Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-01-25
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IRON OUR SUNDAYS EDITION.l
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON, January ., 1869


, WASHINGTON, January q. 1869
. SENATE.
A joint resolution was passed donating
condemned cannon for a monument to
the late President Lincoln.
The House resolution, asking Informs
tion Of the departments as to how many
buildings in Washington are used by
them, was adopted.
Mr.. Kelsey offered q resolution calling
on the Secretary Of State for informs-
ton as to the property of Wm. +. Har-
. ris, an American citizen, who died in
Bahia, Brazil, iD 1852, and whose prop.
erty Wss seized by the Brazilian govern.
ment at that time. Adopted.
, On motion OF Mr.. Spaulding, the Sem
ate's amendment to the resolution pro-
vidipg for the disposition of certain pa
pers relating to military claims accruiDg
to the Departmental the West, was taken
: from the Speakers table and non-con.
Cured in.
Mr.. Stewards joint resolution for con-
sttutiOnal amendment relative to sut-
frage was then taken up, aud Mr.. Dixon
gave notice Of an amendment requiring
8 ratification OF the proposed amendment
by conventions Of thFee-qusrters OF the
States, instead Of by the Legislatures.
The bill was made the special order for
Monday.
On the motion Of Mr.. Wilson, the
House then agreed to the amendment
made by the House TO the joint resOlu
tion respecting the provisional govern
ments OF Virginia and Texas, and also
to another amendment extending the
provisions OF the amendment to Missis.
sippi, and the resolution was passed as
follows:
Resolved, That the persons now hold
ing civil offices in the provisional gov
! ernments of Virginia and Texas, who can
not take the oath provided by the acs to I.
prescribe the oath Of Office, etc, approved .
July -, 1866, shall be on the passage .
/ Of this resolution, removed therefrom,
and their places shall be filled by the
District Commanders, by the appoint
ment OF persons who can take such oath, .
provided that the provisions Of this resO- /
luton shall not spply to persons who, by .
/ reason Of the removal or their disabili- /
ties, shsll have been qualified for any
office, in pursuance OF this act requiring
an oath OF Office to be taken by persons
/ from whom legal disabilities shall have
/ been removed; provided, further, that
! this resolution hall not take effect tall
thirty days after lis passage, and that
the provisions OF this resolution are
/ hereby extended to Mississippi.
Mr.. TTum bull, from the Judiciary Com
mittee, reported sn amendment to the
set TO protect all persons in their civil
( rights, and to furnish means Of their vim
dicatiOn.
Railroad matters were then discussed,
after which the death OF Hind, Of Ar
kansas, was announced, and the Senate
soon thereafter adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Boutwell, called up his Constitu-
Iional amendment and bill Ia regard TO
suffrage, and opened the debate upon it.
This, he said, was the last Of the great
reconstruction measures, and If the right
Of suffrage was secured to all citizens OF
the United 5 ates, without respect to
race or color, the republic would be es-
tGblished on sure basis. II Is impOssi-
ble for this Congress or the Republican
party to escape this issue. He knew il
was unusual 20 present measures from 8
mere party point Of view, but the situa-
ton was peculiar. The Democratic
party, from the opening OF the war until
they had been identified with measures
calculated to prevent the restoration OF ,
the Union, by and through the il iuence
Of the war to the Republican party, the ,
nation was indebted for its existence,
and therefore 1t was responsible for the
psrpetuity and peace OF the nation which
it hsd saved. The Committee on Recon-
stTuctiOn invited examination and criti-
cism as to the pbraseOlogy and objects of
TIE proposed amendment and law. Mr..
Boutwell, then explained tie provisions I
of the amendment, which has already !
been published, and argued at length,
claiming the right Of Congress to legis-
late Oh the question of suffrage, inde.
pendent Of shy action on the part Of
States.
Mr.. Eldridge Inquired whether the 6
States possessed no powers except such l
Rs were granted by the COnstitu-
tiOn, and said that he understood IL ex- 8
aetly the other way, viz: That the 6
United States Governmenthsdn no power
except such SIS was granted by the
States.
Mr. Boutwell, replied that II the Con
stitutiOn says that q State shall have
certain powers, even though there may (
be no negative in the proposition, the I
State cannot go beyond that grant. He !
quoted Patrick Henry and Madison to i
sustain his view, snd the debates on the )
Constitution in the various slatea to
SLOW that the opponents OF the Consti-
tuition 6ieined that the fourth section Of
the first srticie gave Congress COM
plete control over the question OF sui
irage aud the friends Of the Constitution
never denying that it did, and the conclu-
sion OF ths whole matter was that the
power 10 make regulations concerning b
il was vested in the States, anu thst tho s.
power OF the General Government over d
suffrage aud representation was compre- q
hensive, and was necessary to its eXis. d
tence, or, in other words, the power was n
in the States, subject to the controlling Ii
influences and the General Govern II
II Ian. g
gress on that provision of the Constitu- n
ton by which the United States is to a
guarantee to each State a republican c
form OF government. BoutwelPs argu- G
ment, which lasted two hours, was Oeca. v
siOnally interrupted by questlons from a
the members of the other side OF the e
House. In cOnci iusiOn, hs said The v
Republican party must stand where il d
is, but il must and will move forward 10 v
the great work IL has under a
taken" C
Mr.. Brooks said thEt 10 order to carry Y
out the principles advocated by the gen C
tlemRn from Massachusetts, he proposed G
TO offer an amendment to the bill by u
striking out the word "citiZen when C
ever iI occurs and substituting the q
wcFd person and otherwise altering 5,
il so that 1t will read "That no State q
will abridge or deny the right of any Ii
person in the United States TO vote by n
reason Of his or her race, color, sex, ns- a
tivity or age, when over q years" The L
am endmant was ordered to be printed. Il
Mr.. Robinson gsve notice Of an amend Il
ment by substituting the words o" inhab- O.
itsnts having no other residence else O
where than la the United States, y which
was slsO ordered to be printed. Il
Mr.. Knott then addressed the House
in opposition to the bill and the proposed F
Constitutional amendment The point
Of his argument ives that the l4th a
Amendment could rot be made retro r
active, and that 10 person could be dis- o. q
a
Mr.. Davis gave notice that he intend 4