The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-06-06

admission, and ne wAs I'm favor u the amendment
constitutional amendment He asserted that the
democTets Of Alabama would prefer being thus I'D
mseo rssnsr sn nave AZ the
Mr.. SALISBURY, tdeml Of Del, inquired how the
democracy Of that state came TO make the Senator
their confdanf instead OF their friends9
Mr.. STEWART replied that he read the new papers,
which he presumed the Senator from Delaware tMr.
Salisbury, like the rest Of his democratic friends,
did not.
Mr.. FREILNGBUysEN, rep.) OF N. j., said every
statesman must recognize the safety OF the people
as the highest law, Overrung all technlcaites and
he would vote for an independent bill to admit Ala
hama. He thought II unwise, however, 10 saddle
this bill with the additional weight OF Alabama,
admission, and this bill has to pass the ordeal OF the
Presidents veto. He had before said that In his
opinion the fourteenth amendment was already
adopted. II Ohio and New Jersey could withdraw
their consent to IT, once given oregon could shortly
do the same thing.
Mr.. STEWART said he was in favor or trying tine
experiment on this bill.
Mr.. HOWARD, (rep.) OF Mich, repealed the suggestion
that, in refusing to admit Alabama now, Congress
acted in bad faith The theory OF the reconstruction
acts had been that when majority OF the registered
voters desired admission State should he admitted.
lie had opposed the admission OF Louisiana on the
proposition TO require only vote OF one tenth, on
the ground that no State should be brought In by the
vote Of minority, and the latter objection would be
pretty strong one II . veto were based upon u. He
feared that twOthrds vote could not be had to pass
s for the
ratification Of the fourteenth amendment. After
q careful examination Of the legal . gnes,
amendment is already part OF the consr-
tuition. He argued that the political rights
OF the rebels passed into the hands OF the govern
ment by their own act. At the same time he would
be very reluctant to leave this question TO decision
In the courts OF rebel State, and he therefore
thought 1t the hes. policy TO provide further security
by passing this BILL with Alabama len ont and
Florida In.
MI. BuCKALEw, (den,.) OF Pa, said 1t would have
been intelligible il Congress had kept ont these
until they ready to vote right in the eyes
of Congress. IL would have produced union, quiet
and cOntentment in the Southern States anu about
the same results would have been reached as by the
present circnitOus and doubtful means. The Senator
from Ohio, after a constitution had been defeated
according to the law OF Congress- was in favor OF
admitting the State upon ec pdrte statements. He
mr. Buckalew) had seen statements Just as strong
that extensive frauds had been committed there IN
favor of the adoption of the constitution. AS much
weight should be attached to enc az to the other.
The simple, fair and honest way would be To rec0g-
nze the defeat OF the constitution and hold another
election. it was sought to give the semblance OF
the assent OF the people to the project Oh recostruc
ton: but take out the Freedmen's Bureau &c, and
even South Carolina would not have been carried Tor
the constitution.
Mr. CONKLING, (rep) OF n. ", suggested that 1t
would not be in the interest Of reconstruction to In
sert the amendment including Alabama. He thought
that in the future thev might conclude that IL mao
been unwse act to change TN. provision that mas
excluded Alabama. II the enemies OF Reconstruction
not only abstained from voting, but by menace, VIC
lence and fraud hndered others from voting, they
stood wrong and ought not TO be allowed To take the
.benent OF provision they had sought to trample
under foot He too urged the lnaavsiDity OF, Of en-
cent vote admitting Arkansas there could be no
doubt Of the passage OF the present bill Doubtless
some of the several pending bills on the subject or
Alabama could be passed providing provisional or
other government
Mr. HENDRICKS said that except on the hypothesis
that Congress can legisate the Southern States into
the Union, or otherwise Alabama could not be adj
mitted since there was u clear expression Of the
people against the constitution. II was plain that t
has been rejected the case stood. Upon what
principle then was IL proposed to establish tins con-
sttutiOn after II had been rejected by the people
under the laws and under the voice Of COngressY II
Congress could thus make or change constitution
breathe into dead constitution the breath OF life
why not adopt constitution IN all cases made by
Congress? H. was idle TO say that Maud controlled
those elections when every senator knew that the
Freedmen's Bureau and military organizations con-
seryatives In reply To the argument about the I'M
favorable condition OF the elements at that election
he asked who ever heard OF declaring The result
of elections because Of swollen river |?
That might be good ground for new election. They
themselves, in order to admit Alabama, must say
they would disregard their own law, since, pII'ad
dicip there was vote against the admission, and
say 10 the people That staying away from the polls
was equivalent 10 vote against Inc constitution.
jected by that means, in his Judgment, was little
| short Of u fraud.
doubt from the facts that appear that majority O
the people Of that state were IN favor Of the cons
4 Congress- That passed the law could moi ADMIT Ala
bama to representation. The former constitution
| was framed by Q convention elected by minority
j OF the white men Of that State and had never been
submitted for ratification, and that constitution 1t
was proposed TO retain in preference tO one adopted
| BY some i've thousand short Of majority OF the
whole people. In view OF a the facts, there having
been only one polling place IN county, the bad
son. the poverty OF the people and the means used TO
deter men from voting, the vote was remarkably
large. He had hesitation M voting for the imle-
datc admission but some senator's had Indicated
| objections he must vote against THIS amendment and
support u bill for her immediate admission.
Mr. WILSON, trep.) OF Mass, remarked that In the
most excited elections onenth Of AL electors stay
| away from the polls, anu the provision requiring u
majority of the registered voters threw the consider
alton in the power Of The enemies Of the country,
and in addition to that IL violated the secrecy 0f the
ballot such provision coud not bc defended here
elsewhere He recOunted further the influences that
had been used TO deter men rom voting. man
ate (Nr. FitzpatrickIa traitor-had discharged all
Of his aborers for voting he denied that the mill
tary and the Freedmen's Bureau had affecic, the
election General Swayne of the best men that
ever lived, had never, while there, been invited 10
enter mouse. The result might nave been Inherent
had he not been turned out by the President
Mr. HESDRiCKs had been assured by persons well
informed that from 25.00D tn 1000 had been dis
francbised 10y Congress.
nv WIsoN said there nevts greater IDs-
take la none OF those States had there been 1900
disfran chised. Virginia had the most. He would
admit all the states without reference 10 how tDer
votes would he cast NJ the next eectioD. lie had
never had any doubt Ne o the result and hc would
vote for his amendment n he voted alone.
Mr.. yArRs. (rep) Of H., said he had AL along be-
Neyed that none or The Southern states should have
IGadUiiftcd nntli III slOWu dtt uhlOriV
The people were loyal and he had thought n better
okeep them for fifty years necessary, until they
gave Indications OF loyalty. Al the very first election
bey would have sent their rebel leaders 10 represent
them and no one knew now how soon such state
Of things would He might vote for this bill
A. the lesser evil, however. ue closed by abiding
To the danger that those states will again set up
their doctrine Of State rights aud repuda,e the
tiona debt, arguing that n tles can now control an
election by force and fraud they will be III much
better condition to do so when The military force IL
removed.
Mr.. DooIJTTLE. frep.) VI Wis.,, took the floor aud
made an elaborate argument ON the general subject
OF reconstruction and negro equality. He insisted
that his mind not influenced ny party con-idcra-
tions, 10 support which assertion ne said no one
would doubt that a. soon a. the white people South
choose 20 exercise their intellectual and moral supe
riority they could regain their wontel supreme v,
citing as proof district III Georgia where the negro
majority was about seven thousand, anu where the
whites took an interest In the canvass and elected
their candidate by twelve hundred majority. His
Opposition was based on the belief that Congress
violated the constitution In assuming the right ~ de-
eide who shall vote In the South and 10 change State
l,afra Ia,