The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-02-07
M,iSffltaaeaus.
Speech of Senator Doolittlc. in the
United States Senate, January 40,

Mr.. DooLITTLE-Mr President, the
question presented in the amendment
offered by me is whether Congress is
still resolved to subject the white peo-
pie of the Southern States to the dOmi
nation of the negro race at the point of
the bayonet, or whether Congress, in
Difference to the recently expressed will
Of the American people, will now so far
modify their policy a. TO leave the gov
erumcnts in those States in the hands
of the white race and Of the more civil
lied portion of the blacks? That is the
naked question.
Sir, why press this negro supremacy
over the whites? What reason can you
give? | have heard three distinct an
| awers 10 this question worthy of no.
| tiCc:
First. Because the States of the South
| rejected the constitutional amendment
submitted by Congress;
Second. Because the negroe- are loyal
and the white, disloyal and
'Hhird. Because il will secure party
asccndanCy.
| Let us consider the first answer. that
| the states Of the South have rejected the
| constitutional amendment submitted
1 10y the last Congress, rs the basis of re-
, construction.
! ] admit the legislatures of all the
| southern States rejected that amend
! nuvnt With great uuanimity; but Is that
| any Sufficient reason for the adoption of
! tni- harsh policy: think not. In
. the lir,t place that amendment contains
! one provision which made its adoption
! iupo., .,iblc by the Southern people, at
! least until you change the human heart
! and destroy all sense of personal honor.
II di>.ranchi-eo from holding Office all
I The men IF the South in whom they had
eyer placed any public conHdcncc--all
| who had ever held any office, state OF
| Federal. Aud disiranchisc them for
Whato For simply doing what they
| themselves had done.
can understand how one may say in
argument that the leaders should be dis
llanchiscd. But how any man OF COM
mon sense or common manhood, could
ever suppose it possible for due people
Of the South to vote to di,lranchise men
esteemed by them us equal 10, if not
better than themselves, for an Oticnst
of which they themselves were equally
guilty, is beyond my comprehension
You ask the Southern people to belraS
the men whom they trust. You ASK
them TO dishUnor those whom they
honor, to uproot the affection of year:
from their hearts. NOu ask them t,
strike with II scrpenps tooth the bosom
of a friend. But unlil human natur,
shall cease to be what God has made 1t
honorable men, TO save themselves. Il
save even their lives, would not incu
The guilt of such unnatural treachery by
voting for such a provision. When j
was pending before the Senate, June g
1866, urged and implorcd Senators tt
allow the several provisions of tha
amendment to be separately submittet
and voted upon, and / warned th'
friends of the measure that this pruvi
sion would inevitably defeat lis adop
tion by every Southern State. But, sir
the majority were deaf to all appeals
The caucus had resolved; the deed wa
to be done. On account, mainly, of tina
provision, the amendment was rejected
almost unanimously by every Southern
State.
Again, when examined more clOsel.
we lind that provision required them {
dislranchise thousands who have rc
cciVcd pardon and amnesty, and res
toration to all their rights as citizen
under the prOclamations of Presiden
Lincoln and President Johnson, by viz
tue of Il law Of Congress, which yo
yourselves enacted, which expressly au
X u
amnesty upon Just such terms ~ the
thought proper, Aaamendment oilere
9 by me in the Senate the 3lst day of May
1866, 10 except those men who ha
=. "duly received pardon and amnest
| under the Constitution and laws,n wa
voted down by an unyielding majority
can never view this provision in an
other light than most palpable violt
lion Of the plightcd faith of this govern
mcMt given 10 those persons in the mo.
o solemn form.
Mr., President, Congress has propose
. rom time 10 time many schemes, hl
\ they may all he resolved into distin,
:, policies, radically opposed to cac
@ other,
IA First, Reconstruction Ivy the Const
e. lution0, amendment on the white b.
sis.
second, Reconstruction by ncgl
suffrage and military force.
The lirst assumed that peace hs
come that the States We're in II
Union, with governments organize
with Legislatures having power to IN
iiy on to reject Constitutional amen
ments; and, furthermore, that tho
governments were in the hands of viii
n men, with power, uE in all the 9th