The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-01-13
VIRGINIA..
THE UdsCUsSION OF HER ADMIs.
SION CONTINUED.
VOTING LIKELY TO COMMENCE TO-DAY,
Majority for Admission Wtthou Fur.
ther Conditions Undoubtedly
Large.
LATEST FROM WASHINGTON.
special telegram to the Dispatch.

Tits evident from what has transpired in
the Senate that the bill reported by the
Judiciary Committee for the admission of
the senators and representatives of Virgil
MIA will pass that body probably without
amendment. Already it is discovered that
only Senators Sumner, Drake, and about
half dozen others, take stand in opposi-
ton to the Administration on the subject of
admitting that State. The House may pass
bill imposing conditions, to apply to the
future action of that State. The Senate
win not pass the House bill, the House will
reject the Senate bill, and then will come
q conference committee, in which both
branches must yield something, the result
being the passage of bill or joint resolu-
ton admitting the State with, probably,
recital in the preamble Of the acts done
by the State Legislature, such as the adop-
ton of the fifteenth amendment and of
| other stipulations heretofore made by Con-
gress as conditions precedent to admitting
the State to representation.
Incidental to the discussion of the merits
of the Virginia case, there hos arisen
o question that overthrows oil propo-
sitions involved in the mere stipulations Or
! Reconstruction acts, and that question is
| the ratification of the fifteenth amendment,
| and the power of State Legislature in the
matter of the adoption or rejection Of
amendments to the Constitution of the
United States.
Among congressman there are but few
who appear to have given the subject the
attention required to proper understand
ing of it, but as yet no good lawyer in the
Senate or house has failed to appreciate the
Importance of the point, and several have
, for themselves disposed of tho proposition
by unqualifedly announcing that State
Legislature cannot, under any circum-
stances, repeal or revoke it's ratification Of
the proposed amendment. Nevertheless,
sound lawyers and Republicans of Congress
are not satisfied with such disposition Of
the question. Until the requisite number
of States shall have ratified the proposed
| amendment, it is no part of the Constitu-
| ton, and until the moment arrives when
| such number have been officially recorded
! in the State Department, it is lawful for the
Legislature of any State that may have
passed resolutions ratifying the amendment
| to revoke these resolutions.
This is upon the idea that it is State
| always acting, and not particular Legis-
lature. The State is party to the trans
| action, and may ct any time before the
full contamination of the agreement (for
such it is) between it and the people of the
United States represented in Congress with
draw its assent to the contract. Such are
the arguments substantially advanced by
some of the lawyers in the Senate.
The discussion in the House to-day upon
the bill developed no new ideas or PROPOSE
tons. Speeches (but three in number)
attracted little attention during their de-
livery. Members were generally engaged
in reading papers, or gathered in groups
chatting and cracking jokes. The main
| interest still centres in the Senate, where
several able speeches we're made to-day,
the most noticeable being that of Senator
Conkling, who thoroughly considered the
subject in its legal and political bearings,
and gave conclusive reasons why the State
should be Immediately admitted without
further legislation.
1t is probable that both branches of Con-
gress will be engaged another day in the
discussion before the vote is taken.
Mr.. Thurman offered an amendment,
| which occasioned general laughter, that
the States of New York, Ohio, and New
Jersey, be excluded from representation
because the former had rescinded it's ratifi-
cation of the fifteenth amendment and the
other because of its action upon the four
teenth amendment. Shortly afterwards he
| withdrew this.
Mr. Edmunds suggested on amendment
requiring the oath from State officers, in
order that they shall not be obnoxious to
the fourteenth amendment. -5r..;...
Mr.. Wilson offered an amendment to the
bill of the Reconstruction Committee re-
ported in the House yesterday. s-y,
Mr.. Sumner submitted memorial from
certain Republicans of Virginia, now in
Washington, containing statement of af-
fairs in that State, setting forth that the
memorialists ore DESTROYS of showing that
the majority of the present Virginia Le-
gislature were elected by fraud, violence,
and intimidation, and suggesting that Con-
gress enforce the existing reconstruction
acts until satisfied that all voters are given
IN opportunity to vote freely alleges the
exclusion of colored men from the jury
box, and that the right of secession is as
firmly believed in as at any time during
the war; that the leaders of the Walker
party publicly declared in the late canvass
they had supported the so-called e1purga-
ted Constitution for the purpose of securing
the admission of the State; that members
of the Legislature recently avowed the pur-i
pose of deceiying Congress ; that one Of the
delegation that waited on the House
Reconstruction Committee said that when
Butler told them he would take. the
word of Virginia gentlemen, he felt
for his watch, because he knew the Gene
raj had very taking way with him; that
parties referred to declared, in regard
to pledging the Legislature to carry out the.
new Constitution. they RauId inst aa .rea-