The Portland daily press., 1866-02-05
Another Great Step in Congress.

The House has twice spoken, once on suf-
frage and once on the basis of representation,
and each time by more than two-:hirds vote.
Now we have the first emphatic voice from
the Senate, on Judge TrumbulPs bill to pre-
tect the civil rights of all classes OF citizens,
the spirit and purpose of which are fully set
forth in the first two sections, as follows:
"Section 1. All persons born in the United
States, not subject TO any foreign power or
tribal authority, excluding Indians, are hereby
declared to be citizens of the United States.
"Section 2. There shall be no discrimina-
ton in civil rights or immunities among the
inhabitants of any State or Territory Of the
United States on account of race, color, or
their previous condition Of slavery; but the
inhabitants OF every race and color, without
regard to any previous condition of slavery,
or involuntary servitude, except as punish
ment for crime whereof the party shall have
been duly convicted, shall have the same right
10 make and enforce contracts, to sue the par
ties and give evidence, to inherit, purchase,
lease, sell, hold and convey real and personal
property, and to the full and equal benefit of
all laws and proceedings for the security
OF person and property, and shall be subject
to like punishment, pains and penalties, anu
to none other, any law, statute, ordinance, reg
-
standing" AZ g.fsfl 81s4ra-lr5
The opposition to this bill was fierce and
emphatically Democratic, as that word is now
falsely used in its party and not IN Its respect
q able" sense. Mr. Hendricks of Indiana, made
a long and eloquent argument against the bin
in general, taking the ground that Congress
has no right to pass such bill, and that the
second section is a blow to all popular liberty,
and the first step toward permanent military
despotism. i.4.......,.. "a. ,t.. =, IT,
Mr. Cowan of Pennsylvania, a Democra-
tiled Republican, also opposed the bill, and en-
deavored to show that the last section of the
bill would oyerturn all State laws which recoe-
nize race or, color, those Of Maryland,
for instance, which prevent marriages be-
tween whites and blacks. He was tired Of
military rule, and he believed the country was.
He wanted no military enforcement of uncon-
stitutional laws, and he believed this final
section would enthrone the bayonet as the
king of the land. ia'sl ui "
- Mr.. Guthrie followed in thoughtful and
temperate speech in which he said the aboli-
ton Of slavery was also the abolition of all
civil distinctions; he therefore believed this
bill unnecessary, and thought it could only be
productive of ill-feeling between the two class
es of people in the Southern States. He said
he should urge his people to grant the negro
every requisite civil right, but he thought this
whole matter should be left to the States. Da
5 Mr.. Trumbull said, if all men in the late
slave States were disposed to do as fairly as
Mr.. Guthrie, it would not be necessary to pass
such bill; and in reply to the furious speeches
of Messrs Hendricks and Cowan against the
J. last section, he read from a law passed in the
Democratic administration of Van Buren in
1888, showing that he had copied that section,
word for word, from revenue law under
which they had been living for nearly thirty
years. 1t is doubtful if two labored speeches
were ever before SO completely and handsome
ly answered, and there was a great laugh both
on the floor and in the galleries at the discom-
future of Cowan and Hendricks. ie
Iog Speeches were made against the bill by
Salisbury of Delaware, and McDougal of Cal
ifornia. The former proposed an amendment
to show that the negro, under this bill, could
claim no right of suffrage, but it received only
seven votes. 'Si-stl'1ii pr slt -.1
Finally the time for voting came, and the
opposition amendments Advent by the board,
and the vote on the passage of the bill, says
"Dixon" of the Boston Advertiser, from whom
we have quoted largely above, was 80 to -,
the nays being Buckalew, Cowan. Davis,
Guthrie, Hendricks, Med ougal, Nesmith, Nor
ton, Riddle, Salisbury, Stockton and Van
Wrinkle. 1t was announced that Reverdy
johnson would have voted against the bill
had he been present. '- rag" ,yh