o those who
enjoy it. And therefore, Mr. President, I beg to assure
everybody, and especially my honorable friend from Rhode Island,
who agrees with me, I know, upon this topic, that I am serious
and in earnest in urging this amendment; in dead earnest, in good
earnest, and why not? I am not so blind as to mistake the signs
of the times.

I might have refused to believe long ago, when my honorable
friend from Ohio [Mr. Wade] predicted that this was coming. I
might have disbelieved when my honorable friend from
Massachusetts [Mr. Wilson] predicted this was coming; when he
blew his bugle-blast and announced what an army was coming behind
to enforce his doctrine and his principles. I might, like Thomas
of old, have doubted; but now I have had my fingers in the very
wounds of which he spoke. I know of a certainty now that this
movement is in progress, and that this movement will go on. I
know of a certainty that black men must vote in the District of
Columbia. Who can doubt it? Those who are in favor of that
measure here are in force sufficient to carry it constitutionally
beyond all question. Well, if it is to be I am reconciled to it,
but at the same time I want to throw about it as many safeguards
as are possible under the circumstances, and among those
safeguards I think that of allowing females suffrage to be not
only the best, but the only one which will be efficacious in this
behalf. Mr. President, I have trespassed a great deal longer upon
the Senate than I intended. I beg to return my thanks for the
indulgence they have exhibited in listening to what I had to say.

Mr. MORRILL: Mr. President, the honorable Senator began by saying
that he was in earnest, and he concludes by affirming the same
thing. Doubtless he had made the impression upon his own mind
that after all he had said, there might be a doubt in the minds
of the Senate on that point. Does any one who has heard the
speech, somewhat extraordinary, of the honorable Senator, suppose
that he is at all in earnest or sincere in a single sentiment he
has uttered on this subject? I do not imagine he believes that
any one here is idle enough for a moment to suppose so. Now, his
attempt at being facetious has not been altogether a failure. I
think he has succeeded in being amusing;