The Washington critic. (Washington City, D.C.) 1890-1890, 1890-02-16
STORY OF AN OLD FIGHT.
HOW THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT
WAS CARRIED.
General Grants Act Saved the Meas
ure-Remi nIsences of the Pro-
ceedings in the senate--ArGuments
That Had Their Weight.

ItttlNltlE HO llutu hlltHllOu Ill ulI lulNh
of the country, II will be n matter of in
terest to review the facts in connection
with the preparation and passage of the
Fifteenth Amendment which conferred
suffrage upon all citizens, without re.
gard to race, color or previous condi-
ton of servitude.
In 1866 Hon. John b. Henderson Of
Missouri introduced in the Senate what
Is known as Senate resolution No. 8 in
the following words;
No State shall deny or abridge the right
of It's citizens to vote and hold office on
account OF race, color or previous condi-
ton.
This resolution, together with all
other resolutions and petitions bearing
upon the question of suffrage which
were introduced by Senators at different
intervals during this period, was re.
ferrcd to the judiciary Committee, of
which Hon. Lyman Trumbull was
chairman, and subsequently was given
in charge of Hon. William NJ. Stewart,
Senator from Nevada, a member of the
same committee, for examination and
report
On Friday, January Is, 1869, Mr..
Stewart reported adversely upon all
these resolutions, and offered instead an
amendment TO the Constitution which
he had prepared, covering the whole
ground, which is as follows:
The right of citizens Of the United
States TO vote and to hold Office shall not
be denied or abridged by the United States
or any State on account of race, color or
previous condition of servitude.
And Congress shall have power to en-
/ force the prOyigipng of this article Inv an
! propriate legislation.
The amendment having been reported
by Mr.. Stewart the Congressional Globe,
which contains the proceedings of that
date, shows the following:
Mr.. SUMNER What disposition does the
Senator propose Of those papers2
Mr.. STEWART. | ask that the committee
be discharged from the further considera-
ton of these petitions We have reported
n constitutional amendment on the sub
ject.
Mr. THAYER. Providing for universal
| suffrage?
Mr. STEWART. Yes, sir. The amend
ment reported is very short. ask that It
| he read.
The amendment was read by the
secretary and went over for future ac-
ton.
Mr.. Stewart now lost no opportunity
in endcavoring to have the amendment
taken up and considered, but. he was
continually antagoDized by Senators
who had other measures upon which
they desired to have action. He met
these objections in few well-chosen
and pointed remarks. He said;
The session is drawing to close and If
there is to be action on this subject at this
session it is very important that 1t should
be at an early day. Since the resolution
was reported l have been trying to get the
floor every day to urge It forward; but It 1:
utterly impossible to get it up after the
morning hour. | want to call 1t to the IT,
tention of the Senate particularly. | be
lieve that there is a general concurrence
that 1t should be passed at this session.
do not think that it will involve long dis
cussion; at all events, do not propose to
make any protracted remarks, If any, on it,
] do not care to make any. 1t is an amend.
ment that is well understood. The princi.
pies upon which it is based have been dis
cussed at great length at each session fol-
several years, and it is necessary to ge
action very soon.
Next Monday the chairman of the Com
mittee on Finance will occupy the time o
the Senate with business from that commit
tee, and do not know for how many days
When that financial question is opened 1
may last a long time. | cannot tell. Their
is other business pressing, and felt called
upon this morning to call this subject t.
the attention of the Senate, and, as 1t II
very important, | will move to make it til,
special order for Thursday next. | now
desire to call it up for the purpose of max
ing that motion. If we can get to it or
Thursday next it will be making progress
OF course, cannot interfere with the bust
ness Monday next unless the chairman o
the Committee on Finance will give way oil
that day. | now ask that the resolution b.
taken up with the view of making it thu
special order for Thursday.
Following in the same line, Mr.. Conk
ling urged immediate action upon tn
measure in an earnest and forcibl
speech.
Upon taking the vote the Senate de
cided to make the resolution the specia
order for Thursday, January 20, 1869
at which time it was taken up and dis
cussed from day to day.
While this question was engaging tn
r attention of the Senate it was likewis
made the leading subject of discussion
in the House Of Representatives. Hon
George S. Boutwell, of Massachusett
in the House, January II, 1869, rC
ported from the Judiciary Committee
joint resolution, which was intended a
J an amendment to the Constitution, pre-
viding that the right to vote Of no cit
zen should be abridged by the Unite
States or any State by reason of race
| color, or previous condition of slavery
t The discussion on this question wa
opened by Mr.. Boutwell, in an eX
, haustive speech on the Esd of January
Several amendments were offered, bu
were rejected. The House passed tn
resolution February by vote of Is
r TO AZ, more than the required two
thirds majority.
. The House resolution, with som
e change in phraseology, was then II
ported to the Senate by Mr.. Stewart q
. a substitute for the Senate resolution
= In this prompt action of Mr.. Stewa
( will be seen his earnest desire to secul
1 the passage by Congress of the be
= possible measure on the question @
4 suffrage, seeing that there was a po'
sibility of the failure of the amendmer
prepared by himself, by reason of th
. hostile attitude of the opposite part
&. and the difference of opinion ente,
= tanned by members of his own part
( rs TO the exact form in which tn
S amendment article should be el
1 pressed.
!. The debate on the Sth of February col
tinued nearly forty-two hours and wi
animated throughout Fifteen amenC
!. ments were offered, among which WI
=. one by Mr., Sumner. After these were a
. disposed of the resolution was passed b
vote of thirty nine to sixteen. 1t the
l. went back to the house, where two m,
( tons were made-one to non-concl
= and ask for conference committee, /
Z Mr. Boutwell, and the other to concu
> by Mr. Bingham. Mr.. Boutwel's m
i, ton prevailed and committee of COZ
n....,an,Anl .