The news. [volume] (Bristol, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1867-03-07

GRAFTON, Mr.. Taylor, having fifteen min>
utes time allowed him, spoke as follows
Mr. Speaker; deem it proper upon
this important question, to offer some
remarks by way Of explanation, Of the
vote which | expect TO give, or which |
may fail to give.
IL seems to me that there are three
alternatives presented We have been
Offered the origual bill from the joint
committee on reconstruction we have
now offered to US the substitute proposed
therefor by the Senate, aud if that sub.
stitute fails to receive the concurrence Of
this House then the result will be com.
mittee on the disagreeing votes of the
two Houses That Committee of con
terence, 1t is presumable, will agIee upon
some compromise between the original
and the substitute now before us and it
is also presumable that their report will
be compromise between the original bill
and the substitute now before us.
am conseientiously opposed to both
the bill and the substitutes original pro-
positions. am opposed TO tie original
bill, because | regard it as one which
tramples the Constitution Of the United
States in the dust. | am opposed to it
because it substitutes for civil governs
ment the most despotic form of military
rule. Human ingenuity in my opinian
could not desire a measure more despotic,
more unconstitutional, more perfectly OPP
posed 20 the spirit and genius of our
REPUBLICAN institutions, than the original
bill known as Stevens Military Bill
am also opposed to the substitute
passed by the Senate, as an original or
abstract proposition, upon constitutional
grounds | believe that the Congress Of
the United States has no constitutional
authority to establish the sort of govern
meut which is proposed by that substi
tute, on any State government. believe
that Congress has no constitutional au-
thority to dictate to any State of this
/ Uulon the kind Of constitution to be
adopted by that State, or co dictate to
tue acceptance by any State ofany amend.
ment 10 the Constitution OF the United
States it has no authority to do this
either by direction OF by inIirection. |
believe tnat Congress has no Constitution.
al authority to dictate to any State in
tins Union what qualifications 1t shall
prescribe for its voters. | am therefore
upon constitutional principles opposed to
the original biIl as well as to the substi-
tutc proposed by the Senate.
! But the measure presented to me now
comes not as au original proposition, tc
| be determined upon its own merits; but
~ ,.a ,.in udueat 70 the original bill
aud Is therefore in the nature OF an alter
native proposition; and while | shrink
from il with instructive horror as an orig
inal abstract proposition, | am now called
upon to consider and act upon it rs better
or worse than the measure for which IL Il
IA substitute. We must either take the
original bill, the substitute proposed by
the Senate, or the measure which the
committee of conference will present.
Now, in this state Of the case it becomes
us to ascertain the comparative merits anC
demerlts OF the original bill, the Senat,
l.substiture, and the measure which will
be presented by the committee of confer
ence, should this subject be tnally re
turred to them. regard the form OF des
potsm embodied in the original PROPOSE
ton from the committee on Recunstruc
ton AZ the very worst that has ever beeI
imposed on any peoplein war or in peace
| regard the substitute of the Senate a
favorable modification, III some of it
provisions of that original proposition
and believe the work of committee @
conference wilt partake of the characte
of each of the others, and perhaps ma
b. worse than either of them, certainl
not less Objectionable than the substitute
Then as practical statesman, lookin
TO the best interests or the whole coun
try, and particularly of the communitie
most narrowly affected, what do prudence
wisdom aud patriotism demand of me i
reference to these several measures A
said before, | repudiate each Of them q
an original measure. | believe this Con
gress has no constitutional right to pas
either Of them. Yet it is certain tia
J this Congress viii pass one or the cthe
| or perhaps substitute for them both SEINE
thing THAI will be worse than either. :
Therefore it seems TO me that | am com
PEELED to make choice, and b. my votj
or my failure to vote, give my inauenc
or support in favor Of the one or tn
other. It's a choice between evils, an
Z when the vote comes to be taken | sha
eudeavor to do my duty. | shall eth,
> not vote at all, or shall vote for ii
substitute of the Senate as the least
the two evils.
| believe that there is a wiser, bett'
3 and an infinitely easier solution of the'
I reconstruction difficulties, one perfect
j. consistent with the Constitution of tt
: United States, better than either the OF
which emanated from the other side
the Chamber, or from the Senate of IL