Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-05-30
XXXIXTH CONGRESS.
The Reconstruction Report.
MR. STEVENS SCHEME FRUSTRATED
whe Third Section Stricken Ont.
49, NAYS NONE
Postal and Commercial intercourse.
THE BILL PASSED BY THE HOUSE.
SENATE.

SENATE.
| WASHINGTON, May 29.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION.
. Mr. LGne, Of Kansas, rose to personal explana-
tlon. lie said that 10 man of his age had suffered
| more from newspaper assaults. Stree 1856 he had
been the constant object of attack from the demo-
Src papers p nut during the last month ne 5ad heen
SUBJECT 70 attacks from papers Of his own side: They
| had out Heroded II Herod. On Saturday morning his
attention was called to article in the Boston Com
moneceaHb enanatng from some one in this city de
had Immediately teegTaphed 20 the editor Of that
paper for the author of the article in question: but
up to the present time he had not received the
| When the name of the author obtained he would
AGAIN trouble the Senate, and adopt such course
own setrespect called for For the present he would
content himself with saying that thesatements there
made vas ca! !unny of tho most brutal and
| founded character.
| PETITIONS.
Mr.: johnson presented the petition of F. P Salas,
subject OF Spain, asking the return of 1924 alleged
| excessive import duties imposed upon him by the
/ Collector of Customs at Baltimore.
| The Chair stated that the petition being from a
subject of foreign Government it was not in ac-
cordance with the rule or precedent Of the Senate to
Mr.. Sumner said that with tho permission Of the
| Chair be would state that petition had been
| presented BY Mr.. Clay from number of English
authors, asking the passage of an international COPY
right law. Mr.. CLAY had supported the petition in
speech OF some length. and it hadbeen received by
The Chair directed the Clerk to read from the
minutes minutes of the Senate of January 1868. when Vice
President Hamlin had declined to receiye petition
presented by Mr.. Foster from certain British sub
Jects asking the passage Of laws to encourage emf
grafton, Mir Hamlin stating that his decision in
! accordance with the practice Of The Senate.
The Chair stated that its desire always to give
the most literal construction to the rules of the SEN
ate but it had felt bound to abide by the decision of
| the Vice President. would much prefer that the
Senate should decide this.queson for itself No ap-
peal from the decision of the chair being made the
/ petition was returned to Mr.. johnson.
| The morning hour having expired the Chair an
nouneea that the unfinished business being the bill
to facilitate postal cOmnercal and military rommu-
mention among the several States, was before tho
| Senate.
| Mr.. Chandler moved that it be laid aside
NJ. hendrleAs hoped the SPECIAL order the message
bill for the admission of Colorado into the Union
would oe taken up.
Alter some further discussion, the joint resolution
from the COMMITTEE on Reconstruction was taken
q1pi the question being on tho amendment of Mr..
The question was taken, and the amendment agreed
| to by yeas 43, nays none.
| The section struck out is as follows:
Until the 4th day of July, 1870 all persons who
voluntarily adhered to the late insurrectou giving
it aid and comfort, shall be excluded from the right
President and Vice President of the United States
Mr.. Howard offered a number Of amendments as
follows: Insert at the beg nninE of the first section
| the words All persons born in the United States
and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens
OF the United States and Of thoStateS wherein they
reside, making the first section read
Al persons born in the United States and subject
to the jurisdiction thereof citizens of the United
States and OF he States wherein they reside. No
State shall make or enforce any law which shall
abrdge the privileges or mmunities of citizens of
the United States shall any State deprive any
person of life liberty, or property without due pro-
cess OF law nor deny to any person within its juris
diction the equal protection of the laws
The amendments proposed to the second section
make it read as follows:
Section >. Representatives shall be apportioned
among the several States which may be included
within this Union according to their respective mum
bers counting the whole number of persons in each
State, excluding Indians not taxed. But whenever
in any State, the elective franchise shall be denied IN
any portion of its male inhabitants being citizens OF
the United States, not less than q years of age or in
any way abridged, except for participation in rebel
lion other crime the basis of representation in
such State shall DO reduced in the proportion which
the number of such male citizens shall bear to the
whole number OF male citizens not less than q years
of age in such State
The following is proposed in place of the third Sec
ton, which was struck out as above noted:
No person shall be Senator Representative in
hold any Office civil military under the United
States, under any State. who having previously
taken an oath as member of any State Legislature
executive judicial officer of any State TO
support the Constitution Of the United States shall
have engaged in nsurrecton or rebellion against the
same given aid comfort to the enemies thereof
but Congress may, by vote of two-thrds of each
House; remove such disability.
The following is proposed as
Section 4. Ali obligations of the United States in
CURED In suppressng in defence of the
Union or for payment of bOunties orpensons incident
thereto shall remain inviolate.
Section in the original resolution, it is proposed
to make section ;, and to read as follows
pay any debt obligation incurred in aid
OF lnsurrecuOn or rebellion against the United
or any claim Tor compensation for emancipation of
any slaves and such debts and obligations and claims
shall be forever held illegal and void.
Section g. Congress shall have power TO enforre hv
appropriate legislation the provisions of this article
Mr. Salisbury said thsresolution now was no doubt
satisfactory to the majority They had held numer-
GUS caucuses and probably thought their work was
now complete. This was however the first 0ppor-
tunity that the minority had to know what had been
amendments be printed and the subject postponed to
allow them (the minority) to be further informed
Mr. covl har wi br,,o
with the understanding that the resolution should
come up tomorrow. The further consideration of |
the joint resolution was then postponed until to-
morrow.
Mr.. Sumner submitted the following amendment
intended to be proposed to the bill provide for rO
storing to the States lately in nsuIrecton their full
political rights
That when any State lately in rebellion shall have
ratified the foregoing amendment and shall have
modified its constitution and laws in conformity
herewith and shall have further provided that there
shall be denial Of the elective franchise to citi
of the United States because of race or color
and that all persons shall be equal before the law
the Senators and REPRESENTATIVES from such State if
found duly elected and qualified, may, after having
taken the required oaths of Office, be admitted into
Congress as suoh-Pr9Dded that nothing in this sec
ton shall be so construed to require the disran
chsement OF any loyal person who is now allowed to
vote.
ment to the Constitution abolishing slavery by Sc
curing the elective franchise to cOlored citizens as
follows:
Whereas, The Constitution of the United States
abOshes slavery in the States and Territories of the
United States that all constitutions laws orregu-
atiOns of State territory in aid slavery or
growing out of the same, null and void and |
whereas, by virtue of the abolition of slavery ali men
born in any of the States Territories are citizens
entitled to all the rights ard privileges of citizens
subject only to the legal disabilities applicable to
white persOns and whereas also it is expressly prO-
vided that Congress shall have power by appropriate
legislation to enforce the constitutional provision
abolishing slavery which cannot be done eifectuav
without granting the elective franchise to citizens
who have been slaves, who the descendants of
slaves or Who have heretofore been deprived of |
political rights by reason of race color: and
Whereas. further, it is expressly provided in the
Constitution that the United States shall guarantee
to every State in the Union republican form of
government, and whereas all arstocracy ogarchy or
caste is inconsistent with republican form of gov
ernment, now therefore
Be enacted ty the Senate and House of Representa-
Ues Of the United States Of America IN Congress as-
Sebled. Section l. That every citizen of the United
States, although he may have been slave or is the
descendant of slave or by reason of or color
has heretofore been deprived of political rights shall
in every State and Territory have the right to vote
at all elections for members Of Congress- for Presi
Dental ELECTORS for REPRESENTATIVES and Senators to
State and Territorial Legislatures for all State
y, city, town and other officers of every kind upon
the same terms and conditions and no hers 90
white citizens are and may be allowed to vote
every provision Of every State and Teri - and
stltutlon statute resolution and ieoalal con-
Is now ana may pc hereafter enacted a"d wpacn srar
any State or Territory contrsrV f recognized In
'lSiohs S are re- and shall be null and void Ni'
wiIfTiiv cba any person who shall knowingly and
bds S ucoar. hlhuer or obstruct any citizen who
mas neea slave or is the descendant of slave oU
WY uoes not belong to the so called white race from
Young al any election where he is entitled To- v0ta
ace3Tqhg 10 the provisions of the foregoing section
shsiI De punished by fine not less than one hnn
area nor more than three thousand dollars or Nv
imprisonment I'M IN the common jail for NOT less Than
thlrty days nor more than one year ~
oec. o. 1hat any person holding, governing orcon
uucuIng any election to which the first section of
thiS Dill Is applicable, who shall knowingly and will
I9Iy retuse to receive count return or otherwise
give the proper legal effect the vote of apy citizen
VINO mas been slave, is the descendant of slave
0r VINO does not belong to the so called white race
snal oe punished by fine not less than five hun
dreu nor more than four thousand dollars or by i'm
prisohent IN the common jail for not less than three
calendar months nor more than two years
cecuon 4, That the District Courts of the TTnited
states within their respective districts shall have
elusive jurisdiction OF all offences committed against
Inis act; ana the district attorneys, marshas and
deputy marshals of the United States the commits
mlSsloners appointed by the Circuit and Territorial
Courts OF the United States with powers of arrest
lng Iprisonng or bailing offenders against the laws
OF the United States. the officers and agents of the
treedmen's Bureau and every other officer who may
be specially empowered by the President of the
United States shall be and they hereby are specsiI
authorized and required at the expense of the United
States to institute proceedings against all and ever
person who shall violate the provisions of this onf
and cause him or them to be arrested and
or baled, as the may be- for trial before SncS
court as by this act has cognizanee of the oFence
Sec D. That any citizen who has been slave or 10
Il a Si lava vrrl.