Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-03-20
SUFFRAGE.
A short but Eloquent sreech by
John Ii. Henderson,.
" Give the Negroes the Ballot,
and then they are Protected"

and then they are Protected"
From the Debate in the seuate on the Freedmens Blu.
reau BILL February sthl
MIR. HENDERsoN.-Mr President I, like
the Senator from Ohio, have taken no part
whatever In the discussion upon the two bills
so very fiercely denounced by the distin-
guished Senator from Kentucky. MIR. Guth-
rie.] l believe l did not say one word in
reference to the bills while they were pend
ing; nor have l said anything whatever upon
the different propositions now pending for
amending the Constitution. l am not going
TO detain the Senate at this hour, because l
know the Senate is not disposed to hear any
argument but desire simply to express one
word of regret at remark made by the
Senator from Kentucky. am from bor-
der State. know something of this rebel
lion. l have had strong sympathies with
the people of kentucky. The condition of
the people of that State is much the condi-
tion of the people of my own State.
The Senator from Illinois introduced these
two bills, had them referred to the Judiciary
Committee, and they were reported back to
this body, and passed. voted for them. l
believed then and I believe now, that this
legislation is improper legislation. ! voted
for them reluctantly, not because this Freed
mems Bureau was carried over my State, for
Imade no objection on that ground would
not have voted for ii if it had not been car
ried to my own State; and if this amendment
of the House of Representatives is to be
adopted, / will not vote for the bill. want
the bill to be made general. If it is to be
made special, if it is to be applied to Ken
lucky only, / appreciate the feeling that
drove my friend from Kentucky to make the
most unfortunate remark that has been made
upon the floor of the Senate since 1861. /
sincerely hope, for the good of the country,
that the distinguished Senator may see fit 10
take back what he said few moments ago.
Smarting under remark from my friend
from Indiana, think he has suffered him
| self to make a remark that he himself must
be sorry for Sir, we have had enough OF
disunion. | hope that no Senator in the fl-
ture will rise upon this floor and talk, under
any circumstances whatever, OF another war
OF rebellion against the constituted authori-
ties of this country My God are we again
to pass through the scenes of blood through
which We have passed for the last four yearsi
Are We TO have this war repeated? No Freed
mems Bureau bill, no bill for the protection ol
the rights of anybody, shall ever drive me to
dream of such thing.
The objection to this legislation is apparent
TO my mind, and always has been. How is
it Objectionable? Simply because it is an
attempt to get around that which is a decree
of Almighty God. -Four million people have
been made free; that is, the shackles of sla
very have been stricken from their limbs,
and they stand before us to-day, and we are
called upon 10 say what we will do with
them. II is useless to get up Freedmen
Bureau bill to protectthem. You send youl
agents into Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana
hut, let me tell you, you cannot thus protect
the freedmen Of those States. Did the South
ern States ever recapturc any runaway slaves
in the Northern States? No, sir. Why? Be
cause il was an attempt to bear down the re-
ligious and moral sentiment of the people
and it was utterly impossible to enforce tha
law among people who did not believe thai
slavery was right in the sight of God ol
man, And yet the attempt was vainly made
from year to year to recapture fugitive
slaves. Will you now 20 into these South
crn States and attempt by military officers
one in each county, to protect the rights o.
freedmen? While that man is protecting