Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-01-11

III T..
o@nrdod for nroper examination OF this, sub
loot If this bill was cot postponed,itbe people
Of Virginia will be saeri6ced-a people historic
10 cur annals.
Mr. Stewart asked for action, to s I've the honor
Of Congress, to save the Fifteenth Amendment
yobich the Senator (Mr. Sumner) voted against.
Mr, Sumner On, no, | voted Tor 1t, al
ways vote for 1t.
Nr Drake could see no occasion for any hot
haste in passing this bill and did not sec how
anv faith could be broken it it was not passed TO-
day or to morrow. He was IN tavor OF postpon
inr the bill. He had an amendment to insert
"a proviso that should the Legislature OF SAD
State at any time hereafter assume to resclnu
~ withdraw lis ratification of the Fifteenth
Amendment, such attempted action shall oper,.
atc to prohibit any further representation OF
snch State 10 Congress, and shall remand 1t to
the condition in which it was immediate pre-
cceding the passage OF this act.
MIR. Drake said the first voice had come from
New York resembling it's assent to THIS Amend
ment. The Democratic party has made point
against it, and every State Legislature that they
ret control OF will withdraw it's assent, and ne
ala not intend that these Rebel States should
have the power to play this game. Our
Amendments have been proclaimed to be null
and void over and over again, and tho detcrml-
nation expressed to bring the Thirteenth, -Four
tpcnth and Fifteenth Amendments before the
Supreme Court. This State (Virginia) was
thr foremost in the rebellion. the foremost IN
ncrfIy the darkest fall. He wanted 10 pre-
vnnt her from ever Withdrawing her assent to
Ills Amendment, and then he did not care
whether she was admitted next week, next
month, next year, or in the next decade.
MIR, Warner would be very willing to vote Tor
postponemeut if he saw that any good was 10
result from it, but he did not see 1t. Tie De-
Geyed that the State when Tree from Congress
sional control would get along better; Ills own
| State (AIubama) was now on the hish roau ~
| prosperity; the people were becoming cohIenl
| ed, Bot it. was vastly different Iii Georgia anu
| Mississippi, on either side or her, whlch were
vat nnJer Congressional control He did not
believe in these test oaths there were many
| men who could not take them who were
better than many who could 1t was time to
| do awav with this proscriptive policy. his
idea would be to 70 into'the South with the
halter in one hand and amnesty IN the Other.
| lie would hang men who committed murder
and pardon those who were IN the reDelilon.
Mr.. Wiley said this was n question OF the
| highest privilege, and he contcnded that no
nnstponcmcnt should take place. The Con
rrcss Of the U. s. stands pledged to admit
Virpiuia. The President says she has com
nIicI with all the conditions imposed
mon her, and We cannot stand here cohsls
tcntly and oppose her admission one moment
Mr. Stewart having referred to !, the Jour
naI at the time Of the passage or tue nj
tecn,h Amendment, called NJ Sumner
attention to the fact hat he had made ms
take in asserting that had voted Tor the ri!
tenth Amendment, his name not appearing
on the Journal. -,
Mr.. SAWYER hnnnd ms m nl; W." , nU,
he postponca hG h LA ' Th" d., " that lhc
reason why !, 10 s W;r,,;ni, I,.r;slaImre sLoull
li'ti''pI'" W. w." ,,, :. an ent;rn new one,
taSe !''e t"'l oa." 81 the IepiaIatnre to
Certainly no member ., Oh States that have
any w. ,dmitted WI, required TO take the
test oath, aud 10 mrlnbcr Of amy oil the Con
vrn,inns was required to do it. The good
iaiL Of the Republican party is pledged to
The admission OF Nrpinia if she has com
nled with the conditions. One objection that
Is mnle TO the admission of Virginia is that
life is not sale Well, nu acts vi Congress-
cap max. ljfr sare no test oall.s can do it :
no qualifications for uhicr can do it; NO TX,
rIusiops under this or that amendment to
,L. Constitution can do it. For thirty years
before the war We know that it Was not
sale To express but one clsss of opinion
throughout the whole South. The cause of
that has been removed, aud tune will soon
cure it-IIepislation never will. Generals in
command in the South have told us that i.
would be better to do away with the test oath.
From the huliom Of my heart | am Re
publican. believe that its principles are The
true ones, but it we are 70 take The ground
that Stale shall not te admitted uni II
sends Senators and Representatives, hereof o;t
political faith, | do not know why stand
on this foorI do not know the MISSION OF
the Republican party. Better than this |
believe it would be to adj representatives,
from all Of those States il every one of them
voted with our opponents. | know OF n"
reason why Virginia should be denied long
or, and if any Senator knows reason ask
him to state it,
Mr.. Wilson said the Fifteenth Amendment
and the similar acts were us sure to triumph
as the throne Of Gud is 10 stand. He want
ed the South here, and lie wanted 1t repre-
scented by It's leaders and not by petty poii'
ticaus