The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-05-19

above subject. Mr.. Stevens amend
ment referred to, was this-it was
adopted:
And be ii further enacted, That the
provisions of section seventeen. arti-
Gle five, OF the Constitution of Geor
gia, shall not apply to debt due to
any person who, during the whole
time of the rebellion, was loyal to
the United States and opposed to Sc
cession.
MIR. Brooks amendment was voted
down.
Mr.. Brooks, Democrat,) of New
York, gave notice that he would move
the following amendment as an nddi-
tional section:
BE ii further enacted, That on and
after the passage of this Act, all citi-
zens of the United States, in the
States heretofore named, shall be adj
mitted to equal rights suffrage.
AS to the debate:
Mr.. Beck addressed the House for
an hour, in opposition to the bill. He
declared that the amendment pro-
posed by Mr.. Stevens was Just as
Legitimate as the action of the people
of the States on the Constitution pro-
posed for them, was. If the members
OF the Republican party did not
come up to the amendment just offer
ed by Mr.. Stevens, it would be the
first time that any proposition pro-
posed by the distinguished gentleman
from Pennsylvania was not adopted
Ivy all the members of this party, in
Guiding the distinguished member
from Ohio, (Mr Dingham,) who
would yet have to yield to the dictates
of this great leader.
Mr.. Bingham, (Repnblican,) of
Ohio, remarked that that statement
was contradicted by the record in in
Vulnerable instances, and the gentle
man ought not to make it.
Mr.. Beck repeated the assertion,
that the position taken by Mr.. Ste
vens had been followed by his party
iii almost every instance, whether
they had been liked at first or not.
The amendment now offered by the
gentleman from Pennsylvania would
he another illustration of the rule.
He referred to the resolution of the
Ohio Legislature, presented last Mon
day by Mr.. Van Trump, in opposition
to the reconstruction measures of
Congress. He also referred to the
Objectionable features of the Consti-
tutions under which the Southern
States were to be admitted, particu-
larly that provision of the South Ca
rolina Constitution which makes it
compulsory on all children, white or
black, to be sent to the same schools.
Mr.. Highly, Republican, of Cali
fornia, asked Mr.. Beck what he would
do with the negroes.
Mr.. Beck replied. that he would
protect them as freedmen, rs he
would protect any person who had
not the capacity to exercise political
rights and privileges, for great many
reasons. He held tho negro was un-
fit to hold political rights, and it was
a" outrage against the civilization of
L to place the negro of the
S. IL in position to control the white
IA, 1t was an outrage which he
believed the people of the country
would ere long wash out. He de-
clared that the colored people of Ken
tucky were now better protected and
better cared for than they were in
any States that are under the Recon-
struction Act. The object of the
pending bill was to counteract the
voters of the Northern States in the
approaching Presidential election.
Mr.. Farnsworth, (Repubican,) of
Illinois, asked Mr.. Beck, whether, if
the black man would vote the Demo
cratic ticket, his objection to their
participating in the government
would not be somewhat modified?
Mr.. Beck. Not in the slightest.
The bill as finally passed. yeas--1OS,
nays 35-is rs follows:
4 Bill 10 admit lie States Of -No,M ca
r0lina, South Carolina, Louisiana,
Georgia and AIa5amn, TO representa-
lion in Compress.
Whereas, the people of North Ca
rolina, South Carolina, Louisiana,
Georgia and Alabama have, in pursu-
ance of the provisions of an Act enti-
tied San Act for the more efficient
government of the rebel States"
passed March 2, 1867, and the Acts
supplementary thereto, framed Con-
stitutions of State government which
are republican in form, and have
adopted said Constitutions by large
maiorities Of the votes cnst Mt the