The Portland daily press., 1866-12-13
LATEST NEW s.
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE
PORTLAND. DALEY PRESS.
Thursday Morning, December rs, 1866.
xxx uONGREss--sEOoND SESSION.

WASHINGTON, Dee 12
Mr. Wilson gave notice that Tomorrow he
should introduce o bill to continue in force the
Freedmen's Bureau and to amend the act es-
tablshing i.
Mr.. Morgan introduced II Joint resolution OF
thanks to Cyrus W. Field, for his services in
laying the Atlantic cable Referred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations.
Mr.. Trumbull introduced resolution calling
upon the President to inform the Senate whetli-
CT any person appointed to any office required
by law to be filled by the consent of the Sen
ate, commissioned during the recess of the Sem
ate previous to the assembling Of the present
Congress, had been continued in such Office
since the end of The session, without the sub
mission of the name to the Senate for confir-
nation, and particularly whether surveyor or
naval officer of tue port of Philadelphia had
been so continued in office without the consent
of the Senate, and If so, whether he received
compensation therefor. Adopted.
The bill to regulate suffrage in the District of
Columbia was taken up. The question was on,
MIR. Cowan's amendment to extend the fran
chise to females. e3i if di slas
Mr.. Davis proceeded to discuss the suffrage
question. He expressly denied the assertson
made by the radicals, and coincided in by some
conservatives, that the sentiment of the people
had been proclaimed in favor of negro suffrage
1t was fixed American principle that suffrage
pertained exclusively TO white men. The States
had always reserved jurisdiction over this SUBJ
iect to themselves, and although Congress had
been given the entire control over this District
yet for many years the people had been allow
ed to select their own municipal officers and
manage their local affairs. The negro element
which it was now proposed to introduce was
noxious, hurtful, Unreasonable and unnecessa-
ry. The white female population in this courl-
try at the last census WIS 13000000, and the
negro population less than 5C00,000. Yet those
who advocate negro suffrage frownupon feinale
suffrage. The characteristics of the negro
were then dilated upon by Mr.. Davis, who allies
ed his inability to elevate himself from barbar-s
ism even under the most favorable cireum-
stances, alludiag to the failure of negro self
government in the West indies. .
Mr.. Brown, of Missouri, maintained that sui-
frage should be universal, without any restrie-,
tions as to race, color or sex, and IN support of
this read from speech made by him on the
subject. He said the argument that women
could not particip te in the turmoils of cleo
tions and political campaigns was an argument
against the hustings, not against suffrage. The
argument that women ought not to vote be-
cause they could not be embodied in the militia
was founded against fact. Men are exempted
from military service for a variety of reasons;
among them physical disability, and were yet
allowed the right of suffrage. The same ina
billty could apply in the case of women: l
Mr.. Sprague followed at some length on the
side of universal suffrage ~
Mr.. Buckaiew would vote for the amendment
to show his sense of its justice to women, but
said it would pour into the balloJ boz alarge
number of votes subject to influences either
social or pecunary. He'was equally opposed
to the extension Of the suffrage to negroes and
women. s~-s.ss . 4
Mr.. Doolittle said tie unite of republican
and civilized society was the family, and the
heads of families should do the voting. The
Caucasian race, as rule, was capable Of ex-
periencing the right of suffrage, but not the
Indian, Asiatic and African. Mr.. Doohttle
then referred to the assertion that the people
had decided this question at the polls on the
late elections. The issue, he said, instead of
having been made was avoided everywhere.-
The issue of universal negro suffrage as the
basis OF reconstruction was avoided in every
State of the Union. 1t may be possible thatin
Massachusetts it was not; but he was not sure
about that; but in every State where there was
fear ef losing the election it was avoided.
MIR. Pomeroy explained that colored suffrage
was before the Senate, and it was needless to
complicate it with female suffrage.
The question on Mr.. Cowan's amendment
was then called for, and resulted as follows:
Yeas-Anthony Brown, Buckaew, Cowan,
Foster, Nesmith, Patterson, Riddle and Wade,
y; nays, 36; absent or not voting, Messrs.l Cra-
gin, Fowler Guthrie, Johnson, NIcDougall and
Nye, o. The amendment was lost -
Mr.. Dixon offered an amendment that no
person should vote unless he can write and read
his own name.
Mr. Hendricks said he would vote for it.
MIR. salisbury said he never would vote for
negro suffrage.
The Senate then Adjourned