in the respective States.

In answer to a supposed objection to this plan, that "there might be
some inequality in the representation of the respective States," he
said: "We all know that the young men of the old States go out in
large numbers to settle in the new States and Territories, while the
women and children do not emigrate to so great an extent, and hence
there would be a larger number of voters in the new States in
proportion to population than in the old. And yet this is a
consideration which, in my judgment, ought not to weigh a hair with
any member on this floor. It would be only a temporary inequality. In
the rapidly increasing settlement and in the natural increase of
population of our new States, that inequality would very soon be
entirely swept away. I believe the difference to-day between
Massachusetts and Wisconsin would be very slight, if any, so rapid has
been the increase of our population and the settlement of our State.
We are now proposing to adopt an amendment to the Constitution which
we expect to stand for all time, and any temporary inequality which
could continue but for a few years ought not to have any weight."

Mr. Brooks, of New York, thought that Mr. Stevens would better "at the
start have named what are States of this Union. The opinion of the
honorable gentleman himself, that there are no States in this Union
but those that are now represented upon this floor, I know full well;
but he knows as well that the President of the United States
recognizes thirty-six States of this Union, and that it is necessary
to obtain the consent of three-fourths of those thirty-six States,
which number it is not possible to obtain. He knows very well that if
his amendment should be adopted by the Legislatures of States enough,
in his judgment, to carry it, before it could pass the tribunal of the
Executive chamber it would be obliged to receive the assent of
twenty-seven States in order to become an amendment to the
Constitution."

Mr. Brooks, in the course of his speech, presented a petition from
certain ladies of New York, asking an amendment of the Constitution,
prohibiting the several States from disfranchising any of their
citizens on the ground of sex. He then proposed to amend the joint
resolution by inserting the words "or sex" after the word "color," so
that it would read, "_Provided_, That whenever the elective franchise
shall be denied or abridged in any State on account of race or color