The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-12-22
HOUSE. .WAsHrNGroN. Dec q.

Reading of the Journal was dispensed
construction Bill might be continued.
Several members obtained leave to D int
speeches on the subject.
Potter argued against the Dill.
voorhees, followed on the same side. He
mace argument against the INTRODUCTION
of the oill. Whlcn ne ascTloeo 70 the FTesi-
dent. Georgia was state, ana as such
the Federal Govern Inment had no power 10
prescribe q law as to how sha shall or
ganiZe her Legislature.
Eldridge opposed the bill. He asserted
that the House had almost ceased to be
a deliberattye body, and its action was
dictated by leading partizans of the Re-
publican party. He predtcted that unless
the states by every constitutional means
the liberties of the people would be a mere
show and delusion.
Cox was the next speaker on the same
sike, He denounced The bill as the gospel
of anarchy and the philosophy OF TevOlu-
ton, When he found the Governor Of
State hanging around the Halls of Con-
gress begging to have his State taken out
of the Union, IL led him TO inquire the
reason, and he found the reason IN the
letter read yesterday. from the State Treas
ures, charging Gov. Bullock with specula-
tions for himself. lie would bring that
Bullock to the slaughter, and then bring
bingham said that the bill sent in by the
SenaIe is in conflict with every letter of
the past legislation of Congress oa The sub
ject of reconstruction. 1t is in conflict with
the express order of the President, when
he was General of the Army, acting under
tion to Georgia. 1t is in conflict with the
utterance OF the Attorney General, in
reference to Virginia, under the operation
of all reconstruction acts. IL Is in conflict
With all past legislation, and Of the inter-
probation of the Constitution. For these
TestSOuS ask that the bill be postponed 10
the third Wednesday In January. Ii
there be truth in what l have said,
toe majority in the House should post
pOne. Here We are limited TO twenty min
dtes discussion, cut of from the reference
of the record; asked to decide a question
by passion which ought TO be decided in
the light of calm reason and under the
Obligations Of an oath. The gentleman
from Massachusetts said yesterday that
these frequent murders IL Georgia, for
those denialS OF right 10 the people Of
Georgia, there ought to be a remedy in
Congress. agree with MIN, but this is
not the bill before the United states. 1t
/ any man, white or black. 1t is simply
/ gratuitous to make an appeal OF that kind
4 10 the House, and it is equally gratuitOus
I to attempt to bring to the support OF this
/ measure the recommendation of the PTesi-
/ dent. l happen TO know and therefore
4 say shat there is a single line in the
/ Presidents Message which he never in
! tended to be there, and which he does not
| stand by to.day-that is the line which re-
| fers to the i'm position of t1e oath eHioined
| by the reconstruction acts on members of
1 the Legislature. The whole contents of
! tee Message shows that what he meant
: " as the imposition OF the oath required
] by section fourteen. 1 wish to say further
| that the Reconstruction Act of the I'd oil
March, 1857, which underlies this entire