Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-02-02
g orrss pn II drnre.


For the American
WAsnyNCyoS, u. G.. Jan. goth. &c.
The Present Congress- Reconstruction and
Negro .SnGrdgc-HIN the Presideo.
reto he Suffrage Bill ,--U0m Stands
the Fresi9eAt IL respect to PGrties
Hroyecfs 10 comc rP-Rec.ptioas, Sr.
Nix EDITOR The a9th Congress is
~mpha,ically werlling lVdy. 1t is COM
posed Of mcn of large &kilit,. genuine
patrio>fm. sincere Loyalty, large aud lib
eral views, and Il supreme conscientious
ness wlIch gegerhs and controls all their
actions. The people vho elected the
majority % this ausust body may well
!cci SECURE; for the great ;pterests de-
VOWED upon the lncn u9r as-vlniic,lit the
National Halls of legislation, will be well
cared for; and 4 s,sred a3ll perfected
tuien. it Nkicl. tl,c liberties Of man, and
the hest interests OF humanity. and the
mg Il cnl'y,tcpcd civilization uler he con-
Gdyut,y booked Cor, as the aimed results,
and the sure epls of the legislation. which
will characterize the statutes, and Tie pub
lie and organic law. that shall hereafter
adorn our Aul, riean annual. We are to
have peace. aud no more secession. and
our glorious old lag is to wave II trump.
over l'nicn in harmeps- and prosperity,
whose institutions FI.all be honiay ycnous.
For Tie past week or ten days, Congress
has been culiycrcl by most intcrcstin.
debate lpog the que tious of reconstruct
ion and negro suffrage. He best talent
on either sIe has lcen brought into requi-
,itIou. aud these important issues have
been thoroughly canvassod. Tbe temper
of the House upo.. this latter qucston-or
negro suffrage is uow bcfo.e TIE country,
and this eminently significant Of what this
Congress means to do, in defining the
policy et reconstruction. Before the pas
sage cf this bill, it was generally urder-
ltooI aud believed in political circles .l,-re
that Il modified suffrage law would be en-
acted; one based rpon Intelligence. re-
Iuiring al vko SHOULD kereatter-whetl-
er black or whitc-cnj"y the elective
franchise to be able to read ind write
Imagine thcr the surprise Nth which this
community was overwhelmed br tie pas
sage of this bill, simple and pure, without
any qual lioation except Tie single attri-
butte of manhood. | have sail that all
were surprised but many aSreeably So
Others were sricyed and predict sad con
sequences to tue party, aud the country as
the result of this measure. Other some,
are mad, mad as March Lares The bar
roe ms, the corridors and Lalls Of our IIo-
icla, Gu the evening after the ADOPTION Of
this measure, presented many lively scenes.
AS Whiskcy went down, bad passions
erose, and the eaths and curses heapcd
upon Congress and upeR the Yankees
generally, fax cutdid IN violence the terri
bic swearing of 'our army in Flanders"
The great and ever occurring argumq,..
againet this law with the pre- -slaveryites
aud negro hatcrs is, that Il negro is thus to
be made equal with white man. 1t
would seem that many Of these people arc
fearful tl.at f the negro is not Kept down
by despotie laws he will not only become
their equal but their superior. How else
this terrible forebodips. \ night thinking
man whose soul is not corrupted and cor
rodcd by sin and wicked prejudice, has no
fears that any human being whether black
or white will become his equal, or even his
Superior. 1t is your mean man, yeur rar-
row minded man, your mar educated un-
der and by the hateful influences of slav-
cry. who tears to give to the negro the
rights which belong to humanity, lest he
should be outstripped by the black man in
the race of life. This bill it is thought
will receive some amendments in tie SEN
ate, though there are persons who claim to
know, who declare that it will pass that
body as it came from the House
Different opinions are expressed as to
what the President will dc. Some say he
will veto. Others equally confident. say
that he viii not. die is known to be in
favor OF limited suffrage. but we shah soon
know whether this House bill is to be a
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