Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-12-24
RECONSTRUCTION.

section OF this bill modltleS the reconstruction
acts so that simple majority of votes cast
for or against a State constitution may affirm
or reject such constitution. The second Sec
ton authorizes the election Of members to
Congress at the election for the adoption of
the constitution. The third section assigns
the number of Representatives.
The presentation of this substitute gave
rise to some discussion, synopsis of which
we append
Mr.. Bingham moved to amend the substi-
tute by striking out the third section, uppOr-
tiouing members.
Mr.. lngersoll expressed the hope that the
substitute would be printed before the House
was called upon to act on it.
Mr.. Stevens, remarked, sneeringly, that
there always we're objections to everything
good on earth or in heaven. Ii this bill were
not passed before the vacation, it would be
Of no use ut all. He went on to state that
the condition Of Affairs in the South was worse
than during the rebellion.
Mr.. Bingham commenced to speak in sup
port Of his amendment to strike out tho .hird
section, and asked why, if South Carolina,
with white population of 100000, aud a
blIck population Of 900, was entitled to
six members, las propesed,) the State Of Ohio,
with its three millions of people, was not en-
titled to thirty members.
Mr.. Eldridge suggested that the answer
was, that in Ohio there was not the same pro.
portion of blacks.
Mr.. bingham begged leave to say to the
gentleman from. Wisconsin, with all due re-
spect, that was no answer whatever to his
question. Taught
Mr.. Stevens said that in order to retard
the passage Of the bill, aud to remove the
objection Of the gentleman from Ohio, he
would withdraw the third section.
This removed Mr.. B;nSham's objection,
and he discontinued his remarks.
Mr.. Brooks made a speech against the bill.
The main effect of it was TO rule twenty.four
millions Of Northern people, divided in poll
ties, by four millions VI negroes, euslaving
eight millions Of white people in the Southern
States, But his objection to it rose from still
higher causes. lie objected to the whole
principle OF 1t, from beginning to end. All
other questions OF internal Improvement.
tariff, currency, dwindled into iusignifcance
beside it. The great and only issue was, "Is
this, or is 1t not, white mans government"
The object, intent, purpose, and effect of this
bill was to overthrow this white mans govern
meut, and to erect black mans government
IN its stead. lie was opposed, from Begin
ming to end, to cqualizing the black race with
the white race. lie was opposed to it scien.
tifcally, anatomicaIy, physiologically, and
psycOlogically. lie might heap authority on
authority C'Pile Pelion upon Ossa'') to show
that the negro was more different from the
white man than the white man was from the
white woman. From the crown of his head
to the sole Of his foot he was a different crea
ture. The very hair that crowned the negro's
head was not hair, it was wool, Laughter i
wool only, aud not hair. 1t was ellptical in
its form, and without the medulary canal to
be found in the hair of the white man. The
negrO's skull was inferior to the white mans
skull. His nose was different, laughter
his teeth were dIitcreut, the convolutions Of
the brain were essentially different the pclois
was different. Laughter. The negro was
not the equal nor the brother of the white
man, and under no circumstances should the
white man go into copartnership with him.
The black man had never done ANYTHING in
the arts, or sciences, or literature, or govern
ment.
Mr. Garfield inquired who EacIid was.
Mr.. Ross expressed the conviction that he
was not a negro
Mr.. Brooks. Euclid negro! He had
not bit of wool on his head. Laughter.
Mr. Garfield lie was only au Abyssnian.
where
ever there had been an admixture of races.
or an association with the negro race, the race
that came in contact with it was dctcrioratcd
and destrOyed-instancing the cases of the
Arabs, the Turks, the MoOrs, and the de-
sccndauts of the Spanish race in America
In conclusion he said that this would prob
ably be the last time he would address a white
audience on the floor Of the House The
African was about to come down from the
galleries and take his seat on the floor as the
equal OF white gentlemen.
He would say now, that not only was this
fatal mistake, but it was one that would not
be acqucsced in by the Northern people
The Northern people were sound on the sub
ject OF race and when it was scientifically
discussed in the primary assemblies of the
people, they would become more and more so.
This House might be blackencd this session
by the action Of the dominant majority, but
it would be whitcned hereafter by the De-
mocracy of the North
Mr.. Farnsworth sustained the bill, arguing
that it was only returning to the principle
which should never have been Abandoned
the principle Of the majority of votes. 1t it
were not passed, the several Southern con-
stItutions would probably not be ratified, as
so many Of the registered voters, necessitated
to look for employment, had left the locali-
ties where they were registered. He was
sorry to see the gentleman from New York
opposing reconstruction. lie had hoped to
see the whole Democratic party voting to IA
ci!itatc reconstruction.
Mr.. Stevens, Of Pennsylvania, closed the
debate. lie said lie had listened with great
pleasure to the speech OF the gentleman from
New York who had tried to prove the falsity
of the declaration Of Scripture, which saws
that God made Of one blood all the races of
the earth. lie had proposition to make to
that gentleman. He would be willing for
the championship of America to match Fred.
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