a this morning to be consistent in his proposition. In one
thing he is consistent, and that is in admitting the whole of the
Asiatic immigration, which, by the connection of our steamers with
China and Japan and the East Indies, is about to pour forth in mighty
masses upon the Pacific coast to the overwhelming even of the white
population there.

Mr. STEVENS: I wish to correct the gentleman. I said it excluded
Chinese.

Mr. BROOKS: How exclude them, when Chinese are to be included in the
basis of representation?

Mr. STEVENS: I say it excludes them.

Mr. BROOKS: How exclude them?

Mr. STEVENS: They are not included in the basis of representation.

Mr. BROOKS: Yes, if the States exclude them from the elective
franchise; and the States of California and Oregon and Nevada are to
be deprived of representation according to their population upon the
floor of this House by this amendment. I asked him, also, if the
Indian was not a man and a brother, and I obtained no satisfactory
answer from the honorable gentleman. I speak now, in order to make his
resolution consistent, for no one hundred thousand coolies or wild
savages, but I raise my voice here in behalf of fifteen million of our
countrywomen, the fairest, brightest portion of creation, and I ask
why they are not permitted to vote for Representatives under this
resolution? Why, in organizing a system of liberality and justice, not
recognize in the case of free women as well as free negroes the right
of representation?

Mr. STEVENS: The gentleman will allow me to say that this bill does
not exclude women. It does not say who shall vote.

Mr. BROOKS: I comprehend all that; but the whole object of this
amendment is to obtain votes for the negroes. That is its purport,
tendency, and meaning; and it punishes those who will not give a vote
to the negroes in the Southern States of our Union. That is the object
of the resolution, and the ground upon which it is presented to this
House and to the country. This is a new era; this is an age of
progress. Indians are not only Indians, but men and brothers; and why
not, in a resolution like this, include the fair sex too, and give
them the right to representation? Will it be said that this sex does
not claim a right to representation? Many members here have petitions
from these fifteen millions of women, or a large portion of them, for
representation, and for the right to vote on equal terms with the
stronger sex, who they s