Year: 1870

The Senate having under consideration
the bill IN. r. No. 783) to admit the State OF
Virginia TO representation in the Congress OF
the United States


Mr.. THAYER said:


Mr.. PRESIDENT: It is difficult for
me to believe that the Senator from
Nevada who has charge of this bill
Mr.. STEWART is anxious to bring it
tn vote. He has on several occasions
entreated the Senate to pass it, and
then when we were about to vote on
important amendments pending he
has interposed speech, and when
we were coming to vote, according
to agreement, then again he has sub
stituted the House bill and interpOsed
another speech. By doing that he is
drawing a speech from me which l
should not have made.


The very tenor of the remarks of
the Senator from Nevada evinced to
my mind the extreme distrust which
he entertains of the State of Virginia
after this bill shall pass, if that is to
be the decision Of Congress. He wants
the finishing stroke put upon the rat
ificatiOn of the fifteenth amendment
within a week. Why have he and
other Senators urged the Governor of
Nebraska, who happens to be sitting
in the Chamber, to convene the Legis-
lature Of that State within ten days
from to-day in order that she may
ratify it? Why this urgent haste ?
Because they fear, and almost, l
would say, believe that Virginia will
attempt to undo the ratification of the
fifteenth amendment, that Virginia
may trample under foot the laws of
Congress which have been passed for
the protection of the loyal people of
Virginia.


The Legislature of Nebraska can
say, and do by authority, will be
convened during the month of Feb
Tuary, and that she will ratify the fif-
teenth amendment is beyond a doubt !;
for there is but one Democratic State
Senator in the Senate and but four
Democratic members in the House.
That is the way we make Republican
States in the West.


1 need hardly recall the attention of
the Senate to the fact that Nebraska
applied here for admission, and that
conditions were imposed upon her to
the effect that there should be univeT-
sal suffrage in the State of Nebraska.
We did not regard it as degradation
upon that State, but accepted the con-
dition in good faith. 1 do not propose
to vote for the admission Of Virginia
upon the naked bill of the House of
Representatives after having submit
ted to the imposition of conditions
upon the State of Nebraska. How is
it that the Congress of the United
States, after three years more of pro-
gress, can now propose to- admit this
State without conditions or guaran-
tees? &? Mother of States, was she!
One of the mothers of secession and
treason; for the abominable monster
of treason required more than one
mother. She with her record red
with human blood, is now to pass
through Congress without a condition
and without O guarantee. Why is
this? I have heard the question
asked repeatedly during ihe progress
of this debate, why is it that cOndi-
tions were required or a loyal people
when assuming the obligations of
statehood and which are not required
of State which swung from her
moOrings in the Union, joined the
southern confederacy, raised armies,
and fought through four years to de-
strOy the Union?


This bill has been pushed forward
with most extraordinary energy most
extraordinary determination, and
with most unprecedented haste. Vir-
Union. Where is the extreme neces-
xrrlaiol1 hnG hnaF1
manifested in pressing forward this
bill? Not a day nor an hour could be
given for investigation, for eXamina'
ton into the allegations which were
made here by citizens of Virginia over
their own signatures. L know not
who they are nor what they are but
the memorial came in a form which
| entitled it to respect and cOnsideTa-
! ton. Not an hour could be given,
and they, protesting to be the loyal
people of Virginia, were met in the
Senate of the United States with con-
tumely, denunciatifn, and abuse from
Republican Senators. l know not
what illusion may have come upon
honorable Senators whether they
are at fault or whether l am at fault
and those who vote with me; whether
am labOring under delusiOn or are
they; but do say that these scenes
are most extraordinary. We have
| heard denunciatiOns in this Chamber
from Senators which have created a
| feeling of surprise. We had been ac-
custOmed to hear such denunciatiOns
| during the last three years from Sem
atOrs of an opposite political faith on
this floor but during the progress of
! this debate those Senators have been
silent: others have done their work /;
others have fought their battle.


Now, Mr.. President, let me call
your attention to another fact. More
than one. two, three, four, or half a
! dozen, or q dozen Senators who favor
| the passage of the bill for the admis-
sion of Virginia have frankly confess
ed that they do il with extreme reluc-
/ tance and extreme distrust. They
! frankly admit that they fear the con-
sequences; that they fear Congress
will within a twelvemOnth be called
upon to take action in regard to Virgil
MIA for the violation of the conditions
of her admission or the violation of
! the fifteenth amendment. Seeingthe
danger, they rush madly on; seeing
I NllC uAAliOCAy SANy AAeAoNO ~


peat it. A vessel strikes upon a sun
ken rock and sinks beneath the waves;
the master of another i'm full view
puts on all steam, crowds all sail and
drives his ship upon the same sunken
rock and sinks beneath the waves
Where is the prudence, the common
4 judgment, which would influence
Senators i'm the ordinary affairs of life,
that, confessing the danger, this bill
/ is thus pushed forward through the
two Houses of Congress? Where is
the craftsmanship of this policy?


/ read in the public prints that on
the announcement of the vote i'm the
other House on the passage of the bill
admitting Virginia it was received
with raptuTOus applause. 1t recalled
to my mind the fact that on the pas
sage of the ordinance of secession
there was one shout of JOY that went
up through all Virginia at the sever
ance of her relations with the Union.
The measure may meet with the same