The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-02-06

legislation pending which should be dis
/; posed 0i, and time should not be waste
In this discussion.
Mr.. Hill argued that II was tho Senate
r from Vermont, as Chairman OF the Judi
| ciary Committee, TO propose legislation an,
not waste the time Of tho Senate by bring
ing forward abstract resolutions whicl
r amounted to nothing.
Mr.. Hereford said the people OF thi
} country were expecting something else 4
the hands OF Congress than discussinl
this abstract question. Congress was her
to legislate to give people bread and but
ter, and not here TO lay down platforms
for one political party or another. HI
moved that the resolution be indefinitely
postponed.
Mr.. Edmunds said that when any laws
were proposed to carry out the Constitu
tional amendments Senators on the othel
side always said that It was too carly, Or Il
was too late, or too something. They were
all In favor OF the Constitutional amend
ments, but not In for putting their names
on the record.
After further discussion, the Chair (Alr,
Cockrelp ruled that the motion OF Mr.,
Hereford embraced that Of Mr.. Hill, which
was to postpone tile matter until March
9TH, after the expiration OF the present
Congress. The motion OF Mr.. Hereford
was reiected-yeas l5, nays 80.
Alr. Eaton moved to adjourn. Rejected
yeas %, nays 81. Messrs. Bayard ard
Kennan voted with the Republicans
against adjournment =
Tleamendmento OF Garland was reieCled,
Yeas; 8; nays, 81.
Mr.. Elmunds submitted the following
as an amendment to the substitute OF Nor.
gan: That the right Of the people, peace.
ably to assemble for the purpose oi petit
tioning Congress from the redress OF griey-
ances or for anything else connected with
the powers and duties OF the National
Government, is an attribute OF National
citizenship, and as such under the protec.
ton guaranteed by the United States,
within the scope Of sovereignty OF the
United States, to protect by penal laws.
Mr.. Morgan moved to adjourn. Reject
ed--yeas U, nays 25.
No quorum voting call Of the Senate
was ordered, and 81 Senators responded.
Mr.. Beck referred to the bills to repeal
the test oath and TO repeal the law keeping
young men out Of position under the gov
ernment who served under the Coniedera.
cy, and said the Judiciary Committee had
held back important measures and instead
Of considering them wasted time on these
resolutions.
The Senator from Vermont brought for
ward these resolutions 10 keep alive the
bitter feelings which were dying out and
would have been dead long ago had it not
been for few men keeping them alive.
There was one consolation. In less than
thirty days this Congress would expire,
and that Judiciary Committee would be
dissolved and other and lairer men would
have it.
Mr.. Beck, continuing, said he wanted
peace. lie wanted every man to stand
equal before the law. Let, the Judiciary
Committee report on the bills before them
and not bring forward political conun-
drums 10 divide and distract the people,
Mr.. Edmunds said he was rather re-
ireshed, that the Senator from New York
Beck) had rubbed his own ears TO enable
him to speak as loud rs he had OF him
(Edmunds) and the Judiciary Committee,
AS to what he had said OF him personally
offensive, he (Edmunds) would not say
anything, but as to the Judiciary Commit
tee he must say that the Senator could
have had his bills reported at any time BY
asking the committee to do so.
Mr.. Merrimon submitted the following
as an amendment to that OF Mr.. Edmunds:
THAT the several States are co.eQual In all
respects, and on ah equal footing in the
Union, and that every citizen is entitled
and eligible to share In all rights OF pro-
tettion for lie, liberty aud property, in
filling all Offices, places of honor, trust and
profit, except in cases expressly excepted,
and all benefits and advantages under the
Constitution of the United States, unless
because OF crime whereof he shall have
been duly convicted, aud all laws abridg-
ing such rights, or discriminating against
any citizen, or any class OF citizens, by
test oath or otherwise contrayene the
spirit OF the Constitution, are unwise, and
ought 10 be abolished"
A vote being taken on Mr.. Merrimon's
amendment ii resulted as follows: Yeas Z,
nays 20.
No quorum voting the call OF the Senate
was ordered and 4I Senators responded.
a vote was again taken and the amend.
ment OF Mr.. Merrimon was rejected-yeas
II, nays 30.
The question recurred on the substitute
OF Mr.. Morgan as amended by Mr.. Ed.
munds, and it was rejected. Yeas IS,
nays 20.
Mr.. Voorhees, said he voted for the
amendment OF the Senator from Arkansas,
because II expressed his views. He knew
that the constitutional amendments we're
not legally ratified by his own State (Indi-
allI), but there was ratification came
by use and acceptance, which he nor the
people Of that State desired to disturb,
The question then being on the resolution
as submitted by Mr.. Edmnnds, he de.
manded seperate vote on each resoln.
ton.
The Inst one was agreed to by a vote OF
yeas 90, nays IL.
The second resolution was agreed To by
a similar vote and as agreed TO the resolu.
tions read.
ReSoiged, Asthe judgement Of the Senate
that the Thirteenth, Fourteenth and
Fifteenth amendments to the Constitution
OF the Uuitei States have been legally
ratified and are as valid and OF the same
paramount authority, as any other part OF
the constitution, aud that the people OF
each State have the common interest In
the enforcement OF the whole Constitution
in every State In the Union and that Il Is
o like the right and duty OF Congress 10 en-.
force the amendments and toprotect every
citizen in the exercise OF all tho rights
thereby secured by laws Of n general char.
acler already passed for that purpose, and
by further appropriate legislation so lar a.
such enforcement and protection arc mol
secured by existing laws, and that It Is The
duty OF the executive department OF Inc
government faithfully and with diligence
70 carry all such lawsinto impartial execu
ton, aud OF Congress to appropriate al
the moneys needfulto that cnd.
ReSOlNd further that It Is the duty O
Congress to provide by law, for the full ant
impartial protection OF all citizens OF thI
United States duly qualified in the right L
vote for Representatives in Congress, an,
10 this end the Committee on Judiciary b,
and 1t Is hereby instructed to prepare ant
report as soon as may may be, a bill ia
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