The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-03-19
devise and employ his own MACHINERY. ue

devise and employ his own machinery. He
can use the existing election laws, adapt
ing them to the changes required by the
act of Congress, but he protested repeat
edly against any effort to convert this into
an election law, declaring that if that was
the intention of the Senate, the bill must be
referred, and ample time be given to the
committee.
Perhaps the most interesting part Of the
discussion grew out Of the proposition of
Mr.. Sumner to require each State TO estab-
fish and maintain system Of common
schools. Ii was contended by the senator
that they had power to lay down any con-
ditions of reconstruction they thought
wise, and that suffrage without knowledge
was bootless; and he read classic eulogy
on education. In the course of his re-
marks he denounced the States to be cre-
ated under this bill as "born Of the bayo-
net" This expression seemed particularly
obnoxious to his friends-we suppose be-
cause they secretly acknowledged its truth.
Several senators sprang to their feet on
the conclusion Of his speech, and Mr.. Free
linghuysen was recognized. He protested
against such an idea going forth to the
country. 1t was grossly unjust, and the
gentleman ingeniously sought to evade its
force by explaining that the governments
to be created would be the work of the
people.
Mr.. CONFESS scornfully disclaimed it, and
reminded the senator that California sprang
into the Union from military order; but
he forgot to state that California had no
conditions affixed to her coming, with the
alternative of accepting them or being
kept under the bayonet.
Mr.. Stewart protested against any mans
voting for bill and denouncing it. He
would vote against bill, or he would de.
fend it, and he claimed that it was grossly
unfair to denounce measure and get the
credit for standing on a higher elevation
than others, while really supporting it with
his vote. They would be met o. the
stump with this speech of the senator; and
it was unjust to his friends.
Mr.. Hendricks denied the power Of
Congress to institute governments for the
South, or to prescribe any other condition
than those imposed by the Constitution.
He very briefly but forcibly and conclu-
sively destroyed all the foundation of Mr..
Summers argument on the power of Con
gress to prescribe governments for the
South, which he derived from necessity,
from military governments, and from that
clause in the Constitution guaranteeing a
republican government. Necessity knows
no law, but We were governed by Con-
stitution, and have no powers save what
were conferred. There is no war, and the
gentleman knowsit. There was no excuse,
then, for appealing to the war power; but
if there was, that did not justify such in
reference with the rights Of American
citizens. Governments already existed in
the South they are republican in form,
and there is not the shadow Of an excuse
for congressional interference.
Mr.. Buckalew made a very striking and
adroit argument, ostensibly in defence
of Mr.. Sumner, who, he claimed, was the
pioneer of the party, advocating policy
for which he was denounced this year
by his friends only to support it the next
by their votes. He claimed, too, that the
senator was perfectly correct in charac-
teriZing these States as born of the bayo-
net. Civil authority did exist there. 1t
protected life. 1t regulated property; it
performed fully all the functions Of 60
vernment-as fully as elsewhere. Now,
wac iNulNo oooNS WV
civil. Neither property, nor liberty, nor
life, were secure, save by the permit of a
soldier; and this state of things was to eX
ist until conditions were acted upon by the
South, which were extremely repulsive,
and could only be extorted by power.
Mr.. Summers proposition was lost by a
tie vote.
One point of this debate we must re-
serve, as we have not space in which to
do it Justice. We refer to the question
whether Congress is committed at all to a
plan of reconstruction by the act of March
I'd of the last Congress. On this the diff
ference of opinion was very decided.
The bill now goes to the House, and it is
difficult to say in what shape it will come
out, as there is marked difference be-
tween the two Houses on the question
whether majority of all the registered
voters, or of all the votes cast at the cleo
ton, shall be requisite to ratify the consti-
tutions that may be adopted.-National
MteNigencer.