The Senate, on motion of Mr. Fessenden, amended the first section by inserting the words "or naturalized," so that it would read "all persons born or naturalized in the United States shall be citizens." Mr. Doolittle then moved an amendment in the nature of a substitute for the original resolution which was rejected. Yeas 11, nays 33. Several amendments were moved by Mr. Davis of Kentucky, but they were rejected without division. The joint resolution as amended was then passed.-Yeas 33, nays 11.

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The House of Representatives, on the 13th, on motion of Mr. Stevens, proceeded to consider the resolution. Upon the question of concurring in the amendments of the Senate, Mr. Rogers of New Jersey, Mr. Henderson of Oregon, Mr. Finck and Mr. Spalding of Ohio, Mr. Harding of Kentucky, Mr. Defrees of Indiana, and Mr. Wright of New Jeraddressed the House. The debate was closed by Mr. Stevens of Pennsylvania. He was anxious for its speedy adoption for he dreaded delay. The danger was, before any constitutional guards should be adopted, Congress would be flooded with rebels and rebel sympathizers. "Let us," he said, "no longer delay; take what we can get now and hope for better things in future legislation. The House then by a vote of 120 to 32, concurred in the amendments of the Senate, and the amendment to the constitution was submitted to the States for ratification.

CHAPTER XII.

NEGRO SUFFRAGE IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

Mr. Wade's Bill.-Mr. Kelley's Bill.-Mr. Wade's Bill reported with amendments. Recommitted.-Speech of Mr. Kelley, Mr. Bingham, Mr. Grinnell, Mr. Julian, Mr. Boutwell.-Remarks of Mr. Howard.-Mr. Schenck's motion agreed to.-Passage of the Bill.-Senate.-Mr. Wade's Bill reported with amendments.-Mr. Morrill's motion. Mr. Wilson's motion to amend Mr. Morrill's amendment.-Remarks of Mr. Grimes.-Mr. An. thony's motion to amend Mr. Kelley's amendment.-Speech of Mr. Wilson, Mr. Anthony.-Mr. Cowan's motion-his amendment and speech on female suffrage.-Speech of Mr. Wade.-Remarks of Mr. Frelinghuysen, Mr. Brown, Mr. Davis, Mr. Sprague, Mr. Buckalew.-Speech of Mr. Foster, Mr. Wilson.-Remarks of Mr. Hendricks.-Speech of Mr. Lane, Mr. Sumner. Mr. Dixon's Reading and Writing amendment rejected.— Mr. Wilson's amendment agreed to.-Bill passed.-Bill taken up in the House and passed.-Veto Message.-Passage of the Bill over the Veto.

DURING the four years of active hostilities, the conquest of the Rebellion rather than the reconstruction of rebellious States, had filled the minds of the loyal people. The sudden collapse of the rebellion, by the surrender of the rebel armies in the spring of 1865, forced the practical issues involved in reconstruction upon the people of the loyal States. The policy of the President, the action of the conventions and legislatures of the rebel States, and the temper of their people in the

summer and autumn of that year, created much solicitude. Fully realizing that the faith of the nation was plighted to maintain the freedom of the race recently emancipated, the people of the loyal States came to see that if the new-made freemen were to maintain their civil rights, they must be clothed with political rights. The more progressive and far-seeing portion of the people clearly saw that the needs of the country no less than the rights of the emancipated race demanded their enfranchisement. When, therefore, the 39th Congress met on the 4th of December, the great body of the friends. of emancipation, instructed by passing events, desired the extension of suffrage to the colored race in the District of Columbia, both as a right and as an example.

Immediately after the Senate was called to order on the first day of the session, Mr. Wade of Ohio introduced a bill giving to each male person of the age of twenty-one years, a citizen of the United States, resident in the District six months previous to any election therein, the elective franchise without any distinction of color, race or nationality. On the 6th it was referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia. In the House of Representatives, on the second day of the session, Mr. Kelley of Pennsylvania, one of the earliest advocates of negro suffrage in Congress, introduced a bill extending suffrage in the District, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

In the House on the 18th Mr. Wilson of Iowa, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, asked unanimous consent to report Mr. Kelley's bill. Mr. Ancona of Pennsylvania objecting, the rules were suspended and it was reported. The bill provided that from all laws prescribing the qualifications of electors in the District of Columbia, the word "white" should be stricken out, and no person should be disqualified on account of color. On motion of Mr. Wilson it was made the special order for the 10th of January.

On

On the 20th of December Mr. Morrill of Maine, chairman of the Committee on the District of Columbia, reported Mr. Wade's bill to the Senate with amendments, one of which provided that the voter should "be able to read the Constitution in the English language, and to write his name." the 10th of January, 1866, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill and amendments. Mr. Yates of Illinois, a member of the District Committee, desired to have it recommitted. Mr. Pomeroy of Kansas thought a person might be very well educated and not be able to read the English language, and he had his doubts about requiring reading and writing at all. "It might," he remarked, "do very well to apply it to persons who have always had educational opportunities, but after having legislated them away from schools and science and everything else, to thrust in their faces a law saying, 'If you can read and write, you can vote,' I think

is adding insult to injury. At the suggestion of Mr. Morrill this amendment was passed over and other amendments of slight importance were acted upon. He then offered three new sections as amendments, and the bill was recommitted, on motion of Mr. Yates, to the Committee on the District of Columbia.

In the House on the 10th of January, Mr. Kelley's bill came up for consideration, and Mr. Wilson, chairman of the Committee having it in charge, advocated its passage in a speech of much force. "The Constitution," he said, "not only confers the indisputable power, but it seems also to invite the identical legislation which the pending measure provides. Nowhere in the Constitution do we find class distinctions applied to citizens of the United States. Its ample folds envelop all citizens alike. It in no way develops color of skin as a tenure to the rights and privileges of citizenship. The citizen, be he high or low, rich or poor, white or black, finds the Constitution of his country as full of justice to him as it is to any other. Looking into its bright face as into a mirror, he sees himself reflected a citizen; and of this there is never a failure. This is the crowning glory of our Constitution. The whitest face can draw nothing from that mirror but the image of a citizen, and the same return is given to the appeal of the black face. If ever aught else appears, be sure you are not looking