Year: 1866

over until Monday.


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.


The proceedings Of this days session were, by order
confined TO general debate on the Presidents annual mes


Mr.. NICHOLSON Dell the first speaker. lie took
strong grounds against the Constitutional amendment in
regard representation lie contended that the effect OF
II would be 10 destroy the federal character Of the Govern
ment produce consolidation and 10 subject the people
the worst kind Of despom that OF constitutional ma
jorities There ropnety in II. The States them
selves the best judges TO what concerned their in
ternel order and webcng. The very object sought 10 be
accom- plished by She Constitutional amendment that Of
putng the negroes on level with the white man,
another objection TO IL. The races entirely distinct


The only way in which the two races could live in bar
mony together by recognition Of the truth Of the
nferoriy Of the black race The orcible exclusion Of
Representatives from the Southern States another
reason why the amendment should not pass because II
could not pass all tic States entitled TO representation
represented.


He was followed by Mr. PEnnAx who took directly an
opposite view Of the question OF reconsiructon He con-
sdered IL of little Importance whether the late Rebel
States regarded dead according 70 the views Of
some members Of Congress having had their fran
chise suspended according 10 the views Of the President
The great fact remained in either case that Il was the duty
Of Congress provide for the establishment Of State Gov
enmenls which should correspond with the rt Of those
roSs ON s 81 sn,e ,Ss .SIsbea Srm


,hat .oneps - had been attempting 10 40 for the
last five yeas, with but partial success IL was
the duty of Congress 10 see, hot only that new
States 10 be- admitted had such form OF government
but to guarantee II TO the old ones> also h thcre
LOYAL enough IN the Fuuth 10
some Of The Federal heroes OF the should be appointed
and told 20 take part in the administration Of the govern
ment the States which they bad saved by their vaio
In these States the Rebels nOw IN tho ascendancy
LOYALTY WAS the exception, eud disloYaiy the rule. On
whom now deyoved the duty OF deciding whether the
late Rebel States IN condition 10 be represented IN
Congress Not the Executive no such power was dele
gated 10 him. for the House Of Representatives, nor
the Senate acting Independently ofeach other but on the
law-makDg power Of the Government IL was the duty
of Congress take the whole subject into consideration
as il doing and TO decide whst guaranty should
be required equal and justice 10 all citizens
and TO prevent the recurrence OF another rebellion II
such be secured by such amendments could
not fail 10 accomplish the object, and on the ratihca.
ton Of such amendments BY the late Rebel states as
pledge Of their sincerity and ne Soad ao. 'as M
TO be represented in Congress on equal footing with the
other States. The guarantees he should require were
first that leading, intelligent traitors a. the President
called then should bc deprived OF oil political rights AZ
least for the present, and until they shall have brought
forth fruits for repentance or until the loyal senti-
ment Of the States has become strong a. TO render them
poweress for evil second that all the rights Of citizen.
ship including that Of suffrage shall be given TO al loyal
citizens irrespective of coor third that the pay
mcnt Of the Confederate and State debts contracted in aid
of the Rebellion should be prohibited and also the pay
ment by the nation OF by States for eanepated slaves


fourth that the doctrine of Secession shall be repudiaed
and branded with everlasting iniaIny. lie quoted from
the Nashville speech OF President johnson, delivered lie
sad before his head became giddy with power before
Southern Rebels and Northern Copperheads bad led him
captive at their will and he called upon the President to
cooperate with Congress in giving eject to The doctrines
enuncatod in that speech Union members did not des re
TO have any conflict with the President and would have
none unless far the President repudated the prnci
pies that elected him in 1864 For himself he had only to
swear that he would consent by bis vote that the
government Of the country should lie taken from the loyal
citizens who had saved it by their blood I'D should be


Mr. MILLER next addressed the House on the question
of Reconstruction lie did not agree WIN tne doctrines
cnuncated on that subject by his colleague r Stevens
OF by his other colleague Mr. Wiliams, by the able
gentleman from Ohio Mr. shellabager For himself he
held that no rebeiOu action could force State out Of
| the Union The Southern States Notwithstanding the
Rebellion still remained part and parcel OF the Union
He would accord 10 the Rebels no such honor as hcr
being successful taking eleven States cut Of the Union,
or taking State out Atthc action OF the Confederate
Government was gross violation Of right. The Govern.
mcnt had never been admitted into the family oil nations
The Federal Government had over those States ana her
people all their legal rights as well rs the rights OF war


Mr. JONI l.. THOMAS jr next addressed ting llouse on
the question Of Reconstruction. lie held nat Uongres
haste the part Qf the late Rebel States to DO admitted
TO representation in Congress- on their own terms was
only a9ed by their s Es 1S1 a1GSp Sen IN asmpsd ssTps
break up by force Of alps the G9yeRpspt yelsp !ney
Would break tp tomorrow by political trckery II they
had the power His desire was that the Rebel states
should have their IN Congress- but al inc
same time he was sensible Of the duty which he owed 10
tho country and those loyal men OF the South VINO ha
stood true to the Union IN the hour OF pe AS ne ha
finally crushed ont aud traitors made TO iee ther guii'
and although today he felt sadly disappointed that tai
tors had not met that punishment which their crimes u
| served, sun ne ma cOHuucHCt ~ VIZ "S'VkS"
ism Of the loyal OF the people that they would
never allow these Rebels to dictate the terms on whch
they should resume their relations to the Govdhnon'.
Either they we're to be consulted TO the terms tnat
would best please them OF Congress TO lay down the
terms on which they to be received back while ne
denied that any State could be taken out OF the Unon
vet its could be usuped destroyed as
not only require remodcng, but to require whole new
framework. 1t was for Congress TO decide, not only
whether the State governments Of the South, having been
subyered have been reconstructed but to examine and
see whether they reconstructed TO eDlc them 70
representation These States should remain where they
had remained for the last five years. in the Union to be
sure because they had not the power TO get out OF IT. bu


in the Union dvested of oil their rights Of representation
in Congress- until the masses Of the loyal people OF the
country had so hedgcd them in with guarantees and safe
guards that they could be safely ntused with that right


He believed that the country was on the Of revolu
ton porentous to the next generation the recen,
Rebellion had been this. The who had brought
the rebellion were striving to get back to the
places they had gncniI!ous.y deserted, in or- that
they might control the Government which they % in
poasly srven 10 ovsnhyoB. lie believed thst the Pies