The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-02-23
The Fifteenth Amendment.


The following are the proceedings OF the
uousc Of Representatives on Saturday upon
no fifteenth amendment to the Constitu-
ton:
The Senate amendment was taken from
The Sneakers table and read, as follows:
ARTICLE Nv.
SECTION |. The right of citizens Of the
1rn;tcd States to vote and hold Office shall
~, be denied OF abridged by the United
States or any State on account Of race, CO.
lar, or previous condition Of servitude.
SrcrioS 2. That Congress shall have
ropcr TO enforce this article by appropriate
legislation:
e. allow him to offer an amendment provi-
ding that the proposed amendment to the
constitution shall be submitted 20 Lesisla-
,nrcs 70 be elected hereafter.
Mr.. BOUTWELL, declined to let the
amendment be offered, remarking that Con-
cress had no right TO select the Legislatures
r. which an amendment should be submit
ted.
MIR. BINGHAM desired to offer as an
amendment the amendment heretofore
agreed 10 ny INV SSA"'e ~ d soie VI ~ ~
is. as follows
..Tho right of citizens of the United
States to vote and hold Office shall not be
denied or abridged by any State on account
Of race, color, nativity, property, creed, or
rrcYious condition Of servitudc."
Sir. BOUTWELL, at first refused to al
low any amendments to be offered, but he
subsequently consented TO the offering Of
the above amendment by Mr.. BINGHAM, and
TO the other amendments by Messrs. Shell
LsFARGEK and LOGAN, not admitting, how
ever, the amendment proposed by Mr..
WOODWARD.
The amendment offered by Mr.. LOGAN is
70 strike out the words in the Senate amend
mcnt, land to hold Office"
He contended that it was unnecessary !;
that there was nothing in the Constitution
%! the United States restricting the right to
mold Office, except as to the Presidency or
Vice Presidency, and that the embodiment
Of those words in the constitutional amend
ment would endauger its chances Of adop-
ton.
Mr.. BUTLER, of Massachusetts, express
ri similar views, but still announced his
intention to vote for the Senate amendment
in order to save this great measure Of JUS
tcc.
Mr.. BINGHAM spoke for ten minutes in
exclamation and advocacy Of his proposed
amendment.
MIR. WOODWARD spoke for fifteen min
utes in advocacy Of the amendment which
he had desired to offer Ito submit the pro-
roscd constitutional amendment to State
Legislatures to be hereafter elected). He
declared that it was historic and tradi-
t:onary principle in Pennsylvania politics
that the African was an alien and barbarian
race, which should have no act or part in
the work of government.
Mr.. BOUTWELL, offered resolution that
the rules be suspended, and that the recess
and evening session of to-day be dispensed
with, and that the House proceed immedi-
ately TO vote on the pending amendments
and the Senate joint resolution without dila-
tory motions.
The rules were suspendcd-yeas, IA;
nays, Sand the resolution WAS adopted.
The vote was first taken on Mr.. LOGAN's
amendment 10 strike out the words and
hold oce," and it was rejected-yeas, II;
nays, g..
The vote was next taken on Mr.. D1NG-
HAMS amendment, and it was agreed to
yeas, %; nays, 20.
Mr.. SuELLABARGER withdrew his
amendment.
The question was then taken on the
Senate resolution rs amended, and il was
passcl-ycas, 40; nays, So. The SPEAKER
voted in the affirm alive.