The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-03-17

ice, but they are wiling tcconfer up
ON him the boon of voting for them.
| do not believe in hat, SIR. AS
have said, 1 believe 1t be rninous to
the Government If it's carried ont. l
believe it to be an outrage upon. the
good sense and the patriotism OF the
country ; n so believing-though /
do not wish to occupy time in stopping
its@progress if my political friends:
think it best to pass i'll have felt
bound to say so.
Mr.. WILSON, of Massachusetts
Mr.. President, for nearly thirty-three
years 1 have at all times and on all
occasions, by Kord and by vote, done
what 1 could against slavery and ev-
relating to-it and connected
with it. l have asked always for what
was right, and taken ON all occasions
what l could goG. I have acted upon
the idea that one step taken in the
direction made the next step
easier to be taken. I suppose;,s sir, /
must act upon that idea now ; and 1
do % with more sincere regret than
ever, and with some degree of NOR
LITIGATION. In the early part of this
session, before the month Of December
passed away, / had hoped that the ma
jority in Congress would seize the
great occasion which was presented,
when the hearts, minds and souls OF
the people, after having passed through
a great struggle, were deeply. imbued
with. the love of Liberty and the. sense
of justice, and we had twenty-five
State Legislatures in the hands of our
friends, and take the responsibility of
submitting to the Legislatures a pro-
position to amend the Constitution;
so as to secure to the colored citizens
of this country the right ID vote ald
be voted for. But day after day,
week after week, month after month,
passed away without action.
Then, sir, came the proposition, I
think a very lame and hating one,
providing that colored men should
have the right to vote, but silent about
the right to hold office. The Senate
amendment that proposition by a com
prehensive amendment, an amend
ment that covered more than the black
man, for it covered the white man
and prohibited distinctions on account
of nativity, property, education, or
creed Sir, have no doubt that if that
amendment could have reached the
people it would have been the strong
est amendment eve submitted to the
American people. Outside of a few
localities in New England and ON the
Pacific coast there could have been no
to it. In the great GENITAL
States and in the West, and especially
ia the West, there is no square mile
which mel could have stood and
made opposition to il.
Sir, il would have swept away any
that dared to stand against
it; but it was rejected in the other
House; it was met by opposition from.
quarters from which l did not, 1 con-
tess, expect in Congress and out of
Congress. 1t received I think, very
narrow criticisms, inspired more by
notions and theories than a sense of
absolute right and justice. 1.-THE black
man III this country is made equal
with the white man-and T'hope he
soon will bel mean, by the blessing
of God, while 1 live to hope on AID to
work on to make every white man
equal to every other white man. l
believe ia-e1aalits- among oieizens-
equalityi in the broadcast and most com
~prehensive democratic sense. No man
should have rights depending on the
accidents of life.
We passed the amendment of the
Judiciary Committee, allowing citizens
distinction of race, or color,
or previous condition to vote and to
be voted for. That amendment was
returned to the House of Representa-
with an amendment like the
amendment originally adopted by the
with the exception of the word
Under the lead of the
Senator from Nevada we referred the
to a Committee of Conference,
md now the Committee of Conference
bring us this proposition, which is the
report of the Senate Commit
zee on the Judiciary, with the right to
hold office. Why does the Conference
strike out a. provision
lgreed to by both Houses?
The Senator from Vermont tells lis
hat we are in favor of giving tie right
vote, but will not give the right to
lold Office. l am going to vote for
his proposition without taking any
responsibility for it. 1 am not re
:ponsible for this halfway proposition.
|. simply take it at this late hour as
he best I can get after having strug-
led for the right to vote and the right
o hold office.
Ms EDMUNDS-I ask my friend
low he knows that this is the best he
AN get? He a get anything
,etter if he does not try.
Mr.. POMEROY-I hope the SEN
tor will vote with me to disagree to
his report and ask for a further con-
erence. l propose to movensas soon
IS 1 can get the floor, that the Senate
disagree to this report and ask for a
urther conference
Mr.. WILSON-If there is an OPP
,ortunity to ask the right to hold Of
ice l will do it; 1 take the risk, for /
I'M determined to take what / can get
f 1 can not get ell 1 demand. Ice
from Vermont, however,
'ught to see that his argument can be
Ised with effect against us in States in
the amendment, if it be put
n the form he desires. The Senators
nd members of Congress and news
amer correspondents and newspapers