The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1866-02-08
Special Washi ,gton Correspondence
,os Aa of the Courier.

bill commonly known as ''The Negro Suf-
frage Bill" and which forever removes.
! from the District Of Columbia, that odious
distinction of color, continues to he the
| theme of general conversation here, as
well as matter of deep marvel and sur
prie. with not only Its opponents, bnt
also with the friends of the measure.
Conservatism mingled with the fierce OPP
| position Of the Democratic side of the
| House, for time presented a strong front
against the so-calle Radical element ofthe
House, and doubtful it is, whether the
maaeure would have been passed--at least
without II qualification amendment--had
not the Democrats in their infatuation. i'm
sisted npOn an immediate vote on the bill.
That vote was taken. and the country
knows with what result. The original in
PRODUCTION Of the bill, was made hy that
staunch friend of Freedom. William y.
Kelly, of Pennsylvania, who has evinred
on so many occasions in Congress and be-
fore the people. the most nnsweryirG 10y
atty and patriotism. Some exceedingly
deep aud able arguments were brought to
bear, on both sides. anita number of elo-
uuent and finished oftttions were elected
from either side. that contained in them
something more than the mere empty. in
sane etfusionS which have heretofore been
frequently indulgedin. The speeches of
Mr.. Deming of Connecticut. in advocacy
of the measure, We're particularly dStin
guish d as rare and able productions.
There were none, however. more potent
and logical arguments uttered, than that
of our own member,--Mr. Grinnel; hone
| that were more impressive and That more
thoroughly exhausted the whole subject.
For the benefit OF your readers let mo
| be permitted to quote hut on" or two pas
sages OF an address that would merit n
careful pcrusal OF the whole. In reply to
Mr.. Chandler, OF New York, who had
lust proceeded him, and who had made
the statement, that "the colorc,l people bad
never attained and never would attain hy
their own efforts, their liberty; and that if
| the negro were rails, d TO IA position orpolitc
al equality with The Whites. they would
not he able to maintain that position" Mr..
| Grinnell most forciblv sail:
'Sr ! believe if the gentleman were
master of all languages. ifhe were to at
| tempt to put into sentence the guinfes-
cence. the hign-wines and :ublination of
! an untruth, he could not have more con
centrated his language into libel What
is fire fact. sir? IT is perfectly motor Gus
| that these four million slaves have not on
| ly taken care Of themselves amid all the
tingenius impedimentS which tyrants cod
/ impose. bu they have borne upon their
stalwart shoulders, their masters, millions
tof people. for n century. WHY. sir il
secTiTed as impossible for n man to swim
the .ttlRntic with Mout Atlas upon his
back, or make harmonious bass to the
thunders ofhon n-en; But these men have
achieved the Worlds wondpr-coming out
from the tor;nres of slavery, from the epris-
on nous u1i&ainf'sd with df~honof or
crime; and ont of the #'iY, free, noble.
brave, and more worthy of their friends,
always true to the fiag.'
Further on. he adds: "W+ho are they to
whom this bill proposes to give suffrage?
| They are twenty thousand people, owning
twenty Zone churches, maintaining thirty
three day Schools, and paying taxes on
more than one ana quarter million dollars
worth of real property. Thirty per cent.
| of their number were slaves; bur the CEN
suS does not show that there is Democrnt-
&c Congressional District in the Union
where larger proportion Of It's population
are found attendant at the churches or in
| the Schools"
Mr.. Grinnell then proceeds to answer
the next point interposed by his predeces-
>or. tMr. Chandler. from New York; sthat
the Negroes are an inf. ror race to the
Caucasian, and should therefore he held
in snbserviance to the Whites" in the fol-
lowing cogent terms: g.H
That they are an inferior race was the
argument for thai" enslaven,pnt,' and is
still employed for their political degrda-'
| ton. lftrue, we can no more denv them
their position Of the human family, than
he can deny it to children who do not ex-
hiblt tiheaverage mental and physical ca
paciiy. Their very readiness awakens cojr
sympathy, and prompts us to desire that
, new hopes may be krndled. and there b.
testing OF the power OF selt-reliance."
THE State II Iowa has been used in this
debate as an Illustration against Negro
| Suffrage. II is true that in the dark night
! OF years agone, the proud state of my adj
option was afflicted with Ncgrophobia; but
in the last made Union platform, the equal
| ity OF at men before the law was assented
and Governor Stone, who indorsed the
platform and took the stump i'll ,tehalf of
I Negro Suifrag ge, was elected over u Union
officer, and professed Republican, by ii
| maiority of sixteen thousand votes For
| ret her fall and follow ii, her reforma-
ton" s.s.. (. . ...s.
Mr.. Grinnell continued at great length.
refuting the various otirctiQns that had
been raised 10 the bill, aiT. in the most
powerful logic cnntroyerted the arguments
that had hceiiatiducei hy the opposition
fattion. hespeech'w,ls one characteristic
Iofthe man, and will repay athorough pc
| rusal. -"ii
There is Thought TO he little doubt but
that the Ser,1te will soon concur in the
passage or the bill. and theh it will only
await the Presidents approval to become a.
law Little IttetFthe fear be of any oppo
sition being made by the cltief Executive
of this Nation, TO the measure. However
conservative he may be, hemeans sincere
| ly TO do What is best for the Whote Nation;
and to imagine that ne willerieavor to de-
feat the bill by his veto and thus place him
self against the voice of the whoie ioval
peeopte, is both foolish and absurd He