Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-02-06
BY TELEGRAPH
TO THE
Daily Kennebec Journal.
Forty.Second Congressional Session
WAsHlNGToN, D.

WASHINGTON, >.
SENATE.
In the Senate to-day the educational bill
was taken up and discussed at length.
Mr. Carpenter said that the difference be-
tween this and Mr.. Summers bill was in two
points. First, the substitute omitted all
references to churches, and second, it based
the right of federal interference upon the
fact that institutions were supported at the
public expense, and not as Summers bill did
upon the mere fact Of incorporation.
Mr. Norwood argued against Mr.. Summers
amendment as unconstitutional.
Mr.. Pomeroy hoped that the people Of
Georgia and other States could be trusted to
choose wife or husband without the inter
ference of any law. He objected to the
phrase used by Mr.. Wilson, 'the different
races of men, He knew Of but one race
the human race.
Mr. Anthony hoped that AIr. Sumner
would accept Mr.. Carpenters amendment
exempting churches from the bill. He would
vote to give the colored people all the civil
rights, but would not vote for bill confer
ring or denying, or in any way interfering
with religious rights.
Mr.. Sumner advocated his own BILL and
called Mr.. Carpenters substitute an emas-
culated SYNONYM, while the original was
strong and complete. He objected especially
to the omission from the substitute of the
provision of enforced admission of colored
citizens to the jury box. The senator Gar
penter) had attempted to distinguish between
the right to testify and the right to sit as
juror. He (Sumner) cared not whether the
| right to sit as a JUROR was political or civil
right. 1t was enough for him to know it was
a right to which all men were entitled by the
law of Nature and the Constitution OF the
United States, Interpreted by the Declaration
of Independence. lie saw that Senator Car
penter smiled, he always smiled when decla
ration mentioned.
Mr.. Carpenter. twas smile of approba
ton.
Mr.. Sumner. Very well, but not content
with striking at the colored citizen in the
temple of justice, the senator sets up dis
tinction in the church, distinction however
in which he is not original, for he has been
anticipated by Rev. Petroleum V. Nasty,
who reports his congregation as having sung
on certain occasion this hymn -
"Shall niggers black this land possess,
And mix with us up here:
Oh no, my friends, we rather guess,
Wen never stand that ere"
Sir, ask you if that is not the senator S
speech. | do not know that | need to say
any more.
Mr. Carpenter-Oh, yes, go right OH.
Mr.. Sumner will as the Senator invites
me- He sets himself up here as represen-
tatiye of a caste in a church. and while es-
pousing that cause, pleads the Constitution
of the L nited States. But sir, | think can
point out the origin Of the Senator'S error.
hesitate to refer to it, but the Senator has in
troduced it himself. The Senator has never
had an adequate idea of the Declaration of
TpIo Cba
well; have been long enough in this cham
Der to witness vicissitudes of opinion on that
great magma charta. | have seen it derided
by others more than it ever by the Sena-
tor from Wisconsin.
Mr. Carpentcr-I wish the Senator would
state when ever derided the Declaration of
independence.
Mr. SUMNER am coming to that. lie
then quoted the remarks made by Calhoun,
Choat and Andrew johnson, on the subject,
and said Mr.. Carpenter in speech in April,
1870, had spoken Of the principles set forth
in the declaration as "The Generates of
referred to this with great reluctance.
Mr.. Carpenter-I hope the reluctance is
not on my account.
Mr.. Sumner-When the Senator spoke
last on this subject, however, it was no longer
a revolutionary pronunciamento.
Mr. Carpenter-Oh, yes it is. | stand by
that. l glory in that revolutionary pronun-
camento, and in all that revolutionary his
tory of ours.
Mr.. Edmunds-Then you ought to give
some effect to it.
Mr. Summertime Senator says he glories
in it. Then let him give it some effect. |
hope he wont take it all out in glory. hope
that he will see that some of it is transferred
into human rights.
Mr.. Carpenter-les, all that is consort
with the express provisions of the Constitu-
ton.
Mr.. Sumner-The Constitution is ma
chine, great and beneficial machine. The
Declaration of Independence supplies the
principles which are to give character and
motion to that machine.
Mr.. Carpenter said that he had just heard
himself ridiculed, reviled and misrepresented
because he had been unwise to agree with the
Senator from Massachusetts, as to the merits
of his bill, and had stated two points in
which its constitutonality seemed doubtful
| lie was in favor of the substance of the BILL
and had embodied in his substitute all of it
that was constitutional. But the Senator
fram Massachusetts, did not seem to be anx-
ious for the passage of a bill to secure civil
rights unless it had some branch or claw
tearing into the Constitution. The Senator
had also gone Back whole year and ar
raigned him for having spoke of the Declara-
ton of Independence as a revolutionary pro-
nunciamento. twas certainly just that, and
he wondered what there was in the express
sion which so ranked in the Senator's mind
lie could not believe that it was the mere use
of elective, and he supposed that it must
have been remembered so long because the
remarks were made in raillery and addressed
CO. bn al ,uhn II H.,
that any one should look on his venerable
locks and indulge in in levity and myth.
| Mr.. Sumner give the Senator leave to
rail on my locks as much as he pleases, but
do not rail against the Declaration of indie
pendence.
Mr.. Carpenter-Very well, will agree to
that if you will agree not to rail at the Con-
stitution. win not speak disrespecttully OF
the Declaration of Independence, and you
will not attempt to violate the Constitution,
and we join hand in hand in support of the
principles that are the foundation of your
bill. The Senator has done me honor to
point out nv phototype in a Constitution