e people of any State of the political right or
franchise guaranteed by the Constitution to their free male
fellow-citizens of full age.

"The guarantee in the first article of the second section of the
Constitution, rightly interpreted, is, as I claim, this: that the
majority of the male citizens of the United States, of full age, in
each State, shall forever exercise the political power of the State
with this limitation: that they shall never by caste legislation
impose disabilities upon one class of free male citizens to the denial
or abridgement of equal rights. The further provision is, that the
United States shall guarantee to each State a republican form of
government, which means that the majority of male citizens, of full
age, in each State, shall govern, not, however, in violation of the
Constitution of the United States or of the rights of the minority."

In closing his address, Mr. Bingham said: "I pray gentlemen to
consider long before they reject this proviso. It may not be the best
that the wisest head in this House can conceive of, but I ask
gentlemen to consider that the rule of statesmanship is to take the
best attainable essential good which is at our command. The reason why
I support the proposed amendment is, that I believe it essential and
attainable. I do not dare to say that it could not be improved. I do
dare to say that it is in aid of the existing grants and guarantees of
the Constitution of my country, that it is simply a penalty to be
inflicted upon the States for a specific disregard in the future of
those wise and just and humane grants 'to the people' to elect their
Representatives and maintain a republican government in each State.

"Mr. Speaker, the republic is great; it is great in its domain, equal
in extent to continental Europe, abounding in productions of every
zone, broad enough and fertile enough to furnish bread and homes to
three hundred million freemen. The republic is great in the
intelligence, thrift, industry, energy, virtue, and valor of its
unconquered and unconquerable children, and great in its matchless,
wise, and beneficent Constitution. I pray the Congress of the United
States to propose to the people all needful amendments to the
Constitution, that by their sovereign act they may crown the republic
for all time with the greatness of justice."

Mr. Broomall, of Pennsylvania, presented an objection to the
resolution which had not been alluded to by any gentleman o