The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-12-25
Debate in the Senate on Negro
Equality in the District Of Col
umbia
From the Cor. N. =. Herald.l

i / j
i The debate IN the Senate to-day was briei
lively and piquant, on the passage Of Sena
tor Summers bill to strike out the wort
.I''white" from the constitution Of the DIS
tnct Of Columbia, and to give the right tt
negroes to sit upon juries, together with al
the privileges accorded to the whites. /
was chiefly interesting as indicating the un
altered sentiment Of the Republican party
in reference to the equality Of races. Ii
view of the verdict rendered at the recen'
election an opinion prevailed that the dom
lnant element in the Senate would hesitate
in forcing upon the people Of this District
the obnoxious measure Of total equality
and those Republicans to whom conserva
! tive tendencies have been attributed were
Expected to record their objection to the
passage Of the bill. The sequel, however
shows that the vote was strict party one
and that the Radicals have no compnnc.
tions to the enforcement Of universal equal.
|ity where the theory can meet with no eff
fective opposition. Senator Sumner evi-
IDENTIFY felt anxious for the immediate pas
sage Of his bill, and seemed impatient at the
delay some ofthe Democratic members per-
sisted in creating. Mr.. Pomeroy, Of Kan.
sas felt equally anxious, but expressed him
self dissatisfied that the bill failed in not
being sweeping measure one that would
wipe ont all distinctions of race or color,
and look upon both races as one. The
Senator spoke somewhat impulsiyely; and
excited little derisive SIN fling. Senator
Hendricks, Of Indiana, to whom the credit
OF much nervous precision as q speaker
must be accorded, protested against the
passage Of the bill, and taking up the Sena
tor from Kansas, admonished him that his
constituency were Mr less favorably dispos-
ed toward amalgamation of the race; as
their recent verdict at the polls emphati-
cally declared, than the Senator, himself
might be willing to admit. Reverdy John
son made q brief but forcible argument
against the measure. His language was
that of lawyer appealing against the un-
constitutionality Of projected act. Speak.
ing at first in rather a subdued tone, he be-
came after while somewhat impassioned,
and wound up with solumn protest against
the bill. MI. Sumner called up the bill
again in the afternoon, and this gave occa-
sion to the only spicy piece Of debate that
has marked the proceedings Of the session
50 far. Senator Hendricks rose second |
time and gave his reasons for opposing the
bill. He did 50 in areally mastery man
ner saying among other things, that those
Terms so frequent in the vocabulary Of Rad
calism "copperheads, "rebels" &c, applied
70 the Northern Democracy were gradually
alling into disuse, and that the time had
come when they should be dropped alto.
,ether. Senator Morton, his colleeue,
rom Indiana, and as equally able debater
eplied very sententiousty, declaring his be-
ief that the terms complained oil BY Mr..
Hendricks would cling to the Democracy
through all generations. The passage at
rms continued for q little time longer, much
alent being exhibited n,both sides. The
ill, however, passed by the usual Radical
majority. 4