Year: 1867

section by adding a proviso that any
person heretofore appointed by the
District Commanders to exercise the
functions of civil officer, may be re-
moved by the District Commander or
by the Commanding General of the
armies. He said that without this
proviso it might be thought that the
District Commanders had no power
to remove a man once appointed.


Drake moved to amend by adding
an additional section, to the effect that
no rebel State should be entitled to
representation in Congress unless it
shall contain in its Constitution pro-
vision declaring that such State shall
forever remain in the American
Union; that every citizen owes a para
mount allegiance to the United States,
and that no law shall be passed by
any State in controvention to the au-
thority of the United States, or in
subversion of it.


Trumbull made the point of order,
that under the resolution of the first
day, no subject could be introduced
not strictly pertaining to the Recon
struction bill as passed at the last
session. This was now the subject
Drake was addressing the Senate,
when several Senators objected that a
point of order was debatable.
! Trumbull repeated his point that
cooperation in voting a new plan of
reconstruction was not admissible.


Drake said this was no new plan
that no new State shall be admitted
until its Constitution shall be made
to conform to the American system.


Trumbull-Was that in the origi-
nal bill? -


Senate = Shall declare this
amendment in order by one
affirmative vote. Do not let US
go away and leave these miserable
foeleries and hideous montrosity of
State rights to return again and plague
US. - af H}.@@ nt


Mr.. Buckalew, though opposed to
the amendment, believed in the point
of order. that it was admissible igas


The Chair decided the amendment
was out of order under the resolution
of Friday.


Drake appealed from the decision
of the Chair, aud addressed the Sen
ate to show that his amendment was
in order. Asaah


Pomeroy thought the best way to
reach it was through suspension of
the rules of Friday.


Drake said he should make this
motion if defeated on his appeal from
the Chair.


Sumner contended the amendment
was i'll order. In the course of his
remarks he said he reserved to him
self the right to acquire such guaran
tee as he thought necessary to secure
republican form of government.


Pomeroy did not believe Congress
could ask any additional guarantees


Sumner-It was distinctly {. an
nounced in the reconstruction bill
that the constitutions of the rebel
States should be submitted to Con-
gress for approval.


Pomeroy said that he meant the
right to revise the Constitution, to
see if they were in accordance with
the reconstruction bill.


The question was then taken on
brakes appeal from the decision of
the Chair, and the Chair was sustained
So the amendment of Drake was de-
clared out Of order.


Drake moved a suspension of the
rules Not agreed to-


Trumbull raised the point that the
amendment was out of order
Considerable debate ensued by
Buckalew, Trumbull, Hendricks and
others, and Buckalew's amendment
was decided out of order.


Buckalew then resumed his speech
on the subject of suffage, contending
that the majority principle In vogue
worked unjustly and unfairly, and left
large masses of the people without
voice, and practically disfranchised,
and cited illustrations of the work
ings of the principles applied to Con-
gressional representatives, and claimed
his amendment corrected these abuses.
johnson favored Buckalew's reso
luton, and made a defense of the
Attorney General 8aa
Sumner delivered written speech,
reviewing the different stages of re-
construction from February, 1862, to
the present time, and offered an ad-
ditional section, requiring the estab-
| lishment of schools in the rebel
States, free to all, regardless of color.
Trumbull claimed that the amend
ment was out of order, and the Senate
refused to receive it.


Sumner offered an amendment by a
provision that no discrimination as to
race or color be made in the appoint
ment of registrars, and stated in reply
to a question as to the necessity of
this provision, there was not single
colored registrar in the whole State of
Virginia, and repeated what he said
in his written speech, that it would
be the duty of the Senate, in a few
months, to welcome colored Senators
on this floor.