The Van Buren press., 1868-03-27
FROM WASHINGTON.
WAsHNGroy, March Ii

ASulNuioNs ututSu
House-Thc House proceeded to the
consideration of bill for the admission
of Alabama Mr.. Boyer spoke. Mr..
Stevens, Of Pennsylvania, rising at the
clerks desk said, "Mr. Speaker: After a
full examination of the returns of Ala
bama. am satisfied that to force vote
on this bill and admit the State against
our own law, while there is deficiency
Of twenty odd thousand against it, would
not be doing such justice of legislation
as would be expected. That being the
case. move the bill be recommitted." ="
The motion was agreed to, and Mr.. Hol-
land introduced a substitute, which was
also referred After unimportant bust
ness, the House adjourned.
WASHINGTON, March IS.
House-Mr. Stevens, of Pennsylvania,
made an argument in favor of universal
and impartial suffrage as the only founda.
ton upon which the government can
stand He said: "You must build all
your science Of government, and when
you attempt to depart from ityou forget
you are man and that you become a ty-
rant and you deserve the execratiOn of
the human race. There is no other way
but by universal suffrage in which you
and l and every man can protect our
selves against the injustice, the inhuman-
ity and the wrongs which would other
wise be inflicted on us. We have got to
point in this nation when we cannot
adopt that great and glorious principle !;
no man dares to say we shall not adopt
it. Henceforth let US understand that
universal suffrage operating in the face Of
every man who is to be governed by
votes cast is one of the doctrines planted
deeper than granite and on which our
fathers laid the foundation Of their i'm
mortal work, the work Of universal liber-
ty which will last just as long as that i'm.
mortal doctrine shall last and no longer
Mr.. Stevens having announced his
proposition asked the Clerk of the House
to read his prepared speech in advocacy
of them, which was done. ~
Mr. Stevens remarks were delivered
with clearness and strength of voice.
Much interest was manifested in it. He
closed by offering the following as sub
stitute for the bill:
Belt enacted, ETC., That every male cit-
zen Of the United States above the age
Of twenty one years who was born or nat
uraiized in the United States or who has
declared his intention to become natural
lied shall be entitled to vote upon all ma
tional questions that may arise in any
State Of the Union where he shall have
resided for the time of thirty days, and
no distinction shall be made between such
citizens on any account except for trea-
son, felony, or other infamous crimes, mot
below the grade OF felony at common
law ANNA
Mr.. Farnsworth, from the committee
on reconstruction, reported bill, to ad-
init the State of Alabama to representa-.
ton in Congress, which was ordered to
be printed. He would ask to have it con-
sidered and passed to morrow. The bill
is as follows:
WHEREAS, The people of Alabama, in
pursuance ofthe provisions Of an Act OF
Congress, entitled An act for the more
efficient government of the rebel States, v
and passed March End, 1867, and the acts
supplementary thereto, have framed .
Constitution and State Government which
is republican in Its form; and
WHEREAS, 1t commenced on the 4th
day of February, 1868, and large ma
jority Of legal voters Of said State voted
at said election for the adoption of said
Constitution.
Therefore, Be it enacted, that the State
Of Alabama shall be entitled to represents
alton in Congress as soon as the Legisla.
ture of said State, the members of which
were elected as mentioned in the prcam
BILE to this bill, shall have duly ratified
the amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, passed by the 38th Con
grcss, and known as article IA, section 2
that it shall be the duty of the Genera
commanding the military district ofwhicf
Alabama is included, to notify the mem
bcrs of the Legislature Of said State
chosen at the election held in February
1868, to assemble at the capitol ofssaic
State, within thirty days after the passage
Of this act.