The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-04-02
RECOMMENDATION Debate.

The debate in the House on Wednesday
indicates the temper Of that body. We
quote
Mr.. FARNsWORTH-a Radical member
Of the Reconstruction Committee offered g
substitute for the bill proposing result
mission to the people Of Mississippi of the
constitution already framed, with separate
votes on some Of it's Objectionable features.
He argued against the bill reported from
the committee, which proposes to reassem-
BILE the convention, and to authorize 1t TO
appoint q provisional Governor with power
on his part to fill ell the other State offices.
That convention, he said, was not popular
with the best classes of Union people in
Mississippi. To revive it would be to throw
in fresh apple OF discorG, and to prolong
instead Of to quiet the disorders reignlng
there.
Mr.. WARD inquired whether the gentle
man had any charge to make against the
members Of that convention.
Mr.. FARNSWORTH declined to discuss
the personnel of the convention, but re-
marked that most Of its members were
themselves candidates for Office, and that 1t
was suspected by the Union men that the
whole game was got up in the interest OF
those candidates. The proposition that
these candidates should elect a provisional
Governor who would have the appointment
of all the State officers was exceedingly
distasteful to the people. With General
Grant as President of the United States,
and with a good officer in charge OF that
military district who was not mixed up
with any Of those cliques or cabals, was II
not better 10 leave the government OF MIS-
sssippi as it now was until 1t should De
properly erected into State !? Why i'm
pose a new discord, a new trouble, new
strife, on the people? Why prolong the
contestS Were gentlemen afraid that the
President would not properly instruct his
military commander there We're they
afraid tina. the military power of the coun-
try would be, under General Grant, used IN
hostility to the interests Of the Union and
loyal people of Mississippi? He trusted
not.
He Mr.. FARNswoRTBl had taken up the
cudgels twenty FIVE years ago IN defence OF
the black man, while some gentlemen were
acting with the party that was In conspl-
racy with the shareholders to tasten the
msnacles more closely on the black man.
He had fought it out On that line Until the
black man had procured not only his free
dom, but the right to vote and hold office.
He was inst as willing now to take up the
oudgel in defence Of the white man. The
time for talking about o sweeping punish
ment OF every man engaged in the iate re-
bellioa was past. The moral effect OF any.
thing of the sort was gone. While he would
steadfastly oppose removing disqualihea-
tiona from the leaders Of the rebellion, he
was willing to strike hands with every man
who was in favor Of extending the right OF
suffrage to every citizen Of the United
States no. disqualified by crime, and crime
fully proven. Until that was done there
would be nothing but discord and STRIFE
and confusion in those States. lie would,
therefore, move to postpone the whole sub
ject till next esslon.
Mir. SCHENCK said he would vote Tor
the postponement of the whole subject
till the next session Of Congress. II II
we're not postponed he would be willing to
have the constitution of Mississippi again
submitted TO the people, either in whole or
in part. If that could not be done, then
he would vote against the bill before the
House. Itsesmed to him tba. that bill In
yolved great defect-namely, the govern
ing Of State by convention, the worst
form of q government, q ny dra- headed gov
ernment. He preferred very much that
simpler and more effective government