tion. He gave a detailed
account of the Constitutional Amendment, and its progress toward
ratification among the Legislatures. He showed that the progress of
reconstruction was delayed through fault of the rebels themselves. "It
is not the desire of the great Republican party," said he, "to retard
the restoration of those ten States to full political rights, but on
the contrary they are anxious for a speedy adjustment, in order to
secure adequate protection to all classes and conditions of men
residing therein, and at the same time afford ample security to the
United States Government against any future refractory course that
might be pursued on the part of those States."

On the 21st of January the discussion was resumed by Mr. Kerr in a
speech against the bill. He quoted extensively from judicial decisions
and opinions to show that the rebel States were still entitled to
their original rights in the Union. "The undisguised and most
unrighteous purpose of all this kind of legislation," said he, "is to
usurp powers over those States that can find no warrant except in the
fierce will of the dominant party in this Congress. It is alike at war
with every principle of good and free government, and with the highest
dictates of humanity and national fraternity."

Mr. Higby was in favor of the pending bill, and opposed its reference
to the Committee on Reconstruction. He preferred that it should be
retained in the House, where it could be changed, matured, and finally
passed. He contended that the rebel States should not come into the
Union under any milder conditions than those imposed upon Territories
recently passed upon in Congress. "Impartial suffrage," said he, "is
required of each of those Territories as a condition precedent to
their becoming States; and shall South Carolina, upon this basis of
reconstruction, become a part of this Union upon different terms and
principles entirely from those implied by the votes we have just
given?"

Mr. Trimble denounced the pending legislation in violent terms. "By
this act," said he, "you dissolve their connection with the Government
of the United States, blot them out of existence as freemen, and
degrade them to the condition of negro commonwealths. We have this
monstrous proposition: to declare martial law in ten States of this
Union; and in making this declaration, we, in my judgment, step upon
the mangled ruins of the Constitution; for the Constitution plainly
gives this po