OF the const
tutiona amendment gave the Congress Of the United
s'a,es any power 70 regulate suffrage in any State
amendment South Carolina any other Stats cannot
disfrnnchise them entirely
hr; wnsos-I may answer tho Senator simply by .ay-
ing that think this amendment leaves the tho
States precisely where IL s Their, IN no impca
Ion IN ~ no compromise, no surrender OF any power Of
Mr. YArxs-The position assume Is this; s;-that before
the adoption or the constitutional amendment tho States
had right under the constitution and under the decision
OF the supreme Court OF the United Stacs 10 dsanchso
The coored people Coorcd men considered sub
ject race, not part ~ the people, not part Of the
sovereignty Bnt sir by tho constitutional amcndment
they are free as The Senator from Massachusetts, this
day NOW. the question IL whether, with this amend.
nent before US we VIII put into this amendment a
amendment by which these States may dlsfranehiso
these persons altogether
M Wnsos. In reply 70 Mr. Yates read from the
opinion cf Attorney General Bates that political rights
ana political power essentially dcrent that The
Former belonged 70 all citizens alike, and the
very name and nature OF cat zenship but the latter dos
not belong 20 all citizens alike Mr. Wilson continued
his speech AT some length
EXECUTIVE
Tho Senate af four O'Clock into executive session
and soon after adjourned having previously agreed that
A vote should bc taken 20 morrow al four O'Clock