The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-03-21
PRESS
Thursday Morning, March 81, 1867.
Correspondence of the PrcssJ 7'

10
bill This interest grew out of the depa'e
ing almost entirely confined to the hepuD !.
cans, and therefore it served to Illustrate 'ne
differences of opipion which are de'eiopihs
themselves more sharply and clearly every
day.
We who watch the proceedings here day by
dav n.rh.,s underestimate the interest felt by
the con, try at large in the details of proceed
ure often intolerably dry to us, in the author
shin of bills of ams nts, and in other es-
sential details. I shall therefore give you a
r'sun' ~ his last debate, Judging that the in
terest is not diminished in this great question
ON the 9th inst. Senator Wilson introduced
q bill providing for the registration of voters
and the holding of delegate convention for
the purpose of framing constitution embody-
ing the requirements of the Military bill. This
was a moderate measure and did not meet tne
wishes of the Radicals here or of the South-
ern loyalists, in that it allowed the mintary
com handlers to delegate the works of reglstra-
tion to the Governor wherever they saw prop
ar. that If did not require the test oath to be
taken as registers and election JUDGES anu re-
quired only mild one from thoSe
On the same day Senator Sumner introduced
his resolutions declaring
lot That all existing governments in the I'M
epres,nted States must be declared vacated
ID, That provisional governments must be
substituted
3d. That loyalty must be fostered in the re-
organization.
4tb That education, free and universal, must
be required as aguarantee.
9TH That the homestead is also necessary,
and each freed head of family ought to have
piece of land. ai ala
In the House, Judge Kelley introduced a res
olution instructing the Judiciary Committee
to report bill requiring that the District com
manders should make registry; that they
should call conventions; and that all voting
should be by ballot. 1t passed.
Here then was the basis upon which the sup
Elementary bill was evolved. The necessity
grew every day more apparent. Letters and
dispatches came pouring in from the South
declaring that unless a registration was provid-
ed for in other hands than the rebel provision
al governments and time thus gained for Or
ganizaton and agitation, the loyal element
would be altogether swamped. 1t was very
evident that the malcontents saw, or portion
of them did, their chance to win by seeming
acquiescence The ballot requirement was to
be made to suit Virginia and other States where
ptpa ooce voting prevailed. @ H'1"
On Monday last the House Judiciary Com
mittee reported bill based on Mr.. Wilson's,
but much more stringent in details. Its prin-
cipal features were these:- -u Ta53 .Ha.
LIST. A registration to be made under the
District commanders, and to be completed by
the LIST. of September t.iasy t.fug 5.I+
I'd. The appointment of three persons in
each election District as registers and election
judges, the loyalty of said appointees to be es-
tablished by their taking the "test OATH"
Sd. The administration of an oath to all per
sons registered, specifying that they had new
er taken an oath of allegiance to the United
States, and afterwards engaged in any rebel
lion against its Government or given aid to its
enemies, that they truly respect and support
said Government and will engage all others to
do the same. ld ~ ar lH2f t4le
4th. The District Commanders were to
count the votes, apportion the delegates, and
call an election, giving thirty days notice;
said convention, when assembled, to take the
oath required of registered voters, and to be
chosen from among such; the constitution,
when framed, to be sent to the President to be
by him transmitted to Congress for approval
or rejection.
This passed on the same day with but little
debate, by the operation of motion to sus-
pend the rules! Butler made an effort to get
al amendment introduced striking out the
date by which the registration was required to
be finished, On the ground that such hurry was
not necessary, and that in different districts
the circumstances would vary. ,.. ~ ,..t
On the same day Mr.. Sumner called up hie
resolutions and debated them They consum-
ed two days and were laid on the table by a
large vote. Mr.. Sumner developed a feeling
in the Senate that all had not been required
which should have been. Gov. Morton made
his first senatorial effort in support of requir
ing the State Constitution to guarantee free
and equal common school system The Gov
ernor proved himself equal to his reputation,
and established the fact that the Senate had
gained largely by his presence therein.
On Tuesday the House bill was sent to the
Senate and referred to the Judiciary. On
Wednesday they reported a new bill as a
substitute. This let the bars down in several
places. The time of completing the registry
was the same; the registers were not required
to take the "iron clad" the oath administered
to the registered was much more general as to
whether the voter was disfranchised by reason
of having previously taken the oath of allegi-
ance; and also omitted the statement that the
party respected" &c. the government The
time for announcing an election was changed
to sixty instead of thirty days, and when the
convention assembled it was allowed to decide
by vote whether the people wanted consti-
tuition framed and desired to again establish
normal relations with the general govern
ment. tsf1 hslflg -ii 8. ifs s1s gf frsI
1t became evident that these terms were too
mild-too dangerous rather-for the aggressive
men. On Thursday the discussion and the
struggle was spirited, resulting in several inn
portant amendments being made to to the BILL
Mr.. Drake of Missouri took the lead in these
efforts, and in his speeches vindicated his
claims to be considered leading spirit 1t
was from the first evident that he was not at
all inclined to trim change, pay heed to Sena-
sorial department, or be turned aside by the
rather Pickwickian politenesscs which are
often the order of the day. He offered two of
the chief amendments; one requiring an ire
versible guarantee of voting by ballot, and the
other requiring that at the delegate election
the question of convention OF no convention
should be submitted and be acted upon direct
ly by the people. Both these were voted down
though the latter was afterwards accepted and
made section third of the bill as it stands
Gov. Morton supported the ballot, if not
coupled with the irreversible guarantee provi-
SO. - tt
Inc object of Senator brakes successful
amendment was to make the Constitution til
direct work of the people, 1t was also to bring
about an agitation upon the question, and SO
help the general cause. If any State choose to
remain undr military pupilage it could do so.
Congress in that event would probably terrific
rialize its government. Another requirement.
which was struggled for was that a majority of
the registered voters should vote in favor of the
convention. The purpose sought was to pre-
vent the whites bullying the colored citizens
away from the polls, and thus controlling af-
fairs by what might be an actual minority A
compromise was effected on this question by
requiring that majority of registered votes
should be cast pro or con, and majority of
THESE decide, on the ratification of the Consti-
tuition. As the bill passed the Senate, one-hali
Oh the registered voters must vote on the ratifi-
cation, for or against. The test oath as qualfi-
cation for registers was also reinserted.