History of the Thirty-Ninth Congress of the United States. William Horatio Barnes
Democrat accepted
—Confusion in Leadership—Passage of the Bill over The
Veto—It Becomes a Law.
CHAPTER XIII.—First Words on Reconstruction.
(Page 307–323.)
Responsibility of the Republican Party—Its Power and
Position—Initiatory Step—Mr. Stevens speaks for
himself—Condition of the Rebel States—Constitutional
Authority under which Congress should act—Estoppel—
What Constitutes Congress—The First Duty—Basis of
Representation—Duty on exports—Two Important
Principles—Mr. Raymond's Theory—Rebel States still in
the Union—Consequences of the Radical Theory—
Conditions to be required—State Sovereignty—Rebel Debt
—Prohibition of Slavery—Two Policies contrasted—
Reply of Mr. Jenckes—Difference in Terms, not in
Substance—Logic of the Conservatives leads to the Results
of the Radicals.
CHAPTER XIV.—The Basis of Representation in the House.
(Page 324–372.)
First work of the Joint Committee—The Joint Resolution proposing a Constitutional Amendment—Mr. Stevens' reasons for speedy action—Protracted Discussion Commenced—Objections to the Bill by Mr. Rogers—Defense by Mr. Conkling—Two other Modes—How States might Evade the Law—Not a Finality—Wisconsin and South Carolina—Amendment for Female Suffrage proposed—Orth on Indiana and Massachusetts—Obscuration of the Sun—More Radical Remedy desired—A Kentuckian gratified—Citations from the Census—Premium for Treason—White Slaves—Power to amend well-nigh exhausted—Objections to the Suffrage Basis—"Race" and "Color" ambiguous—Condition of the Question—Recommitted—Final Passage.
CHAPTER XV.—The Basis of Representation in the Senate.
(Page 373–414.)
The Joint Resolution goes to the Senate—
Counter-proposition by Mr. Sumner—He Speaks Five Hours—
Mr. Henderson's Amendment—Mr. Fessenden—Mr. Henry S.
Lane—Mr. Johnson—Mr. Henderson—Mr. Clark's
Historical Statements—Fred. Douglass' Memorial—Mr.
Williams—Mr. Hendricks—Mr. Chandler's "blood-letting
Letter"—Proposition of Mr. Yates—His Speech—Mr.
Buckalew against New England—Mr. Pomeroy—Mr. Sumner's
second Speech—Mr. Doolittle—Mr. Morrill—Mr.
Fessenden meets Objections—Final Vote—The Amendment
defeated.
CHAPTER XVI.—Representation of the Southern States.
(Page 417–433.)
Concurrent Resolution—A "Venomous Fight"—Passage in
the House—The Resolution in the Senate—"A Political
Wrangle" deprecated—Importance of the Question—"A
Straw in a Storm"—Policy of the President—Conversation
between two Senators—Mr. Nye's Advice to Rebels—"A
Dangerous Power"—"Was Mr. Wade once a Secessionist?"—
Garrett Davis' Programme for the President—"Useless yet
Mischievous"—The Great Question Settled.
CHAPTER XVII.—The Reconstruction Amendment in the House.
(Page 434–451.)
A Constitutional Amendment proposed and postponed—
Proposition by Mr. Stewart—The Reconstruction Amendment
—Death of its Predecessor lamented—Opposition to the
Disfranchisement of Rebels—"The Unrepentent Thirty-three"
—Nine-tenths Reduced to One-twelfth—Advice to Congress
—The Committee denounced—Democratic and Republican
Policy compared—Authority without Power—A Variety of
Opinions—An Earthquake predicted—The Joint Resolution
passes the House.
CHAPTER XVIII.—The Reconstruction Amendment in the Senate.
(Page 452–455.)
Difference between Discussions in the House and in the Senate—Mr. Sumner proposes to postpone—Mr. Howard takes Charge of the Amendment—Substitutes proposed—The Republicans in Council—The Disfranchising Clause stricken out—Humorous Account by Mr. Hendricks—The Pain and Penalties of not holding Office—A Senator's Piety appealed to—Howe vs. Doolittle—Marketable Principles—Praise of the President—Mr. McDougall's Charity—Vote of the Senate—Concurrence in the House.
CHAPTER XIX.—Report of the Committee on Reconstruction.
(Page 466–472.)
An important State Paper—Work of the Committee—
Difficulty of obtaining information—Theory of the
President—Taxation and Representation—Disposition and
doings of the Southern People—Conclusion of the Committee
—Practical Recommendations.
CHAPTER XX.—Restoration of Tennessee.
(Page 473–482.)
Assembling of the Tennessee Legislature—Ratification of the Constitutional Amendment—Restoration of Tennessee proposed in Congress—The Government of Tennessee not Republican—Protest against the Preamble—Passage in the House—New Preamble proposed—The President's Opinion deprecated and disregarded—Passage in the Senate—The President's Approval and Protest—Admission of Tennessee Members—Mr. Patterson's Case.
CHAPTER XXI.—Negro Suffrage.
(Page 483–501.)
Review of the preceding action—Efforts of Mr. Yates for
Unrestricted Suffrage—Davis's Amendment to Cuvier—The
"Propitious Hour"—The Mayor's Remonstrance—Mr.
Willey's Amendment—Mr. Cowan's Amendment for Female
Suffrage—Attempt to out-radical the Radicals—Opinions
for and against Female Suffrage—Reading and Writing as a
Qualification—Passage of the Bill—Objections of the
President—Two Senators on the Opinions of the People—
The Suffrage Bill becomes a Law.
CHAPTER XXII.—The Military Reconstruction Act.
(Page 502–551.)
Proposition by Mr. Stevens—"Piratical Governments" not to
be recognized—The Military Feature introduced—Mr.