Year: 1867




In the House of Representatives
last Saturday, an exciting debate oc-
Cured on the subject of Reconstruc-
ton, the Constitutional Amendment.
negro suffrage, the admission of Ten
nessee, and other matters of Interest.
We give an outline of the debate as
follows:


Mr.. Spalding, of Ohio, referred to


the Constitutional Amendment, and
declared that his original understand.


ing was, that that was to be taken as


a measure of conciliation. in part, be-


tween the loyal and dislOyal States,


and that when the latter should have


signified their appreciation of the


Constitutional Amendment and


should have modelled their State Gov
ernment so as to pass the ordeal of
Congress, they would be admitted to
representation. The canvass in the


State of Ohio was carried on on the
basis of the constitutional amendment
alone. He had uniformly told the
people in his district that whenever
the Southern States adopted the Con-
stitutional Amendment, he should
vote to receive their representatives,
and he had never met with dissent
ing voice in his district. The Uni,
ted States Republican Committee
had held forth to the country that
the great turning point in the read
mission of outstanding States was
the adoption of the Amendment the
State Republican Convention of New
York had declared the same thing,
and the election in that State took
place on that hypothesis. He there
fore claimed that those members who
have said that the constitutional
amendment, if adopted, settled no
thing, were in that respect in error.
1t might not settle everything, but it
would 90 good way toward restor-
ing the terms of pacification and re-
construction. Even if the bill of Ste
vens for the reconstruction of the
rebel States were passed, and these
outstanding communities were recon
structed on that basis, he would still
hold that the constitutional amend
ment should not get the 60 b.. He
had been making visit recently i'll
Virginia, and found that the chief
objection there was to the third sec
ton of the amendment. The people
in Petersburg had expressed to him
the idea that while they could not
a gree to that section themselves, yet
if the Government put it i'll force
they would not resent it.


Mr.. Kelley Republican, of Penn
sylvania)-in confirmation of this
stated that he had letters
from lawyers, and officers and soldiers
in the Confederate army, arguing
that, as the result Of the war, they
had lost their right as individuals
and as States, and yet as States alone
could they act on the constitutional
amendment. Also, that they could
not personally sustain that third sec
ton, to strike down their leaders,
who had participated with them i'll a
common cause but that ifthe amend
ments were adopted, and the Govern
ment exercised its right under ii,
there would be no resistance to 1t Ill
the South.


Mr.. Spalding said he did not know
how extensively that sentiment might
prevail. What he would suggest
was, that the constitutional amend
ment be left in the train of adoption
until the 4th of March next. .
In continuation of his remarks, Mr..
said that the same attempt
to coerce the action Of Republican
of Congress applied to other
subjects, including those of the tariff,
Of internal revenue and of the cur
rency. No man was acknowledged
to be Radical, unless he was i'll ia
ror of putting such a tariff on certain
goods as would amount to their eN-
,lusiOn, and in favor of allowing a
of paper currency without
imitation. That he understood to be
in the State of Pennsyl-
yania. While he advocated a rea-
onable tariff to protect American
industry, he was not prepared to de-
lOunce every officer of the govern
nent who thought that portion of
he revenue should be derived from
luty on imports. While he would
Iisapprove of the curtailment of the
urrency so as to affect injurlOuSly |
he legitimate business of the cOun-
ry, he was with the Secretary of the
'reasury when he said we should |
radually feel our way to specie pay
rents.


Mr.. Kelley inquired whether an as
urance that the country should re-
ume specie payments within two
ears was proposition to dOit grad
ally.


Mr.. Spaldiug-It occurs to me that
would be a proposition to do it
-ithin two years. Laughter. 1t
nat is not gradual enough for the
entleman. why of course it is not
Laughter.l | do not pro-
sss to believe specie payment can he
rOught about in two years. | only
faim that au officer of the Govern
lent, whom l believe to he cndea-
oring to discharge faithfully his du-
V as the principal tinancier of the
should not be subjected !
0 the tar bucket and brush whenever
e recommends any policy to this
Ieuse. That is all. 1 do believe