Year: 1871

man from Louisiana, while he favors the
bill, yet would like it better if it did not
require that loyal men must continue to
take the oath, whereas those who participa-
ted in the rebellion are not to take it If this
bill passes, but are to be permitted to take
the modified oath. That is nothing new,
for practically disabilities have generally
been placed upon loyal men in the south
instead of upon those to whom they should
q bill as this will result in opening the
doors Of Congress to men who are now dis
qualified from occupying seats here or in
the Senate. It will also throw open the
whole field Of appointments to Federal po-
sitions to men who are now excluded by
the test-oath.


Are we prepared to take this step? Are
we prepared to take this leap in the dark
We know not what the future may have in
store for our country. We know not what
political changes may occur within the next
two years and the question is whether
this House is ready to agree with the Senate
in declaring that all these appointments
shall be thrown open to men who carried
on the rebellion, who made gigantic
effort to destroy this Government:


[ am in favor, Mr.. Speaker, of opening
the doors to the enemies of the country
when | can see the doors open to loyal
men. / voted against this bill in the COM
mittee room this morning, and [ am here
now to protest against its passage in the
House.


Dir. BECK: Has the gentleman a right to
state how he voted in committee Ii he
has, want to say that he is the only man
who did so vote, thank God!


Dir. PLATT: ask my colleague Mr..
PoRTER] whether he will allow me to ask
him question?


MIR. PORTER: Not till I get through
with this point.


Mr.. Speaker, if 1 have violated any par
liamentary rule, [ beg pardon.


The SPEAKER: The Chair does not hold
that the gentleman has done so. He has
the right to state how he voted, but not
how any one else voted.


Mr.. PORTER: So, from the attempted
correction of the gentleman from Kentucky
lMr. BECK, turn and. meet the approval
of the Chair.


Mr.. BECK: Did any one besides your
self in the committee vote against this pro-
position?


Mr.. PORTER IF were to answer that
question l should be subJecting myself
Justly to the censure which the gentleman
attempted to put upon me unjustly mo-
ment ago. Mr.. Speaker, I know no reason
why the gentleman from Kentucky should
manifest so much feeling in this matter. In
the remark which | made was not aware
of violating any rule, and the Speaker con-
firms me in my position. But the gentle
man himself has violated the very rule
which he, with conspicuous inexacti-
tude," has charged upon me as infracting.


1t is Il fact-and do not believe there is
loyal man on this floor from any of the
Southern States who will deny it-that out
RACES are being constantly perpetrated
upon people in the South on account of
their loyalty alone. / desire to see protec-
ton afforded to that class of persons and
when it is secured shall be ready to give
protection to all others, il repeating the
test-oath or other political disqualtica-
tons be considered protection. l will go
further. Twill not even claim that protec-
ton for loyal people in the South shall be
Il condition precedent but am willing to
let it go hand in hand and side by side with
the repeal Of these disqualifications. But /
want to see some manifestations that Con-
gress is to adopt legislation which shall pro-
tect the loyal men of the South. This Is 4
claim which gentlemen cannot cry down
by ridicule. The outrages now being COIN
mitted are widespread and fearful; and in
States where personal violence is not gene
rally inflicted, hundreds of thousands of
loyal men are denied protection in the
courts. In the very language Of the four
teenth article of amendment they are Hde-
MED the equal protection of the laws"


Now, what we propose to do-What at
least some of us proposals that Congress
shall pass laws which shall afford Mt least
some sort of protection to the loyal men, as
guaranteed by this fourteenth article.
When such Il measure can be obtained,
when gentlemen on the other side Of the
House, and some Oh this side, shall be will
ing to extend such protection, thenWe shall
be ready to throw open the doors to all,
and admit to the privilege of holding office
every man whom the people may want to
serve them or whom the appointing power
NAV select. Until this spirit is manifested,
until such sign is given, L, for one, protest
against the passage of any such bill as the
one now before the House. Indeed, to pass
it. or any other measure of wholesale en-
reimbursement, will lead to such demorali-
zation and weakening of our loyal legis-
lators that it would probably defeat any
legislation designed to afford protection to
the -onf5ressaa- and hunted loyalists Of the
'oIlm; i now yield to my colleague [Mr. PLArr]
for his question. D,.


No question was asked, ana NJ PORTER
took his seat.


| am now ready to answer the question 81
my colleague MIR. PLATTl.


Mr.. PLATT rose.


Mr.. COX: Will not the gentleman from
Massachusetts yield to me for few mo-
ments!


A., .ny1uTrp - Massachusetts, r;oId
to the gentleman for five minutes.


Mr.. COX Mr.. Speaker, | wish to say
one word in the kindeSt spirit toward gen.
tlemen on the other side of the House. l
think that they have shown a commendable
spirit of kindness in their willingness to re-
move by this bill some of these disqlaliti-
cations. At the beginning OF this session
submitted proposition to abolish the Com
mittee on Reconstruction. Thought that
committee was not producing Tranquility
or harmony North or South. There are
some matters of legislation in which we
ought to join here without regard to par
tisan feeling, and certainly without regard
TO sectional feeling. / now feel inclined to
congratulate the Reconstruction Committee,
and gentlemen generally on the other side
of the House, upon at least these steps
toward generous policy in the treatment
of the South.


would he willing to 60 further than this
bill proposes and vote, according to the
suggestion made on the other side. to de.
clare that hereafter the only oath required
shall be simple oath to support the Con-
stitution-such an oath us we had in the
old times. / accept this measure as step
in that direction, because Oaths have be-
come odous in this country by reason Of
their frequency and their iron-clad y
Character. They have become as cheap as
custom-house oaths" or "dicers' oatbs.'
Nobody seems to care much for them. Lei
us crush out this multiplication Of oaths,
especially rs bills like this are calculated to
bring into official positions better class Of
men who will act more, in harmony with
the snirit of OLE Government