Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-03-03
senator ReveIs.

When the question of the admission
of Mr.. Reyels the colored Senator from
Mississippi, was under discussion in the
Senate, Mr.. Cameron from Pennsylvania
made some remarks which were so re,
markable that they will probably find a
place in the permanent history OF these
strange times and equally strange muta-
tions. He said:
T trust this question will not be refer
red to the committee, but that the Sen
ate itself viii decide it. L remember
very well, Mr.. President, that just before
the southern Senators left this chamber,
in 1861, 1 had a conversation with Mr..
Jefferson Davis, in which he complained
that the people of the North had inter
fered with the rights of the South, espe-
cially in taking from them their slaves.
| remember that l said to him: You of
Mississippi have no right to complaint
do not think single stakeholder in the
whole State of Mississippi ever lost a
slave in the way you speak Of" The
conversation continued some time. /
said to him: Sir, let me tell you that il
YOU secede from here, the moment gun
has been fired against the flag of this
country slavery ceases; and the logical
conclusion after that will be that the
slave will be recognized as citizen; and
he will come into the halls of Congress;
and believe, in the justice of God, that
a negro some day will occupy your
seat.n Laughter.l | an glad to be-
lieve to-day that what / thought then
might happen in the future has come to
pass.
Sir, we ought to remember how much
these people have helped US in saving
the country. I do not think l should
have attempted to say a word if the hon
orable Senator from Oregon had not got
I'D to make an argumenG that this man
has more of white than of black blood
in his veins. What do L care which
preponGerates? He is a man; and his
race, when the country was in its peril,
came to the rescue. Mr.. Stanton, who
is Row, L trust, sainted above for his
virtues and his services here, said to
me, 'sThis whole contest would have
gone against us if at the last moment
we had not got two hundred thousand
negroes to come and join. our armies and
turn the tide of victory upon our side. "
[ admit that it somewhat shocks my
old prejudices, as ib probably does the
prejudices of many more here. that one
of the despised race should come here
to be my equal; but L look upon it as
the act of God. He in His providence
allowed the war TO take place; and it
destroyed the only blot upon the es
cutcheon of our country, which was
slavery: and the logical conclusion now
is that after having freed the slave he
becomes citizen, and when he becomes
a voter he as naturally becomes the re-
cipient of office. In 1861, in a report
which I had the honor to make, in
which 1 recommended the use of slaves
in the Army, said the conclusion must
be that the moment the slave becomes a
soldier be becomes citizen. SO it has
been. This is great country of ours;
the negro did great service in saving it;
and am glad thus conclusion has come.
The gold premium fell on Saturday to
less than I16, and U. S. bonds of 81 were
worth premium of to II per cent,
while the 5 20s were within one per cent
of par. The market may from time to
time momentarily react, but the general
tendency is clearly and irresistibly
downward for coin, or, more correctly,
upward for our hitherto deprecated Sc
curities have been worth par, for a
week past, in the European exchanges,
and must rise still higher unless pre-
vented by some Congressional impru-
dence. When we see SO little distinction
as bare two per cent.mad in foreign
markets, between the bonds due in 'Sl
which were issued before the legal ten
der epoch of February 62,and the issues
subsequent to that date, we may infer,
either that capitalists attach no weight
Whatever to the claim, by some of ouI
partizans, that the latter are legally pay
ably in paper, or that a general conf
dence is felt, abroad as well as at home,
in the speedy resumption of cash pay
ment on every class of our liabilities
On either hypothesis, we have the best
reasons for rejoicing in the early and in
evitable approach of that hour which
shall witness the obliteration of the last
obstacle in the way of the financial as
we'll as thepolitical reconstruction and
restoration of the Republic.