Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-02-03

Horace Greeley, Tribune Office, New York"
1t is proper, also, to remark that subse-
quent1y to the writing Of the Judges letter,
the House agreed to the Senates conditions,
and by the full vote of the Republican ma
jority, endorsed the arguments he advances.
H. NJ. j.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
WASHINGTON CITY,
January "a, 1870
HoWard M. Jenkins, Esq, Ed tor Com
nercidt, Wilmington, Det., Sir:
have read with much interest the able
letter, published in the COMMERCIAL OF the
18th inst, which you did me the honor to
address to me. In it you say, my name is
recorded among the Nays, on all the votes
recently taken in the House of Representa-
tives upon the bill 10 admit to Congress ''lhe
reorg ganized rebel State of Virginia, "
aud you claim for my future labors in Con-
gress, the duty Of standing with ready arm
and steady heart ''not 10 ovenge but to
protect" and you remind me that "lhe pol
''icy Of vengeance is a fraudulent term signi-
styling no feeling that exists in our great
''National Republican party" You argue
too, with that vigorous pen, which has been
so often SO ably and 30 faithfully welded TO
maintain constitutional liberty and the equal
rights of man, that 1t is safe now to admit
Virginia to representation in Congress and
restore her t, all the rights ofa State, because
as you say "Virginia dare do no ,orong
ITO the liberties Of her people in the
"Union or out of It,"
Knowing as do, your accurate knowledge
of political events, and the doings of Con
gress, it is proper to say. there are some
matters of fact with which you are familiar,
but which may not be so well known to the
public, and which may therefore state, to
present correct understanding nf my votes
in Congress, which you SO forcibly, yet
courteously criticse.
| During this Congress have been, and am,
a member of the Reconstruction Committee,
charged with the duty of considering and
reporting on measures affecting the reorgani-
zation of the yet unreconstructed rebel
| States.
On the 18th of January the Reconstruction
Committee reported in the House bill
agreed to by every Republican member OF
the Committee except one, "to admit the
State of Virginia to representation in Con.
gress." 1t provided -
/. That the State should be Immediately
admitted to representation.
2. That this admission was upon the
I" Fundamental condition" that no person
excluded from the right to hold office by th,
third section of the fourteenth Article O
Amendments to the Constitution, shoult
hold office, or rather that no person shoult
hold office without taking an oath Of eligt
billty under that section, unless relieved from
disability by act Of Congress.
/ s. And upon the further /" fundamental
condition" that the Constitution of the Stat,
should never be changed so as to depriv,
any class of citizens of the right to vote o
hold office who are so entitled BY said Con
stitution, or to prevent any person, on &C
count of race or color, from serving as
juror or participating equally in the schoo
fund.
On the 18th OF January l made speecl
In the House in favor of this bill,-in favo
of admitting Virginia on the. condition
named.
Tue House, by vote Of 98 to 90, struc
, out the conditions, and passed the bi
without them. voted against the bi
because it did not contain the ''conditions.
OF the 9s vstes to strike out the conditions
40 were Republicans, 5S were Democrsts
, while 95 Republicans voted against strikin
4 out, and not one Democrat. The bill wer
I. to the Senate, and on the 2lst of Januar
q the Senate amended it by adding th
:. following
r. "Ptovided. That before any member {
: the Legislature OF said State shall take {
: resume bis seat, or any officer of said Stat
Q shall enter upon the duties of his Office, b
|. shall take and subscribe, and file In the off1t
!. of the Secretary of State Of Virginia, for pei
= manent preservation, an oath in the iorl
following: -, do sUlemnly swei
6 that have never taken an oath, as men
n ber OF Congress, or as an officer of Il
70 United Statea, or as a member of any Sta
It Legislature, or as an executive or judici
g. officer OF any State, to support the COnst
:. tuition of the United States, and afterwal
y engaged In insurreciioa or rebellion again
" the same, or given aid or comfort to the e
b. emies thereof, 30 help me God;" or such pc
ID son shall. 10 like manner, take, subscrib
Or and file the following oath: IL, -,
h ,emnly swear that have, by act of Go
rs gress of the United States, been relcv,
k. from the disa- ilites imposed upon me
ly the fourteenth amendment of the Constit
Ia tiOn OF the United States, SO help me God
90 which oaths shall be- taken before and Ger
IN fed by any officer lawfully authorized
be administer oaths; and any person who sh
Of know ingly swear falsely in taking either
Nv such Oatna shall be deemed guilty of PERU
ye, and shall be punished therefor by imprisc
Lh. ment not less than one year, and not me
ay than ten years. and shall be fiued not |,
mt than $1,000, and not more than 5000
95 and In all trials for any violation Of this
lch the certificate of the taking Of either Of 81
nt oatha, with proof 0f the signature Of I
party accused, shall be taken and held
es, conclusive evidence that such oath was Ia
the fully and regularly administered by com
90, tent authority.
rer And provided, further. That every .,
ov- person who shall neglect, for the periot
lse thirty days next after the pass.g- of this
my to take, subscribe, and file such eait
Aforesaid shall be deemed and taken, to