The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-05-09
By Telegraph
NIGHT DISPATCHES
Congressional.
Speech or Thad. Stevens.
lie Talks DeSp0ndeDt.
The Cholera.
NIGHT DISPATCHES
Speech OF Thad. Stevens.
lie Talks DespOndeDt.
The Cholera.

WAsHINGToN, May 8.--HoUsE-Mr. La
| Bland, Of Ohio, called for the yeas and nays
on Mr.. Garfeld's motion, saying he wanted
to see who were in favor Of giving the negro
| preference over the important interests Of
| the country, which was taken, and resulted
as follows Yeas, 81 nays, 80. So the mo-
ton was lost.
Mr.. Washburne, Of Illinois, offered a resO-
luton, which was adopted, directing the
Committee on Banking 20 examine into all
| the facts and circumstances connected with
the recent failure of the Merchants Nation
al Bank Of Washington, and other banks;
report to the House the amount of Govern
ment money deposited in such banks, and
By whom the cause of their failure, and
what litigation is necessary in relation to
the National Banks to protect the public
and the Government; with power TO send
for persons and papers, and to examine wit
nesses under oath.
The House then proceeded to the consid-
Grafton Of the special order, being a joint
resolution reported by the Reconstruction
Committee proposing an amendment to the
Constitution of the United States.
The debate was opened by Mr.. Stevens, in
support Of the resolution. Mr.. Stevens
said that the proposition before the House
fell far short Of his wishes, but he believed
it was all that could be obtained in the pre-
sent state of public opinion. Net only
Congress, but the several States We're to be
consulted. On a careful survey of the
whole ground the Committee did not believe
that nineteen Of the loyal States could be
induced to ratify any proposition more
stringent than this. He repeated the nine
teen States, for he utterly repudiated the
idea that any State not actually in the
Union was to be counted on the question.
1t was absurd to suppose any more than
three-fourths of the states which proposed
the amendment were required to make it
valid. Believing that this was the best
proposition that could be efectual. He
(SteVens) accepted it., referring to constitu-
tional amendments passed in the House
this session, and which failed in the Senate. |
He said it was slaughtered by a puerlle |
and pedantic criticism. Its death was pro-
duced by seli-righte0us Republicans, and |
unrighteous Copperheads had postponed,
perhaps for years, the liberation of the col |
ored race. Heaven forbid that the South |
ern States, or any of them, shall be repre-
scented in Congress at a time when the mon
ument of freedom is being constructed. |
They had been absent four bloody years,
and must wait till Congress is ready TO re-
ceive them. He believed that this Congress |
would not approach the free measure Of
=
late rebel States was provided with a home |
stead on the land where he had toiled as q |
slave. Forty acres OF land and hut won d |
be Of more value TO them than the right 10 !
vote.
In confusion, Mr.. Stevens, in order to |
have control Of the bill, entered motion to |
it.
Mr.. Blaine called the attention of Mr.. |
Stevens TO an 0 lection to the 30th section |
of the amendment, which he deemed serious |
if not faIal.
That section provided that until the 4th |
day Of July, 1870, all persons who volun- |
tarily adhered TO the State instruction, |
giving aid and comfort, shall be excluded |
from the right to vote for representatives in |
Congress and for the President and Vice
President OF the United States.
1t appeared to Mr.. Blain that that was a |
violation of the good faith Of large class of |
the people in the South, who came to the |
terms OF the amnesty proclamation of |
President johnson, and even thereby re- |
stored to all their civil rights. He asked |
Mr.. Stevens for an explanation on that |
point.
Mr.. Stevens admitted that the pardon |
extinguished crime; after pardon there was |
no such crime in the Individual; those |
who were fully pardoned did not come |
W
Mr.. Blaine understood the gentlemen |
from Pennsylvania to say that those who /
came within the terms OF the proclamation |
of amnesty, would not be considered as
having voluntarily adhered to the late in
surrecton.
Mr.. Stevens assimiIated their condition to |
that OF persons Gun yICle1 Of feiony and
thereby rendered incompetent to TESTIFY, but |
who, if pardOned, and if his testimony were |
could produce his pardon, he |
would thereby show his competency.
Mr.. Blaine suggested that If that was the |
proper construction to be given the resolu- |
zion it should be amended so that there |
could be no question about its construction |
and he should, at the proper time, move an |
amendment 10 that effect.
The point made by Mr. Blaine, and vir-
tually admitted by Mr.. Stevens, seemed to
create considerable stir in the republican
ranks; members drew near and listened to
the coiloquy with interest, as if recognizing
the possibly fatal character of the objec-
tiOps.
NEW YORK, May 8.-The health officers
report shows three new cases, and three
deaths from cholera, since the last return.
Thirty-hve cOnvalescent patients had been
transferred from the hospital ship to the
ship Saratoga, leaving only forty-seven in
the hospital. The total number of deaths
by cholera is fifty.