Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-12-26
to it, and that her Senators may be here tn
aid in the good work before rs.

ala In the gO0Q WOfk D0IOrS us.
Mr. Doolittle having put some questions to
the Senator from Massachusetts,, Mr.. Wilson
made the following reply:
MR. WILSON do not recognizes the rights
of the Senator from Wisconsin TO put ques-
ton in that form to me. but / say 10 hin.
and have no hesitation in saying II, that
voted for the admission of Tennessee into tha
Union not simply because che adopted the
Constitutional Amendment. bu. because she
had furnished thousands OF men to fight our
battles. had abolished slavery before the Con-
stitut;onaI Amendment prohibiting slavery
had been adopted; had elected q lovai gov
ernor and loyal legislature and loyal De-
egation to Congress had given the power hv
her revised Consultation 10 her Legislature -
confer suffrage upo. her colored men. and
her leading statesmen pledged their faith that
her legislature would promptly do thai act or
Justice. wisdom and policy. l believe that
those pledges will be redeemed, and that Ten
nesses will lead the van among the states IN
giving suffrage to the freedmen. L believed
then, and believe now, that the vote for the
admission of Tennessee weakened the enamies
of the black man and strengthened his friends.
But know of no other state that went INFO
the rebellion that is in any respect IN her con-
dition. We passed act compelling u 90
admit rebel states on the adoption OF thsc con-
stitutional amendment. We are bound ny no
pledges and after the action we have witness
ed during the past few months. patriotism
and liberty, Justice and humanity demand
that we should 90 to the extreme verge Of our
power to protect the loyal men of the rehai
states. For one sir. do not intend that this
question shall be settled until every man IN
those states is iu full possession OF his natural
rights-the right to be protected in life, lib
erty and property, and the rights OF the bal
lot to protect life, liberty and property
H. Sol rlaf psft
tutional Amendment. The legislatures ot
thirteen loyal States meet next m NTH and
before ths 4th of March this Constitutional
Amendment will be adopted nv three-fouEths
of the States represented in Congress.
MR SUMNER. That is enough.
Mr.. WILSON. I regard tha. number as
enough but whether the amendment be
adopted or not hold it to be our duty-a
duty that should have prevented US from
| adjourning-to take the government of these
States out of the hands of the men who now
hold those governments, aud who have Nd
moral or legal right to hold them Neither
the President nor Congress had authority to
put those States into rebel hands. as has been
done and We neglect our duty in permitting
rebels to hold these States for hour. or IN
allowing rebels to elect Governors and Legs
latures, and govern the people. shall go
up to the extreme verge of CoUs itdtonal
power to protect these loyal people. be-
leve the only protection the black men OF
| the South have, have, Is to weapon
their right hand with the ballot to protect
their lives their liberties and their property.
If it be necessary for the protection of his
life, liberties and property, that the black
man shall have the ballot, God and man will
forever condemn us for withholding 1t. L
give all my doubts in favor not of the rebel
but of the loyal black men.
Mr.. Howard. in speaking of the Nebraska
bill, opposed Mr.. Browns amendment. and
said when the State was admitted she could
set aside its provisions. He expected TO live
to see the day when every State in the Union
would grant the right of suffrage TO colored
men. He saw no remedy but universal snff-
rage for the condition of affairs that now ex-
isted in the South Mr. Sherman had said
, that Congress had agreed thai if the rebel
States would ratify the pending Constitution
al Amendment they would be admitted into
the Union and be permitted to participate IN
the legislation of said Congress. Doubtless
, the honorable Senator (Sherman) said what
, | he really believed to be true. The sane
statement had often been made. not very ire
, | ouentiY in Congress. but IN various Journals
{. the country. He (Howard) would take
this occasion, SO lar as he was concerned. 70
, con tradict the facE. Congress has never pro
; posed it. Congress at the last session. after
! the most mature deliberation. ssw fit l. pr
. pose sn additional article to the Consultation
OF the United States, which, upon hainG ra-i-
q fed by three-fourths Of the States. OF course
mean three-fourths of the States IN the Union
and not ou. Of the Union
Il Mr. Sumner. Yes: not including the
8 rebei Ststes.
Mr. Howard. Yes-that then It should
be par: OF the Constitution but neither oi
the committees of Is nor either House ot
Congress. so far as ny memory serves me,
8 has ever made such proposition as that the
g rebel States shall be re-admitted upon the
:, ratification by them of this amendment-
n Mr.. Nor Ton asked if the Senaior mai mol
:. 40 argued in St. Paul speech.
3:r. Howard said he had not but NAV h. 20
= been unsupported. Ee could not agree 70 ie
=. them in until all had ratified it. lie Eetortec
upon the Presidents s.. Louis threat OF veto
9 ing ali measures of Congress.
Mr.. johnson said danger was to be appre
,. hended oi admitting too many ne" States
He opposed Mr.. Browns amendment as un
e warranted.
e Nj Wade, in reply to Mr.. Dcottle. denlec
that he had intended to say that the r-oel state
u could be admitted on ratification of the amend
y ment. His proposition was that they Wef'
+. pledged admission upon its adoption by three
20 fourths OF the states and adopted by the secsd
. ed states upon application in legal form
"a MIR. Wilson said that he had voted for ih'
he ed the amendment, and might have felt oonn'
as to admit other states if they had come at tina
es time in the same way but since the peop-
ie had expressed themselves, there was TO ia'
sd pledging Congress TO admit rebel states o
D. the adoption of the amendment, ard ne did no
intend to vote for the admission OF rebel state
SO now until they had secured civil and polluci
re rights to colored persons. He intended 10 :
10 to tie furthest limit of constitutional power.
&c Mr. Doolittle replied TO MIR. Wilson, argu
h' ing against the theory that tine Southern State
40 we're states for the purpose of acting upon
constitutional amendment, but were not sale
ne for the right of representation in Congress
~ Mr.. Fessenden said men pretending to a'
ou upon constitutional authority we're not a leg4
a' ,ure until Congress saw fit to recognize them q
,'' SUCH This view was set forth In the report
u the Reconstruction Committee. For hiInse
~ he did not know what he should do IN sp
in cifc case. His understanding was that he hi
20 right to inquire whether the amendment W
g adopted by loyal legislature which ne WI
-, bound recognize. He was Tree to say tna'
"a from the government of state he saw that
.o' had Constitution under which II would
av y, safe 10 admit it, he would be willing to adm
;. it. With regard to the new formation OF tho
no states, he held that he had right 10 lnquI
ID what kind of constitution they had.
y might be q question preliminary with him, q
ter these states had adopted the amendme'
'V whether they had q government which CIV
t lle them the right to adopt it. He would q
uo weld one iota of the guarantees already insi
nc ed upon, and such further guarantees as mig
be needed. He did not know that any ON