The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-03-12
,. fac Admission of Aiabnma-Repor1
eft the Reconsideration Committee.

The following report upon the recent
election in Alabama and the bill for the ad
mission Of that State into the Union ware
presented from the Reconstruction Com
mittce in the House Of Repro. ,cntative.
Tuesday:
The Committee On Reconstruction. to
whom was referred the Aaplication or .!a
hama asking admission into the Union a.
sovereign State, report
mat Is TER intention 10 pursue the
>p'rsl II MOI The letter OF the law of March
49, 1900, entitled "An act supplementary
10 a" at to provide for the more efficient
roVernment Of the rebel States, passed
March :, 1867, and to facilitate restora-
ton"
Iney especially intend to enforce the
srNl' OF that law when there seems to be
any conflict in the iactS in evidence be-
tween the spirit and the letter. Such is
the true principle laid down by moral
wrists Tor the government .! Judges. By
me "cttwo things were Evidently intended.
tnc was TO aQmt Alabama as a State if,
AjeT tuH registration, with time for de.
liberation, a majority of her citizens should
he IL favor Of admission. The other was
40 prevent hasty and precipitate lcgisla.
Gloa before the people should have duly
examined the subject. Hence the law
provided that not only Alabama but all
the conquered territory should have
81 her legal voters registered by proper
officers, and if majority Of legal voters
thus registered should cast taclr votes in
favor OF constitution, a convention
should I've ordered for the purpose of franz.
;gc orc but i g majority of all the regis,
tered votes, by either their own voiilion or
casually, shonld not BE cast against con-
situation, they should still! be counted in
The uegativea most unusual provision in
our or say other Government, but in ordi-
-a~v mos but Of little effect, except in So
jar as removals and deaths took place be-
zen the time Of registration and the time
81 voting. On the day OF the Alabama
election a most extraordinary and unex-
uec,cd state Of things existed. In very
irre portion of the State, especially in the
Republican rortiou oi the State, very Sc
we're storm ragged from morning TO night.
Tie streams were swollen 10 such al
fmpasSablc degree that It is testified to by
Governor Smith, now elected Governor OF
the State, aud other responsible gentle
men, that it kept from the polls numbers
ui voters who would otherwise have at
,r1ded. in attempting to reach places OF
election, one or more persons were drown
ed, which delayed many from proceeding
further. Thus ali taose who chose to stay
away were counted IS rcting against the
Constitution, though if they he'd all gone
and voted a-G.nst it, it woT,U not have
ch&"ced the result f.,;;c positive majority
IL It's aVor 20 p majority against It.
The feature alone III This unfortunate
,@gtioG is sufficient, IN IT,; opinion Of the
rittee, to admit t:.e State, because II
arg" t.:@iority O the !egal voters than in
JAc Sts.o ere known to hay5 cast their
lots .ut i. Besides, q very large pro-
rpr1.In Of the registered electors were de
1ucyc3, By the most infamous threats, from
coming 70 the polls, Or when there, from
casting their votes tor the Constitutions.
Very few white mau id, and very few
Hack men dared, .hus 10 cast their votes.
list they should - deprived of food
Tor which they are greatly suffering. ~
TINS : distinctly proved ~ the sworn tes-
timony ol the most respectable portion OF
alabama. 1nGccd, nearly two hundred
aahurcrS have voluntarily come for
lent discharge since the election by their
cruel employers for having exercised the
elective franchise according 10 their own
will auu pleasure. A careful analysis has
been made as nearly - could be OF III"
ruu.bcr Of votes that were destroyed,
boxes seized and thrcwn out of the win
dow, ana other modes Of violence used
10 destroy them, and it is believed from al
l,,.,. ~ a.
s,.oyei and deferred from the polls H.
vicIcnce, outrage, and fraud, h9d they
2cc4 cast, would have oFevbalauced al
those counted against the Constitution
whether cast or enumerated Is cast, by
ra&>cG Of sickness, absence, Or death.
some time be!o.a the Alabama electio,
the ConVeitio.. saw the Injustice Of tht
lax, and requested Congress to restore th'
snajority principle il the vote upon TIL
abortion OF tue Constitution. The lIous
d;d not hesitate, pcrCciving its Justice, {
pass such al act, and sent it to the Senate
The Senate, By some unaccouGtahle delay
from motives which it is hard to fathon
suffered that act 10 sleep upon thcir file
for two months, until after the fate OF tt
Alabama election was announced. The
then took it up and passed it, and it ha
now passed both Houses Of Congress.
The principle, therefore, that majorit
Of the votes cast should govern has bee
restored, aud your committee can see d
reason Why it should not govern in tn
present case. The circumstance OF tn
almost unhcacd- OF storm on the day c
election, the violence Of human passlo
but little less malignant and raging, an
>he wild frenzy Of the former masters q
The polls, together with the evident injus
tce OF The principle IN question, upo
which 10 one has YET acted, seem 70 you
committee 10 demand that Alabama shoul
be admitted 10 the Union as one Of tn
States thereof.
But while this free people are rebuild
ing o mighty nation in which there must d
no faint % deSpotiSm or injustice, the
nave examined carefully ali the provision
OF the Constitution, and as preceden
which they hope will never be departe
from, but which becomes necessary by til
Injustice OF the sister States, they have de
7cvTiral ..'~o uo crato shall avar bo al
a,.Itted into the Union where the right 0
universal suffrage shall not be made per
Mancnt and impossible Of violation.
Fearing also that some cunning schem,
might be devised b. which peonage, sucl
as is already established in some Of tn,
North American States, might be created
they recommend the passage Of the follow
ing act.
This act was published in our telegram
OF yesterday
4