Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-04-03

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IN Florida, where our Commissioner
of-the Freedmen's Bureau informed
me he had seen many of them sold for
twenty years. How do they do it
They pass law that any man guilty
of assault and battery shall be sold
into slavery for twenty years, and it
is the law there now. They 90 out
into the streets, and if white man
Jostles black one, or black man
Jostles white one, he is taken straight
to the court, convicted of assault and
battery, and is sold for twenty years
into slavery. There are hundreds
this day In the Southern States who
are serving as slaves on just such
contrivances. They have so altered
the law that they have introduced a
system of peonage even worse than
In Mexico or the middle Southern
provinces. And yet what shall we
do? We must try to skackle them
in the same way. so that while we are
admitting these fraudulent white men
we are securing the poor black men
from their impositions. Hence it is
that I have moved to strike out all
after the first section and insert in its
place what | think will be complete
shackle. But the proposition of the
gentleman from Ohio Mr.. Bingham)
to strike out the third section, is all,
L must say, in the interests of slave
ry. l have offered my proposition to
try to protect, if possible, freedmen
against the wiles of the most wicked
institution that God ever afflicted man
with, or that ever could exist through
the invention of human ingenuity.
will vote for no Constitution which
does not give universal and impartial
suffrage and bind, as far as human
ligaments can bind, that provision
forever, unalterable and irradicable,
IN the instrument so that if ever taken
out by the roots, it shall take with
it every other fragment of the instru-
ment itself and send them back to
act according to the provisions of a
new law.
Mr.. Boutwell, of Massachusetts
argued against the amendment offer
ed by Mr.. Stevens, Directing to 1t
that it would admit to suffrage wo
men and children as well as men.
Mr.. Stevens thought that that was
not a fair construction of it, but he
was willing to change the words 'citi-
zens Of t h e United States" into
the words electors of the United
States"
Mr.. Boutwell, said he did not see
how that would help the matter.
Mr.. Stevens asked how he could
help it.
Mr.. Boutwell, replied that if he were
offering the proposition it would be
his business to perfect it, but as he
was opposing it, that was not his bu-
siness. He went on to say he was
in favor Of the bill, but was opposed
to Mr.. Stevens amendment, which
had not been agreed upon in commit
tee. That amendment would open
up to every rebel in the State of Ala
bama, who would not be convicted
Of treason, the right to vote in all
elections.
Mr.. Eldridge of Wisconsin desired
to ask Mr.. Boutwell, whether he would
oNolude men who were convicted.
Mr.. Boutwell, declined to Weld and
went on to say that the conditions
declared to be fundamental in the Sd
section of the bill were in entire
harmony y with nine precedents in the
U0VernmeF and were within the
rule lad down ny the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Bingl.m,) to wit: that
they were in harmony with the Coz '
stitution and not in any se.sn outside
or eXtraneous to it, and wer. condi
tons that were necessary for these
curity of the people of Alabama, ii
that State was to be admitted into
the Union.
Mr.. Miller favored the admission
of Alabama under the Constitution
presented.
Mr.. Farnsworth closed the debate.
He said the bill was opposed by the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr,
Dawes and others on the Republican
side because it would give the State
into the hands of the rebels; and was
opposed by members on the Democra-
tic side because it would put the State
into the hands of loyal men. Who
would decide when doctors disagree
He argued that to reject Alabama,
after she had gone through the strug-
gle, would only be to encourage reb-
els and discourage loyal men.
Mr.. Myers of Pennsylvania sug-
gested, IN this connection, that he had
the original letter, sent in January
to Capt. Francis Lyons, who had just
been discharged from the Federal
army, notifying him to quit the State
OF Alabama, adding that Capt. Lyons
had remained, and few months after
ward was brutally murdered. This
was when Andrew Johnson had be-
gun to inspire the rebels with fresh
courage, and when the whole power
of the State was being placed by
him into the hands of disloyal men.
Mr.. Farnsworth resumed and said
that he had had letter upon letter be-
seeching Congress not to turn back
on Alabama, but to spare the loyal
people the humiliation, modification
and insults which they would be OBJ
hged to face. He was sorry to hear
the gentleman from Pennsylvania
L