Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-02-06
FOvty-SsCOHd Congress
Amnesty Diseased in ths SsnstE---
Carpenter vs. Simmer.
The Sans Subject In HOuss---Pas-
ssgs Of sn Important
Amendment.
WASHINGTON, February 20.

alDL@CkCEE AAOAA ANOANA OcAOAAAAEAg Wei
referred.
ials from the Michigan lumberme
against the Chicago relief bill.
Senator Kellogg presented petition
from the leading men of the rice inter
est in Louisiana against the abolition
Of the tax on rice, it being received b,
telegraph that its reference was OBJ
jected to by Senator POmeroy.
Senator Morton offered a resolution
In relation to the manufacture of Bes
semer steel, and said that he wOulC
call il up on an early day, and would
submit some remarks on the superior
ity Of Indiana in making steel and the
importance Of improving the harbor
Michigan City, Indiana, so as to
bring the iron mines OF Lake Superior
into a more direct communication
with the coal fields Of Indiana.
The amnesty bill being brought up,
Senator Robertson moved to table the
pending bill and take the last amnes-
" bill passed by the house. Lost by
twenty yeas to twenty. three nays.
Senator Carpenter offered q substi-
tUte TO Senator Summers pending
amendment TO the supplementary
civil rights bill, providing that if any
common carriers or keepers of public
places make any distinction in their
accommodations or respect to any
citizen on account OF his race or color
they shall be fined not less than five
hundred nor more than five thousand d
dollars for each offence.
Senator Carpenter said that the
difference between this and Senator
Summers bill was in two points. First,
the substitute omitted all reference TO
churches, and second, it based the
right OF federal interference upon the
fact that the institutions were sup
ported at the public expense, and not
as Sens or Summers bill did, upon
mere facts Of incorporation.
Senator Norwood, of Georgia, argued
against Senator Summers amendment
as unconstitutional, and calculated to
nullify the laws Of several States
prohibiting the intermarriage OF
blacks and whites. He thought Sen.
stor Carpenters substitute also IN
constitutional, and said he would cast
his vote against both amendments on
that ground.
Senator Wilson said he would vote
for Senator Summers amendment Just
because il went so far, and in the clear
est and most positive manner made
distinction on account Of color illegal
In the United Sisies. The question of
intermarriage raised by Senator NOT-
wood had been settled in Msssachu-
sets thirty years ago. That State
had repealed her law on the subject at
that time, and all predictions of dread
full results that were to follow had
signally failed. A great deal had been
heard for years about superiority Of
the white race, and the marked dis
tinctiOn between the whites and
blacks, but every where abundant
evidence was TO be seen that those
distinctions had often been disre-
Rarded. He wished to see all laws
based on difference Of race abolished,
as it was unchristian, inhuman and
nndemOcratie.
Senator POmerOy thought that the |
people OF Georgia and other States |
could be trusted TO choose their wives
and husbands without the interference
OF any law. He objected tC the phrase |
used by Mr.. Wilson, "the different |
races OF mem" he knew but one race
the human race.
Senator Anthony hoped that Sem
atOf Sumner would accept Senator |
Carpenters amendment exempting |
churches from the bill. He would |
vote to give the cOlOred people all |
civil rights, but he would not vote for |
a bill comforting or denying or in any |
way interfering with their religious |
rights.
Senator Sumner advocated his own /
bill and called Senator Carpenters i
substitute an emasculated synonym,
feeble where the original was strong,
and incomplete where the original
was complete. He objected especially
10 the omission from the substitute OF
the provision enforcing the admission
of colOred citizens to the jury box.
Senator Carpenter had attempted to
distinguish between the right to tes-
tify and the right to sit as a Juror.
He rSumner cared not whether the !
right TO sit as a juror was political or
civil right, 1t was enough for him to
know that il was a right 20 which all
men were entitled by the law Of ma
turs and by the constitution of the
United States, interpreted by the de-
clsratiOn of independence. He saw
that Senator Carpenter smiled. He
always smiled when the declaration
was mentioned.
Senator Carpenter-It was a smile
OF appreciation. Laughter.
Senator Sumner-Very well, but
not content with striking at the col
Ored citizen In the temple OF justice,
the senator sets up a distinction in the
church; a distinction, however, in
which he is not original, for he has
been anticipated by Rev. Petroleum
V. Nasby, who reports his cODgrega-
tion to have sung, on q certain Oeca-
sion, this hymn:
''shan niggers black this land possess
And mix with us up here?
OH no, nay friend, we We rather guess,
I Laughter on the fOOT and in the gall
feries. Sir, ask If that is not the Sena-
tors speech? l do not know that
need say any more.
Senator Carpenter-Ohi yes, 90
right on.
Senator Sumner-I will, as the sen.
ator invites me. He sets himself up
here as a representative of caste in q
Christian church, and while espOus.
ing that cause pleads the constitution
of the United States. But, sir, ] .
think 1 can point out the origin OF {
the senator's error. hesitate to refer {
90 1t, but the senator has introduced il
himself. The senator has never had I
an adequate idea OF the declaration
Of Independence. Laughter, especial
ly by Senator Carpenter.] The sens-
tor smiles. Very well; 1 have been
long enough in this chamber 10 wit c
ness the vicissitudes OF opinion on 1
that great magma charta. 1 have I
seen II derided by Others more than I
Ii was by the senator from Wisconsin.
Senator Carpenter wish the sen.
atOT would state when ever derided I
the declaration of independence.
Senator SUMNER am coming to | /
that.
Senator Sumner then quoted re-
marks made by Calhoun, ChOate and {
Andrew johnson on the subject, and
said that in a speech In April, 1870,
Senator Carpenter had spoken Of the {
principles set forth ia the declaration
as "the geneEalities of that revOlu- {
tiOnary prO1unciamentO." BE said ]
he referred 10 this with great reluc- {
lance.
Senator Oarpenter-I hope the re-
luctanceis not on my account. Laugh
ter.
Senator Sumner-Wbenth the senator / c
spoke last upon this subject ii was no I
hanger a revolutionary prOnuncia- {
mentO.
Senator Oarpenter-Oh, yes, 1t Is.
stand by it. 1 glory in that revo- !
iutionary pFOnuBcisnento, in all that 9
revolutionary history Of ours. s
Senator Edmunds-Then you ought I
10 give some effect to it. 8
EanafOF Sunnpr-lnhn aey. afOy eyIossfoa i i