Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-03-07
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS
Fory.Flnt ConSrru--S,sOud Regular Session
SATURDAY, MARoH 8, 1879.
THH SENATE was not session to-day.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATlNkos
The House was In session for debate only
on the Georgia bill.
against tho bill. He contradlcted the state
ment made yesterday by Mr.. Butler, OF Mas.
Rachusetts, that only two members from
Georgia had been admitted TO the House last
Congress, and those through q mlstakei the
fact being that six members out OF the seven
were admitted.
Referring 70 Mr.. Buffers argument with
regard to the provisional government, Mr..
FarnsWorth saldi The gentleman from Mas
sachusetts Mr.. Butlerl based the theory Of
this bill, hls theory Of prolonglng the tenure
OF ONCE Of tho officers Of Georgia, on the as
sumption that the government Of Georgia
Ia provisional only, until her Representatives
arc admitted. In this he follows In the foot
steps Of the Governor Of Georgia. The Gov
eVernor Of Georgia, however, End, on re-
curing to bis messages, has for nearly two
years, up TO December last, been denomlnat-
Ing himself, not the proylslonal governor Of
Georgia, but the Governor. Hls message TO
the Legislature he has not directed TO the
"proylsionap Legislature, but to the Legls-
lAture Of the State Of Georgia. Everything
that he has done since his Inauguration, now
nearly two years ago, up TO the passhgvOf-
done as the Governor OF Georgia. And We
treated the State as having Btate govern
ment all this time. But upon the passage
OF our bill In December, when Governor Bul-
lock convened tho Legislature, he addressed
them as the "proyislona" Legislature Of the
State OF Georgia, and signed himself "pro.
vlslonal Governor" and from that time TO
this tho changes have been rung on this
word ''proyisional." It has boon used a.
sort OF touchstone, az something BY which
tho whole matter was 10 be solved. II only
they could cling to the word provisional"
and stick II into everythlng-speech, mess
age, law, and what not, they thought the
whole matter would DO solved, and Governor
Bullock's term OF ONCE would bo prolonged
constitution provided.
Again, the sGme law which provides that
the government set up In those States until
they are entitled to representation 10 Con-
gross shall be provisional, also provides,
Mr.. Speaker, that every officer Of such pro-
vlslonal government shall take tho test oath.
Every man knows what tho test.oath Is,
"the iron.clad OATH" as II 10 denominated,
of1502. Yet, sir, not n single member OF
this so-called provisional government OF
Georgia has ever taken the test-oath. How
are you going 10 get over that7 The Gov
ernor and State officers aud the members OF
the State Legislature have taken tho oath
prescribed BY their constitution, and not the
test-oath. know that Governor Bullock
was here year aud half ago, and was be-
fore the Committee on ReconstTuctlon--I
have bis evidence here In my haad-trying
10 get us to provide by law that the Legisla.
turo Of Georgia should take the test-oath.
He claimed that they ought TO have taken II
under that provision Of tie law which re-
qulred all officers Of the provisional govern
ment to take the test-oathi but II turned out
al last, and he so testified before the Recon.
struetlon Committee this winter, that he
fak he
should DO applied. Here, then, We have
the spectacle presented OF this Governor
claiming that he is himself the oficer Of a
provisional government, aud II so, the Law
requires him to take the test-oath; aud he
never has taken II, aud admits that he can
mot take 1t. Whyi Because during the 70
beillon he was running up and down th,
Southern States carrying tho dispatches Of
Jen. Davis and his generals, taking care oil
the Southern express.
In closing his speech Mr.. Farnsvorth said
There have been disorders In Georgia,
know bat, In my Judgment, they have been
grossly exaggerated. have always notlcet
the moment Georgia affairs are to come up
we read In the ChroAieis OF this city Of out.
RACES then we have Gov. Bullock and hi
stan here with more outrages then an act
OF Congress,
I remember the dolngs OF gentlemen, I
very clever fellow, man whose politics ar,
those OF tho relgnlng dynasty alWays-whC
was Democrat before the war, and terri
BILE war man during the war, q johnson mar
during the johnson administration, and
Grant man now-who In the winter Of 1880
Of had sold arms TO the people OF Georgia
had sold them arms TO shoot down our boys
This man went down to Georgia, aud will
the assistance Of Gov. Bullock got n com
mlttee appointed to examine the case, AMI
80 manipulated tho committee that they 70
ported in favor Of the State paying for Lhes
arms. The Legislature, however, refuse
10 adopt the report Of the committee, an
would not pay the money. That man cam
back TO Washington full OF sorroW-oh, hoN
sorrowful-hls heart wrupg TO lie YER
depths, with tears. In his eyes, over the tel
rible persecution OF the negro and loyal mel
In the State OF Georgia He was In favor Q
the reconstruction Of that State at once
What was his touchstone II was that h
should get his ga, 900 aud interest for th
arms no had sold to tho State OF Georgia
and that right In the face and eyes Of tn
fourteenth amendment TO the Constitution
which forbIds any State to assume or pa
any debt or obligation incurred IN aid ofinsui
rsction or rebellion against tho United STATED
feel, In regard TO this matter-haVln
known something Of II, having been on ID
Reconstruction Committee from the hrht d
now, and having watched the course {
events aud persons, as well as OF cover
meutH In those States-I feel as certain a.
could be, without having tho sworn test
mony before me, that tho passage OF tn
bill prolonglng tho term Of otlice OF tho,
men who now control the State Of Georgia
authorizing Governor Bullock to appoint q
tho Judges again, 10 commence de noV0, an
putting the power Of the State In his hand
would be an outrage upon the people.pf Il
State Of Georgia. l believe 1t Ia only In Il
interest OF a few people who desire to pc
petuate their reign that they may put mont
In their purse.
Mr.. Lawrence, Of Ohio, next obtained Il
floor and addressed the House In favor OF Il
bill as reported from the Reconstruction Cor
mittso, and, In tho course OF his remark
reviewed the whole history OF RECONSTRUCTED
In Georgia aud all the Southern States.
commended that Georgia was not perm
nent State In the Union, but only provislonI
He approved and Endorsed all the Republics
party had done In relation to reconstruetio
and also spoke In general terms Of the wo
OF the Republican party. Referring TO 4
recent admission OF Mr.. ReVelS, the color
Senator, into the Senate, Mr.. Lawrence sal
Il was mygood fortune to beln the senA
Of the United States on the 25th OF FebruAr
1862, when the browning achievement Of 4
Republican party was consummated. VIII
went Into the Senate there stood Charl
Sumner, Of Massachusetts,, proclalmlng
thunder tones that tho beat mode Of illI
trailing our belief In the sublime doctrine
God Ia to practice the principles Of /
brotherhood Of man. When those gra
utterances had fallen from his lips the VI
was taken, and 1t was determined that HlTa
r. Reyels, the Senator from Misslssip
upon whose head an African sun had burnt
should take his seat In that Chamber. A
there sat Cameron, Of Pennsylvania, who
1891, when JEFF. Davis babe farewell 10 /
Senate, went up to him and said, "You q
going out OF this Chamber forever
will come, aud before ten years 4 subaltC
10 the army will be President Of the Unit
States, and the seat which you have NJ
made vacant will be nlled by loyal AmC
can citizen OF African descent. The pll
ofthe traitor will be allied by loyal cltlE
and slavery will have perlshed forever"
That prophecy has been FULFILLED. Or
10 President, and tho seat Of Jetf. Davis
allied by representative OF that doWntrt
dan 49,. aaaNnad for aauturtaa mast n