The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-03-21

Ihe regular tneaCTicsl season Is fast drawing to
close, but R1sToR1 will appear again in April and
reign supreme for few weeks. MOULiRLE.
| The Reconstruction Debate in tho United
States Senate.
tFrons the Nationa, Intelligencer.l
The Supplemental Reconstruction Bill was taken
I'D in the Senate on Saturday little before g. and
occupied that body till midnight. The Bn as re-
differed but slightly from that which passed the
House. The oath was modified 80 rs to exclude
the phrase "sincerely attached to the Govern
ment," md some other unessential amendments
were offered. The debate in the Senate took
wide sweep, embracing the whole question Of re-
construction. A number Of amendments were
offered and rejected The question which elected
the wsrmest discussion was whether tho vote
which ratified the Constitution should be one re-
quiring majority of all the registered voters or
Of all the votes rast. The House Bill requires the
former, as did the Bill of the judiciary Committee,
in the estimation of some Of the members, but not
in that Of Others and several votes were had upon
1t, and any quantity OF debate.
The alterations finally made were by modifying
tho form Of tho oath, and by inserting the third
section, which provides for a vote being taken at
the election for delegates for and against the con-
pose it, or If a majority Of the registered voters
fail to vote upon the question. The same provi-
sion, requiring one-half the registered voters, is
applied to the ratification.
Mr.. Howards amendment respecting the oath
specifies the condition Of dsffanchisenlent, III
stead Of referring in general terms to the Act of
March I'd. This elected warm discussion, which
developed marked diversity Of opinion. Some
gentlemen thonght the oath of but little conse-
uuence Some thought it unfair to ask man to
swear to that to which yoI could apply no test,
such as feeling OF attachment to the Union. Some
| thought rebels would not be deferred Ey oaths,
and few agreed with Mr. Sumner in thinking
| that the terms were not harsh enough: He wanteu
S1~oo MT TN in1t 1yoFlb Tho
Union; that he would not countenance the Con-
Pederate debt, but uphold the national, and oppose
I'LL discrimination OF rights in regard to color. MIR.
Howard's amendment was lost in committee, but
adopted in the Senate.
The question that WIS most persstently debated
was, whether majority Of the r. gistered voters
or Of the votes cast should be sufficient to call
convention and ratify the constitution. Messrs.
Howard, Sumner, N5e, Foss snden and conkling
contended for the former. The speeches Of
Messrs. Howard and Nyo were especially bitter
against rebels. Accordingly to their statements,
the Southern people are not fit to live in repub-
lican country, or, indeed, any. other. They are
unworthy OF trust full Of hostility, to. to the Union
versal massacreing Of the negroes BY Federal
Both kore '&iiffaia 81 r55 1ssry
Both thought the negroes too ignorant and TOO
slavsh to be trusted to vote against their masters
MIR. Howard, too, had a great horror Of minority
governments. Strange to say, he protested
sive that these contumacious rebels would stay
away from tho polls and leave tho poor blacks,
who required guardians and are unfit for self
government, to make negro government.
Mr. Nye was afraid the masters wo1ld keep
their late slaves in leading strings, and 80 early
reconstruction would be simply restoring rebels to
power. So that both are, in fact, opposed to any
recon friction for some time to come, though Mr.
fpr speaking OF him as m enemy Of the Bill, and
demanded with no little heat, "By what authority
does the Senator from Illinois assert that aln an
eremy of the Bill and when Mr. Trumbuu si.oW-
ed why he was, took the chairman Of Judiciary
committee to tasz lecturing him vohemently, pre-.
claimed his independence, and announced with
more force than nlodesty that he recognized no
superior, and would submit to no dictator" The
very temper Of the gentleman showed the truth OF
the charge. So, too Mr.. Nye hared up at q re-
mark OF Mr. Wilson's about charging him with
demagoguism, by appealing to the passions en-
gendered by tho war, instead Of pouring oil on the
waters, the Senator from Nevada proceeded to put
the cap by indulging in the very strain OF talk
which validated the charge
MIR. Fessenaen had considerable to say about
leaving the people Of the South to their own
choice. He was unwilling to compel them into the
Union He was in II favor Of the military bill pure
terms OF reconstruction. He wanted them to have
no chance of saying they we're forced IN, but as
they took their own way cut, he would have them
take their own way back, and let Congress say
WQGGuer GQ6J MOuO IIlhG way VI lIO1. lao
was perfectly willing to defend that position be;
fore his own constituency or any other, and did
not share the apprehension Of Mr.. Morton and
others that the nation would tire Of the delay.
Mr. conkng made couple Of very forelbIe
Of the South should be bound by the work done,
and unless majority Of them voted they might
repudiate it as The act OF the minority.
On The other hand, the proposition was shown
up very thoroughly, by Messrs. Wilson, Morton,
L,xn ,n frrC iof f0I
that delay of reconstruction WIS fraught with
danger to tho country, but especially to the Rad-
cal party. The people demanded reconstruction,
and Mr. Morton portinently suggested that the
yass next year, four years after tho war was
ended, and acknowledge their failure to recon-
struct the Government by Eeeping the South out.
II they failed in their duty, tho country would
find leaders who didn't: MIR. Wilson contended
movement, and that the Radica had fair
show for controlling all the States except
Virginia. Ho was confident of South Carolina
and Louisiana, and rebuked his colleague
for haggGng over minor points when the
cal Senators was in their grasp Mr.. Fowler in
terrupted to ash O question. But it was moro than
the Massachusetts Senator could stand. Ho warm
iy assured hlm that he was tho last man who
should be found making any opposition to this
policy, for he tAlr. WILSON, had fought this san
light aud had to meet the same arguments to get
hin (Nlr. Fowler) into the Senate. It was crush
ing. Mr. Fowler stood convicted and no longer in
terrupted the impetuous flow Of the gentlemans
roseate DEMONSTRATIONS. That part Of MIR. Viii
sons speech relating to welcoming the South was
very fine, but MIR. Nyo's subsequent partisan ap-
peal drove HIN into stating that lie id not mean
rebels, but negroes and loyalists. The argument
that to require majority Of the regis: cred voters
to count the absentees ought to be conclusive.
Mr. Trumbull had great difficulty in keeping
his friends from loading down the Bill with amend
ments relating to the Details and twice they were
tackled on, but removed on reconsideration He
insisted that the whole question of detail was left
to the commanding general, who mist devise and
| employ his own machinery. lie can use the exist-
i ing election laws, adapting them to the changes
REQUIRED by the act OF Congress, but he protested
repeatedly against any effort to convert this into
an election law declaring that, if that was the in
tention Of the Senate, the Bill must be referred,
and ample time be given to the committee.
Perhaps the most interesting part OF the dis
cussion grew out OF the proposition Of Mr.. Sum-
.er to require each State to establish and main.
tain system Of common schools It was contonded
by the Senator that they had power to lay down
| any conditions Of rcconstructio; they thought
wise, and that suffrage without knowledge was
| bootiess and he read classic eulogy educa-
L., T., ool