The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-12-11

lieved that The result Of holding the cleo
ton in January next would be to throw
that State inevitably into the hands OF the
other side. Not o single person would be
elected who would not be opposed to the
reconstruction acts and to everything con-
nected with them. If the negroes should
attempt to vote, under all the difficulties
stated by the gentleman from Massachu-
sets Mr.. BuTLER], there would be such
scenes of violence and bloodshed as had
taken place IN Georgia, Louisiana, Arkan-
Sas, and Texas. 1t was, therefore, the duty
Of Congress, in order TO protect colored
men. to fix the time Of the election for day
when the strong arm Of loyal administra-
ZION will protect them.
MIR. KELLEY favored the amendment
offered by Mr.. BUTLER. He needed no.
thing else than the recent proceedings of
the Georgia Legislature to convince him
t5st Congress must secure to the citizens of
African descent their rights. The election
should be put at time when the immedi-
ate services of the colored laborer were of
value to his employer not in the winter,
when laborers could be turned off Temporal
rily without desriment to employers. Every
guard should be thrown around those CO.
lored people instead of leaving them as
victims to their oppressors and betrayers.
The conduct of the Republicans of the
Georgia Legislature had made him doubtful
Of those who claimed to be the friends of
the colored man in that State, and he was
dad of this early and brief opportunity of
holding up to obloquy, and as q warning to
The Republicans Of the House, the treach-
cry of the Republican leaders Of Georgia.
MIR. B0UTWELL [anothei member of the
Redistribution Committed thought it better
10 defer any positive action in either of the
three unrepresented States until the COM
mittee had completed the inquiry with
which it was charged on Monday, as to the
condition Of public affairs in Georgia, Vir-
yinia, Mississippi, and Texas. He thought
that the action Of Congress in the admission
If Georgia was mistake, as 1t put the loyal
people Of the State into the custody Of the
rebels. He was not inclined to enter on the
same policy in reference to those other three
States until he had an assurance that when
they we're reconstructed and admitted to re-
presentation political power in them would
be kept in the hands of the loyal people.
He was therefore in favor of the amend
ment.
Mr.. BINGHAM made an argument
against the proposition to postpone the
election day till May, and in favor of the
time specified in the bill Goth Of january.
He said that three of the States which had
consented to the fourteenth article Of the
amendment (Ohio, New Jersey, and Ore
son,) had withdrawn that consent, leaving
only twenty-seven States consenting to it,
which was not three-fourths Of the thirty
seven, and leaving the question open to be
challenged, He avowed himself ready to
vote for g, law making it felony for any
Legislature to try to pass an act declaring
that any amendment Of the Constitution
was repealed.
Mr.. JUDD desired Mr.. BOYER to tell him
the meaning of this sentence in the Presi-
dents message:
"The conclusion is becoming prevalent
that the amount which it (the GOVERNMENT
obtained was, in real money, three or four
hundred per cent. less than the obligations
which it issued in return"
Mr.. BOYER declined to undertake to ex-
plain everything which the President had
said in his message. Laughter
Mr.. ELDR1rGE opposed the passage of
the Virginia election bill because he looked
upon it as one Of those measures of recon-
s;ruction for which he could not vote, as he
believed Virginia to be State existing in
he Union to-day, with the same rights as
the other States; and because it allowed
men to vote who were not legal voters un
der the Constitution of Virginia.
Mr.. BINGHAM said his.reply to that was
that the people of the country had spoken
on the subject, and had decided against the
gentleman's views.
Mr.. ELDRIDGE: No, sir. The people
decided against the congressional party,
and the gentleman himself would not have
been elected to Congress if it had not been
for Grant.
MIR. BINGHAM: The gentleman's own
State has decided that way that the recon-
struction measures were constitutional,
we're not revolutionary, were not usurpa-
tons, were not void, but that they should
be enforced as the sovereign will of the
people.
At last the discussion was closed, and the
question was taken on Mr.. WAsHBURNE's
amendment, fixing the fourth Thursday in
May for the election.
The amendment was agree to-79 10 Co
and the time for the meeting Of the Legis-
lature was also fixed, on the motion of Mr..
WAsHBURNE, for the first Tuesday in Sep
TENDER.
The bill as thus amended was passed
without division.