The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-02-02
THE RIGHTS or THE PEOPLE


WASHINGTON, Feb. La the Senate was
presented "A minority report from the Commit
teo on Privileges and Elections. signed by
Mcssers Hoar. Cameron tWs.l and Mitchell. in
favor OF n sixteenth amendment to the Const-
tuition. prohibiting the ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF per-
sons on account Of sex.
Mr.. Morgan DEM Ala) continued his nrgu-
ment against Mr. Edmundss resolutions de-
claring the vadility Of the Thirteenth. Four
teenth. and Fifteenth amendments. arguing
that the Congress Of the United States was no
place to make laws for the government Of
men in their capacity us citizens OF
tho different States. 1t was the duty OF
the State to protect her citlpns He
quoted from the Cruikshank case to show
that the fifteenth amendment Of the CiUstitu-
ton has invested tho citizens Of the United
States with new constitutional right. which Is
exemption from discrimination in the exercise
OF the elective franchise ON account of race.
Is within the jurisdiction Of the United states.
which Congress may exert by appropriate lrg-
islntlon, y prevent the denial or abridgmnnt by
state 81 the right oi "a citizen To vote. Refer
ring To the thirteenth amendment Mr.. Morgan
said slavery was not impossible under It. be-
cause In II the reservation WIS made that man
might Ice cusaved for the punishment oi crime.
Further aluling To- slavery be- said slavery in
ne South. when It existed. involved no such
hidcous feature us taking free men and making
them slaves. Tho negroes wore slaves when
the people - the South bought them. but his
llttniH III wv NNlAilfNsA''il Llll "a iNI 'lNn-
try. when they bought the Indians from Cuba
and from the Nurrnlsansett tribes. bought free
men and made them slaves.
MIR. Elmuuds rep, w. in reply, referred 10
the rnry history oi Vermont on the question
OF slavery. when Judge. before whom appl-
cation was made for the return OF n slave said.
when the claimant could show u bill OF sale for
the man from Almighty God. he would be re-
turned, and not before.
Mr.. Morgan referred 10 tho Constitution and
the duty o. that Judge 20 obey his outh and sup
port the Constitution and the laws. That Judge
knew Almighty God did not issue title papers.
and II was his duty to obey the laws then exist
Ing. Such a Judge might be sum lent model
- honor and prOpricty for the senator from
Vermont. but he OR Morganl thanked God
that they had no such judge In his State.
He next referred to the Constitution of Alabama
and the changes made III II To conform TO the
constitutional amendments. Alabama had de-
clarcd IN her Constitution that she did not pos
sesS the right OF secession. No Northern State
had made such declaration in its constitution.
Massachusetts believed in II IN 1912. She be-
leyed I'm IA at the Hartford Convention. The
people OF the South had stopped taking lessons
~ that school The people of Alabama have no
bitterness no nnimosty nj all on account Of the
late war or its losses. They had buried them
long since with sigh. In conclusion he said
that the resolutions 90 the Senator from Ner-
mont Were too complex IN their arrangements.
fno coueraled IN their purposes. TO enable him
tMr. Mursuul To vote Tor them. No good could
grow ont VI them. hernuse they called for a mere
expression Of opinion OF the Senate. The ds-
bate was discontinued for nm executive session.