Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-02-01
ALEXANDRIA.
The suffrage Amendment"

The House of Representatives on Saturday,
by q vote Of one hundred and fifty to forty
three, more than three fourths majority,
passed a joint resolution proposing to the States
a Constitutional amendment declaring that
there shall be no denial of the right of suffrage
on account of color. The following are the
proceedings
The question pending at the adjournment
on Friday was the motion Of Mr.. Kerr (lnd).
10 Law the Joint resolution aud pending amend
ments on the table, on which the yeas and nays
were ordered, aud the vote resulted-yeas, Al }
nays, l3l /; so the motion was lost.
Mr.. Boutwell, Mass. then demanded the
previous question on the joint resolution and
pending amendments; which was seconded
The vote was first taken on the amendment
Of Mr. Shellabarger, which is as follows:
mo State shall make or enforce any law
which shall deny or abridge to any male citizen
of the United States of the age OF twenty-on
wears or over and who Is VI Souou 1ulho, an
equal vote at all elections IN the State In which
he shall have such actual residence as shall be
prescribed by law, except to such as have
engaged or may hereafter engage In lnsur.
rection or rebellion against the linked
States, and TO such as shall be duly convic'e ed
OF treasoo, felony, or other infamous crime.
The yeas and nays we're ordered, and the
vote resulted-yeas, 60; nays, l26; so the
amendment was lost.
The next vote was taken on the amendment
OF Mr.. Bingham, which is as follows:
mo State shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge or deny to any male citizen
of the United States of sound mind, and Il
years of age or upwards the equal exercise
(subject to such legislative laws as the State
may enact of the elective franchise at all cleo
tions 10 the State wherein he shall have ac'
tually resided for period OF one year next pre-
ccding such election, except such OF said cltl-
zeus as shall engage in rebellion or lnsurrectlon,
OF who may be, or shall be, duly convicted OF
treason or other infamous crime.
The yeas and nays were ordered. and the
vote resulted yeas &c, nays l5S.
The question then required on the adoption
of the Joint resolution reported from the Com
mittee on the Judiciary by Mr., Boutwell,. 1t
is as follows:
BE it resolved, (two,thirds Of both houses
concurring,) That the following article ee pro,
posed to tie Legislatures OF the several States
as an amendment to the Constitution OF the
United States, which, when ratified by three
fourths of said Legislatures, shall be held as
part of said Constitution, namely:
ARTICLE - Sec l. The right OF any citi-
Zen OF the United States to vote shall not be
denied or abridged by the United States or
any State, by reason OF race, color, or previous
condition OF slavery Of any citizen or class OF
citizens of the United States.
''Sec 2. The Congress shall have power to
enforce by appropriate legislation the provl-
sions of this article. y
Mr. Brooks IN. " demanded the yeas and
nays on the motion that the joint resolution be
al nj IUpr
ordered. The vote resulted-yeas l44, nays 45.
Mr.. Boutwell, Mass. demanded the previous
question on the passage of the resolution, and
also the yeas and nays.
The previous question was seconded, and
the yeas and nays were ordered. The vote re-
suted-yeas $50, nays ~. Two-thirdS having
voted in the affirmative, the resolution was
adopted.
The Washington correspondent OF the BAlti-
more Sun says The suffrage amendment
passed by the House is considered by some Of
the Senate Judiciary Committee as objectiona-
bic in some degree by reason of the phraSeoloey
used, and not as acceptable as the one now pend
ing, reported by them. 1t is ''rumOred' that
Mr.. Trumbull, and perhaps others of the ma
lority in the Senate, will take ground against
any tampering by Congress with the suffrage,
and agree that not only expediency but good
faith demands that the whole question shall be
left to the States to determine separately for
themselves. f" Notwithstanding this there seems
to be no doubt that the Senate will pass this,
or some similar measure, before the close Of
the session.
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