The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-01-07

II ~ W Ely -
| WASHINGTON, January 5.-Although to-day
was devoted to mere speech making, a discus.
sion between two of the ablest aud most pro-
| ninent Republicans excited the closest atten
ton.
Mr.. Spalding, of Ohio, entered In to an argu
ment to show that the southern States. by
| adopting the constitutional amendment. couid
| resume their congressional representation
| without further action; in other words. their
| restoration would be complete. On recent
| visit TO Petersburg, Va. gentleman with
whom he conyersed said the adoption OF the
amendment would be condemnation Of their
| leaders, but II ree.fonrths of the States
| would ratify 1t, no opposition would be found
In Virginia.
Mr. Kelly, o. Pennsylvania, obtained per.
mission 10 state the substance Of letters he
had received from North and South Caro-
lima. in which the writers expressed views
| similar 10 those Of the gentleman in Peters
| burg.
Mr. Spalding warned his political friends
not 10 insist on ultra measures, snch as the
impeachment Of the President, while Congress
held a two. third power over the action OF the
Executive. Such measures would react on the
Republican party. II, he added, we find by the
| fortieth Congress that the South does not ra-
| tify the amendment, then let the gentleman
from Pennsylvania (Mr. StevensFcall up his
bill for the construction Of the southern
States.
Mr. Stevens, of Pennsylvania, replied, COM
| batting Spalding's argument that the ratifica-
| ton of the amendment conld be the final act.
This would leave the country open to an in
L a Tho md
| the public ought to know that the gentleman
had uttered the most pernicious doctrine OF
the rebel sympathizers. To ask rebels to vote
on tho amendment is to stultify ourselves.
For while we in fact hold the South as con-
quered provinces, we recognize them as loyal
States; but we propose to regulate these
States ourselves by law.
| Mr.. Niblack, of Indiana, asked whether Mr..
Stevens and his friends did not admit Tonnes
see on the ground that she had ratified the
amendment, and whether the Radical majority
did not regard that rs an evidence Of her 10y
| atty.
| MIR. Stevens replied that the preamble of the
| bill admitting Tennessee recited the good
things she had done, but she was not admit.
| ted on that ground alone.
Mr.. Maynard, of Tennessee, inquired whe-
Their the gentleman would not vote Tor the al.
| mission of other southern States who would
secure freedmen in their civil rights and ex-
| hibit indisputable evidence of loyalty.
| Mr.. Stevens replied that he would never
vote for the admission Of any State that did
| not consent to negro suffrage.
Mr.. Maynard said that Tennessee had done
| as much as Pennsylvania and other northern
States had done. Those States did not permit
negro suffrage.
Mr.. Stevens replied that the remark was just
and right. Pennsylvania and other States
ought to blush for the infamous exclusion to
which the gentleman had referred. He did
not doubt Mr.. Spalding's radcalism, but, as
with shrubs, his roots did not sink deep into
| the earth-not more than half an inch or six
inches. This remark created much laughter
| which Spaldiug turned aside by saying, 1.-The
less said about roots the better."l