American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-01-26

,CldIe, anu t1dl we cOulu Safely duIlil
, her. Her adoption of the amendment
before we came to that conclusion was
a matter of no impOrtance-not i'll
the least but, in a word, it neither
altered our conduct nor altered her
position. There was a great differ
ence of opinion at the time whether
it was polite to admit Tennessee.
Mr.. NibIack Dem. Ind inquired
whether the Joint resolution admit
ting Tennessee to representation III
base such admission Oh the ground
that Tennessee had adopted the Con
StitutiOnal Amendment, and whether
Congress did not sanction that view,
that the adoption Of the Constitutions
al Amendment entitled any State to
admission.
Mr.. StevenS-The preamble to the
resolution admitting Tennessee reci-
ted great many Of her good acts,
and among the rest as an induccment
to admit her. and as an evidence of
her loyalty. it was recited that she
had adopted the amendment to the
Constitution. But nobody ever had
any idea of giving a vote on that
ground. 1t was only one Of the evi-
dences Of her loyalty.
Mr.. Niblack-Then | ask the gen
tleman whether, according to his
view, Congress did not in that case
Stultity itself
Mr.. Stevens Congress did not sub
NIT the Amendment to Tennessee at
all. Tennessee did this before We
passed the resolution, or had it ready
but it was voluntary act of TenneS-
see. She was brought to it Ivy the i'm
petuOus young gentleman who is
Governor Of that State. 1t was sent
here incorporated as one of the good
things to assist III whlt a great many
| thought to be very foolish thing
/ the admission Of Tennessee. That is
the whole of it.
Mr.. Niblack-My recollection is
| that the constitutional amendment
was transmitted to the Governor of
Tennessee; that special meeting of
the Legislature was called for the
purpose OF acting upon it; that the
House waited III breathleSS anxiety
for the action Of Tennessee on that
question. and that when the news of
the adoption OF the amendment was
received by telegraph, the House
made haste to admit Tennessee. put
ting its action on that ground. That
iSpart of the history of the country.
Mr.. Stevens-I have not that recOl-
lection; but | do not undertake to
contradict the gentleman OH what |
do not recOllect. All that | say is
! that the Reconstruction Committee,
recognizing Tennessee as a State.
agreed that she had done all in form
iug her Constitution that a State
was required to do; tha, she rrpScn-
ted herself for admission, and that.
although there was no enabling act.
but with good constitution, treat
her, asa State. That forms no pre-
text. however. for the admission of
States that We're never recognized as
having governments ut all. Not one
of them has a State organization
known to US. They are our captm ed
provinces, and in their capitals they
have certain municipal institutions
for the purpose OF going on from day
to day, which we have not vet distur-
bed. but which, | propose to disturb
in my enabling act. Nowhere has
| this Congress recognized them as
States. but always the very contrary.
Mr.. Maynard-(Rep., Tenn. )-The
State of Tennessee having been n.
terred to, ask the gentleman (Mr.
StevemS) whether, if any of the other
States that have been III rebellion
were to do these things which
Tennessee has done, and which are
r,cited in the preamblJ to the Joint
resolution, by which she was restored
to her relations 10 the Union. to wit:
to provide by a law to secure her
freedmen in the enjoyment of her
civil rights; provide by law for the
exclusion of the rebel element from
power in the State, aud prove in the
manner here designated. her loyalty
to the Government. lie would not
readily take such action in the case
of that State as was taken in the case
of Tennessee.
Mr.. Stevens-I don't expect that
the rebel States will be kept ont for
ever, although they seem to bc get
ting worse and worse, and further off
every day, and l do not know when
they will get to the turn in their long
lane. When these States form con
Stitutions, as Tennessee did, come
here and present them, and when
Congress shall believe them to he
Republican i'll principle, and founded
on principles of justice, Congress will
be very glad to admit them to repre-
sentaton. may, however, say now.
for wish To clear what | call my
,nlcicnce i'll the matter Qaughtcr)
that J shall never vote for the adniS-
-t"u of another State retaining one
of the provisions of the Tennessee
Government. The gentleman MAY
nard knows, | suppose, what that
is )!
Mr.. Maynard-I confess | do not.
Mr.. Stevens-NegrO suffrage is ex-
cluded.
NJ. Maynard-With reference to
Tennessee, 50 far as her treatment of
that portion of her population and of
the rebel population is concerned. she
has been entirely impartial. That is
to say she gives to the freedmen and
the late rebel population, the enjoy
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