Mr. SHEIFLABARGER. The gentleman may be right; but I have a different impression. I favor the amendment I have suggested 1. Because it holds out to all the States the inducement of increased Federal power as a reward for admitting to the rights of local citizenship all men. It invites them to base their institutions upon manhood and yet it leaves to the States, as now, the regulation of the matter as to who shall be electors in the States. 2. It approximates more nearly than any other plan to the attainment of that eminent justice of counting every man as part of the foundation of your Government whom you may compel to fight for your Government; and it invites the States to adjudge everyone whom the law deems fit to bear arms fors country also fit to be counted as an elector of his country. This is done by making the basis of representation nearly the same relatively as that part of society which is capable of bearing arms. 3. t bases the whole structure of the Federal Government upon its own citizenship; and thus in substance retains in its own hands, and away from the States, the stupendous power of determining what shall be the basis o representation upon which the U.S shall rest. It does not permit a State to augment, relatively, its Federal power by making men electors of the State whom the U.S. does not deem fit to be citizens of the U.S. This it does by not counting for purposes of apportionment men not citizens of the U.S. 4. It is less complex, less liable to be evaded or dangerously construed, than that reported by the committee, and is in itself equal and just. 5. I think it is the one for which the public mind has become prepared and has approved; and which is, therefore, most likely to be ratified this year. 6. It prevents a race as between the States for choapening the elective franchise by giving it to persons to whom experience has shown it not to be best to give it. This it does by confinin representation to adult males. 7. If it apportions direct taxes among the States in proportion to the ability of the people to pav them, and to the amount of property in such States protected by the Government and this is the just principle of apportionment of taxation.