of citizens, by inserting a clause excepting from its
operation "Indians not taxed." His proposition was rejected.

"The Committee of Fifteen," said Mr. Doolittle, referring to the Civil
Rights Bill, "fearing that this declaration by Congress was without
validity unless a constitutional amendment should be brought forward
to enforce it, have thought proper to report this amendment."

"I want to say to the honorable Senator," Mr. Fessenden replied, "that
he is drawing entirely upon his imagination. There is not one word of
correctness in all that he is saying; not a particle; not a scintilla;
not the beginning of truth."

The first and second sections of the amendment were accepted in
Committee of the Whole, with little further attempt at alteration.

The third section, cutting off late Confederate officials from
eligibility to Federal offices, provoked repeated attempts to modify
and emasculate it. Among them was a motion by Mr. Saulsbury to amend
the final clause by adding that the President, by the exercise of the
pardoning power, may remove the disability.

It augured the final success of the entire amendment in the Senate,
that the numerous propositions to amend, made by those unfavorable to
the measure, were voted down by majorities of more than three-fourths.

Mr. Doolittle, speaking in opposition to the third section, said that
it was putting a new punishment upon all persons embraced within its
provisions. "If," said he, "by a constitutional amendment, you impose
a new punishment upon offenders who are guilty of crime already, you
wipe out the old punishment as to them. Now, I do not propose to wipe
out the penalties that these men have incurred by their treason
against the Government. I would punish a sufficient number of them to
make treason odious."

"How many would you like to hang?" asked Mr. Nye.

"You stated the other day that five or six would be enough to hang,"
replied Mr. Doolittle.

"Do you acquiesce in that?" asked Mr. Nye.

"I think I ought to be satisfied," replied Mr. Doolittle, "if you are
satisfied with five or six.

"The insertion of this section," said Mr. Doolittle, continuing his
remarks, "tends to prevent the adoption of the amendment by a
sufficient number of States to ratify it. What States to be affected
by this amendment will ratify it?"

"Four will accept that part of it," said Mr. James H. Lane.

"What four?" asked Mr. Doolittle.

"Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and