The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-03-27

peace prevailed In the United ate
SEC. 8. That the said State Of Alabama
shall be admitted TO representation In
Congress, ans shall be recognized only Ou
the follow nss conditions: that the GDns5i-
tuition Of Alabama shall never be- 50
amended as 10 deDrive any citizen o. e IS
Of citizens ofthe United States u the rlzh5
TO vote by the Constitution herein recog-
nized; nor shall IL be - changed as 10 al
low any person. 10 vote VINO AZ excluded
from Office by the I4th Artlcie of Amend
ments to the Constitution o. the United
states, until the disabilities imposed
shall have been removed in the manner
provided; ard COugress shall nave power
TO annul any anne endmeuL TO the ConstiLu-
tiOn of Ala bs.ma. or any act of the Leglsia-
ture Of said tate. contrary TO the pro-
visions OfthI5 section.
Spald.ng offered as a substitute the
bill introduced into the Senate by
Stewart.
Poland withdrew the substitute he
gave notice of last week.
Bingham moved to amend the bill
BY striking out the third section.
Mr. EarnsWorth addressed the
House in support of the bill. aud
the official report showed that 1000
white men had voted fer the adoption
Of the new Constitution, and that
over 10000 white men in Alabama
were mem bers of the Union League.
Mr.. Williams, Of Pennsylvania,
asked how the fact Of 10000 white
men having voted for the Constitution
hasebeen ascertalned. EFrtB
Mr.. EarneswOrth replied that at
many polls the officers of election
marked the votes Of coiored men and
those of white men
Mr.. Kerr asked whether the result
had been reported in accordance of
any law.
Mr.. Framework said the fact had
not been returned by General Meade,
and he did not know that any law re-
quired it.
Kerr asked how the information
got into the possession Of the~cOm
mittee.
Farnsworth said he had received
information by telegraph and letter,
from unquestionable sources in Ala
bama.
Breck, member of the Recon-
struction Committee asked whether
the committee had received informa
tion that Z, 900 white men had voted
for it; if so, when?
Farnsworth replied that he himself
had received that information.
Kelly spoke in support of the bill.
In the name of Republicans he asked
Congress TO admit Alabama, and pro-
claim to every refractory State that
will bring a Constitution providing
as that of Alabama did, for the right
of every man to hold land, vote and
exercise every other political right,
will be admitted, although terror and
threats of clandestine lynching and
hanging may have kept some from
the polls.
Stevens offered an amendme ut pro-
viding that the rights of suffrage shall
not be denied in any State, except for
treason, felony, or other crime in
famous at common law, but suffrage
shall be forever universal and i'm
partial, and that Congress shall have
power to annul any act that Ala
bama may make In violation or de-
rogatiOn of these acts with regard to
suffrage, aud that In case Of the Leg
islature reducing suffrage below the
universal right, all legislation admit
ting it into the Union, shall be null
and void.
Farnsworth gave notice that he
would move the previous q uestiOn at
half-past three o'clock tomorrow,
and ask for vote at half past four.
Paine presented memorial from
the Chamber of Commerce of Mil
waukee, tor reimbursement of the
expenditures in the harbor of that
city. Referred to the Committee on
Comm cree.
Trumbull believed that the law of
1867 was passed chiefly for the pro
/ lection Of colored citizens in the
/ South from oppression.
johnson replied that ii was com
prehensive in character and covered all
such cases, aud be entertained no doubt
/ that IN the opinion of the Supreme
/ Court, the case was before them under
/ the act of 1867 He had great conf
dence in the ability Of the Chief } US
/ tice. who, he thought. had made that
I threat clear. He regretted the pas
sage of the bill without sufficient
knowledge on the part Of some Sena-
tors, who, if they had understood it,
would have opposed it; aud, in eulo-
gizing the Supreme Court. said that
the Supreme Court must hold to their
authority to decide upon the cOnstl-
tuti0uality of the laws or prove re-
creant to their trusts. and that If
Congress were left totally unrcstrain-
ed, despotism would be the result.
Salisbury remarked that Congress
to reach one solitary case, were seek
ing to place the inestimable privilege
Of the hnbeaS corpus out Of reach,
and if Congress insisted on keeping
the leaden cloud of despotism over
the South, the high court of the peo-
pie would in November set aside Its
verdict
Bayard characterized the bill if