The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-10

people. She was the only reOel SLdte
that had done it. On full examina-
ton of that constitution, and of all the
laws passed under ii, the committee
came to the conclusion that Tennessee
was a Republican State, and that we
could safely admit her. Her adoption
of the amendment before we came to
that conclusion was matter of no I'M
portance-not the least; but, in word,
it neither altered our conduct nor alter
ed our position. There was great dif-
ference OF opinion at the time whether
it was polite TO admit Tennessee.
Mr.. Niblack (Dem., 1nd.) inquired
whether the Joint resolution admitting
Tennessee to representation in the two
Houses of Congress did not base such
admission on the ground that Tennes-
see had adopted the constitutional
amendment; and whether Congress did
not sanction that view, that the adop-
ton of the constitutional amendment
entitled any State to admission7
Mr.. Stevens-The preamble to the re-
solution admitting Tennessee recited |
great many of her good acts, and |
among the rest, as an inducement to |
admit her, and as an evidence OF her |
LOYALTY, it was recited that she had |
adopted the amendment to the Consd-
tuition. But nobody ever thought of
giving vote on that ground. 1t was
only one OF the evidences of her 10y
atty.
Mr.. Niblack-Then ask the gentle
man whether, according to his view,
Congress did not in that matter stultify
itself7 - .t
Mr.. Stevens-Congress did not sub
NIT the amendment to Tennessee at all.
Tennessee did this before we passed the
resolution or had II ready. 1t vas
voluntary act of Tennessee. She was
brought TO it by the impetuous young
gentleman who is Governor of that
State. 1t was sent here and incorpora-
| ted as one of the good things to assist
| in what u 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 Tennes-
see. That a special meeting OF the Leg
islature was called for the purpose of
acting upon it. That the House waited
4 in 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 10 admit Tennes-
| see, putting its action on that ground.
| That is part of the history of the coun-
try.
/ Mr.. Stevens-I have not that recol-
lection but do not undertake to con-
tradict the gentleman on what do not
recollect All that say is, that the
Reconstruction Committee in recogniz-
ing Tennessee as State, agreed that
she had done all, in forming her consti-
tuition, that State was required to do;
that she presented herselffor admission,
and that, although there was no enab-
ling act, we would do with her as with
other States that came without an enRb-
ling act, but with a good constitution,
treat her as a State, and we did treat
, her as State. That forms no pretext,
however, for the admission of States
that were never recognized as having
7 WNFNnsl ants uF al
, has State organization known to us.
) They are our captive provinces, and
: in their capitals they have certain mu-
| nicipaI institutions for the purpose oi
, going on from day to day, which we
r have not yet disturbed, but which
r propose to disturb in my enabling act
, Nowhere has this Congress recognized
Z them as States, but always the very
i contrary. do not desire to interfere
= with any of the egentleman's Mr.. SPald'
ing's) prospects at home-I do not know
what they are-I would not do so If
could; for think there are three ol
four of his colleagues who were as ole
on the stump as he was.
n think several of them wer'
e heretics in the matter. daughter.
e MIR. Maynard, Tenn.-The State o
: Tennessee having been referred to,
s ask the gentleman Mr.. Stevens) wheth
z er, if any of the other States that havt
j been in rebellion were to do those thing
e which Tennessee has done, and whicl
= are cited in the preamble to the join
5 resolution by which she was restored Il
e her relations to the Union, to wit-prO
3 vide by law to secure her freedmen in tn
If enjoyment of their civil rights, provid
Il by law for the exclusion of the rebe
" prove in the manner here designatet
l. her loyalty TO the governmental
" would not readily take such action il
II the case of that State as was taken il
J. the case of Tennessee.
e Mr.. Stevens-I do not expect that tn
y rebel States will be kept out forever
s) although they seem TO be getting wors
D, and worse, and farther OFT every day
Is and do not know when they will Ct
l. to the turn in their long lane. Whe
3 those States form constitutions, as Ter
IS nessee did, come here and present then
and when Congress shall believe ther
n to be republican in principle and found
N ed on principles of justice. Congress
n will be very glad to admit them to re[
lg resentation. l may, however, say no.
Sc for 1 wish to clear what call m
conscience in the matter-(laughter)-
L sion of another State retaining one {
u the provisions OF the Tennessee GOV
e. ernment. The gentleman (Mr. MAJ
3. nard, knows, suppose, what that i
lie Mr.. Mayuard-I confess do not.
er Mr.. Stevens-Segro suffrage is exclI
ut ded.
is Mr.. .Maynard-With reference to Tel
es nessee, so far as her treatment of tn;
n portion of her population and of Il
be late rebel population is concerned, ST
is has been entirely impartial; that is
d. say, she gives TO the freedmen and Il
in late rebel population the enjoyment
is all civil rights, and denies them on
ce the right to vote, to hold Office, and
/ =? serve on juries. The probability, hoy
Id ever, is that she will very soon ado
as the plan that we have adopted for Il
On District of Columb bia, not of univers
or suffrage, not of negro suffrage, but
or impartial suffrage-giviug the sutfrai
ng to all who have been loyal 10 the Go
We ernment, irrespective of race or color.
ir, Mr.. Stevens-That is part of the co
?" stitution of Tennessee, TO which L sh
lot NV ewes at the-time that vote WI
"a taken. The idea that loyal niger
he to be put upon the same footing with
ck rebel! [Laughter.l The laws of Te
", nessee do that and it is an outrage.
bo Mr.. Maynard-That is doing gre
m deal more for them than is done in
d ? large portion OF the United States, b
sm cause they are not lifted TO the saI
on level as rebels. believe that in I
e." gentleman's own State If a rebel fro
Ig) my country comes there, the doors
nR political fellowship are thrown open
him. Whether that is so with the 10y
an negro, probably the gentleman will 1
m US. ~ .--- a..--..g,, .--..y .-..
Mr.. stevens-The gentleman is rig
of sir. Pennsylvania ought to blush, u
many other free States ought to blu:
is for the infamous exclusion to which I
gentleman has referred. But will
all blushes whiten the conscience of Te
Ict. nessee
-es- Mr. Maynard-Perhaps they "