black laws upon men whom we have made free, and to whom we stand
pledged before man and God to maintain their freedom. A few months ago
these freedmen were joyous, hopeful, confident. To-day they are
distrustful, silent, and sad, and this condition has grown out of the
wrongs and cruelties and oppressions that have been perpetrated upon
them."

Mr. Sherman said: "I believe it is the duty of Congress to give to the
freedmen of the Southern States ample protection in all their natural
rights. With me it is a question simply of time and manner. I submit
to the Senator of Massachusetts whether this is the time for the
introduction of this bill. I believe it would be wiser to postpone all
action upon this subject until the proclamation of the Secretary of
State shall announce that the constitutional amendment is a part of
the supreme law of the land. When that is done, there will then be, in
my judgment, no doubt of the power of Congress to pass this bill, and
to make it definite and general in its terms.

"Then, as I have said, it is a question of manner. When this question
comes to be legislated upon by Congress, I do not wish it to be left
to the uncertain and ambiguous language of this bill. I think that the
rights which we desire to secure to the freedmen of the South should
be distinctly specified.

"The language of this bill is not sufficiently definite and distinct
to inform the people of the United States of precisely the character
of rights intended to be secured by it to the freedmen of the Southern
States. The bill in its terms applies only to those States which were
declared to be in insurrection; and the same criticism would apply to
this part of it that I have already made, that it is not general in
its terms."

Mr. Trumbull made some remarks of great significance, as foreshadowing
important measures soon to occupy the attention of Congress and the
country:

"I hold that under that second section Congress will have the
authority, when the constitutional amendment is adopted, not only to
pass the bill of the Senator from Massachusetts, but a bill that will
be much more efficient to protect the freedman in his rights. We may,
if deemed advisable, continue the Freedman's Bureau, clothe it with
additional powers, and, if necessary, back it up with a military
force, to see that the rights of the men made free by the first clause
of the constitutional amendment are protected. And, sir, when the
constitutional