Mr. STEVENS. eforemakingtheremarks I have to submit. desire to indicate some amendments that I wish to have made in the bill. And that they may be properly under stood, I propose to inclu e in my remarks the bill as I desire to have it read when perfected, and which will be as follows: Whereasthe 11 States which lately formed the governmentealled the confederate States of Amerca have forfeitedall their rights under the Constitution and can bereinstatedin the same only through the action of Congress: therefore. Resolved by the Senate and HoRep of the U.S.A. in Congress assembled, That the 11 States lately in rebellion may formvalid StatoIovernments in the followmz manner: Sec. 2. Abife:, That the state governmentsnow existing defactoard herebyacknowl edgedas valid governments for municipal p uroses until thesameshall beduly altered.an their cps lativelpnd executive oficers are hereby recognized assuc. SEC.3. Abife: That the POTUS shall within 6 months, and as often thereafteras he shall deem prover. issue his proclamationdirect in conventions to called can to form legitimate constitutions for the respective States. He shall direct an election to be held on a certain day to choose delegatesto a convention. cwahpicithalshall meet at the time fixed by him ot the of the Stnlc and form a State constitution. which shall be submittedto a voteot the people and if ratified by a majority of the legal voters shall be doclarad to e the consl.itution of the State. Sen.4. Abife: That the persons who shall been titled tovotentboth of said elections shall beas follows: all male citizens abovethe one of 21 years who have resided onexeur in said State, and ten dayswithin the election isti ii t. SEC.5. Abife: That the word citiron, as usedin this act, hall be construedto mean all persons (except Indians not taxed) born or duly naturalized in the U.S. Any mulecitiren above the age of 21 years shall be cligible as diglseog.a6t.eto said convention Abife: That. all persons who held oliiee, either civil or military. under the government ealled the "confederate States of Amer on." and who voluntarily swore allegiance to said government, are hereby declared to have forfeited their citisenship and to have renouncedallegiance to the U.S., and shall not be entitled to exorcisethe electivefranchiseor hold officeuntil 3 years after they shall have filed their intention or desireto bereinvestedwith the rights ofcitizeuship and shall swear allegiance to the U.S and renounce allegiance to all other governmentsor protended 0vernments thesaid application to befiled and cat taken in the snu'ic courts that by law are authorizedto naturalize foreigners. SEC. 7. Abife: That no constitution shall he presented to or acted on by Congress which denies to any citizen any rights, privileiges, or immunities which arelgritnted to any other citizen in the State. All laws shall be impartial. without regard to language, race or former condition. If the provisionsof this sectionshould ever be altered repealed. expunged or in anyway nbrogratedor disregardedby any State. this act shall become void as to said State, and the State shall lose its right to be IQPYBSBDtGd‘lH Congress. There shall be 3 offiicers of elaction stench of the polls: 2 of themshall he calledinspectors, the votes in the box when undisputed. If any vote shall be challenged the other officer, to be called ridge shall decide the question if the inspectors isagree. The officerssha l be chosen as follows: on toh’celomcko, rning of the election, at the hour of 9 the legal voters presentat the polls shall nominatethrpe or more candidates, and proceedto elect by dividing into twcormpre bodies accordingto the number of contesting parties. The inmority shall celleerckts., The officers thus chosen shall appoint 2 who shall truly record the voters when the votes are received and the voteswhcncountedby the officersaforesaid. Any fraud in conductingthe election shall be deemeda misdemeanor, punishableby flncand imprisonment, at the discretion of the court. Sec. 8. Abife:, That whcncver the foregoingconditions shall be complied with thociti lens of said Statuuiny presents uid constitutiontoCon‘rpse and if the same shall boa reved by Congress laid State shall be declared entit totheri lits, privileges and immunities. and besubject to all the obligations and liabilities of a State within the Union. 0 Senator or Representative shall beadmittedinto either House of Congress until Congress shall have declared the State entitled thereto. Notwithstanding surrounding discourage ments', the exhortation, “ Be not weary in well doing, ” encourages me to make one more perhaps on expifing effort to do something which shall be useful to my fellow men; something to elevate and enlighten the poor, the oppressed, and the ignorant, in this great crisis of human affairs. do not feel that this august body, this grand council ofa. nation of free men, has done anything worthy of its glorious opportunity, worthy of its duty to the immortal beings whose destinies for good or evil, for happiness or woe, it holds in its hands; when I reflect with how few acts of justice, with how few wise enactments, most of us seem content to close our labors and dis61'88‘) the periphery of the nation in score of cool shades, urling trout streams, and to see our bulls and eeves. I beg it. to be understood I do not claim a right to speak this reproachfully or complainingly; especially when I consider my own life, too much of which has been spent in idleness or frivolous amusement, and find myself almost ready to yield before every man is secured equal rights and impartial privileges, I cannot avoid feelin humbled, I cannot escape the pangs of eel condemnation. Sir, is this to be the our result of the labors of an assembly clothed with the sovereignty of the only real Iepubf that ever existed and which, from its posmon, its trials, and the inspired teachings of the fathers, ought to be wiser and duster than the Amphictyonic Council, or any other assembl, ancient or modern? Congress honorably one some good legislation to aid mfwhita 0 case, to protect the the of colors. But. nothing has who shall receive and depositv l been done to enable any but the white men to protect himself. How precarious and worth ess is that protection which depends wholly on the will of pothers, and leaves one’s self defenseless! In a peaceful, well governed re ub lic, the only protection consists in the right to articipate in the government; to aid in the IOfIllflfJOll of organic and other laws; to have a voice in the election of officers, and to influence the legislation of the country. They must. have the ballot or theywill continue, virtually, to be slaves; they will be servants and tools of the rich. But give them political power and they will find friends who will recognize their manhood, because they will receive in return a boon which none but. men could bestow. With less than this, it were a pity that their bonds were broken. A bondman may'have some intellectual elevation. A freeman, deprived of every human right, is the most de graded of human beings. This bill proposes to give the right. of suffrage, in forming their State governments, to every man alike, without regard to race or color. When they form their constitution it leaves them free. This, it must. be remembered, applies only to the rebel States. of admission of those States. No man of common sense and common honesty pretends that the present governments, of at least ten of them, have any elements or features of legitimate governments. Their old constitutions were utterly overthrown and have never been revived. Their present constitutions, were not of their own choice, but were imposed upon them in the midst of arms, when the “laws were silent, ” by a military ruler playing the part of a mighty conqueror. Not one of their organic laws was ever submitted to the judgment of the people. We have passed a law giving the right of suffrage to all men in the Territories. Let us now authorize the outlawed States to become republican by freely forming their constitutions by the action of all their free men. If they then deprive any portion of the people of their equal rights, let them be content With their present exterior condition until they shall become lit to discharge the duties of true republicanism. Thus will the elective franchise be properly bestowed on all within the rebel States. The loyal men will be protected. Now they are proscribed without regard to color. Reject this bill, and I see no way of ever giving equal rights to the South. Reflections like these have induced me to proposea direct vote (which I hope will be allOWe)ou the vital question which alone can give protection to the colored race and the loyal whites in the rebel States. Left as they now are without the protection, of the ballot box, overwhelming evidence shows that they are the mere serfs and will be the victims of their former masters. The objection to the insertion of such imperative provisions in an amendment to the Constitution does not exist. to this bill. In the Constitution it would have operated equally in every State. While that would have been just, it was not deemed possible. In many of the free States deep seated prejudice, the offspring of igno rance and habit, obstructed the cause of justice. In copperhead States where justice to the colored race has no domicil, and in States nearly balanced, such reform was thought to be impracticable at present. Those States had done nothing to forfeit their rights and authorize the nation to impose such new conditions. Nor had the workings of our institutions shown such provisions to be absolutely necessary for the protection of that class or the safety of the country. The deprivation of the elective franchise to so few, though a rent.wron, was not thought dangerous or intolerable. How different the condition of the rebel States! The concentration of the whole political power in the hands of a few tyrannical and disloyal men has shown itself dangerous to liberty and fidelity to the Government, and unless restrained must a in soon produce bloodyinsurrcctions. Their right to dictate the terms of their parti No one denies the“ I right of Congress to fix the status and terms cipstion in national affairs all agreeto have been forfeited, and whatever different theories are held, all concur in the main conclusion, whether Republicans, Copperheads, A postates, or that unamiable hermaphrodite race called Conservatives; as the conditions of readjust ment are to be fixed by the Government, none can deem it severe if we put the loyal freedman on an equal footing at the polls with the disloyal white man. If the wise manament of the government of the country; if e protection of the loyal men in the'rebel sections; if the election of patriotic Union men to the State and national“ offices requires the full enfranchisement of the colored race; if justice to all demands it, why shall we hesitate? The only way in which Congress can grant such power by legislation is through enabling acts, as provided by this substitute. When these people become States Congress cannot either alter or amend their State institutions. A constitutional amendment can alone reach it. As Congress can dictate any mode of reconstruction whieh it deems best, it may pass enabling acts authorizing these outlawed districts to form republican State governments fitto partake in the government of the nation. In forming such governments Congress always fixes the qualifications of the electors. It has lately, as have said, given the right of suffrage to the colored race in the Territories. This bill is intended to give the loyal colored men, as well as the 10 al white men, a right to participate in the government under which they are to live; it excludes none but the most guilty rebels; that is necessary in order to enable the lo 111men to live in the land of their birth otherwise the proud, persecuting rebels will exile them from their native land. such is the united evidence of all the true men of the South. MWhen this is done we shall have done but partial justice to the descendants of an oppressed race. God may yet visit us with further punishments. Certainly we deserve it. Why have we not given them homesteads? Their rebel masters owe it to them. As all agree that Congress must restore the lost States, let it be done upon true principles. Republics must stand upon the basis of universal suffrage. Any de arture from that is a departure from repubicanism. Exclusion for crime does not violate the rule. This bill treats the confederate States as every branch of our Government treats them. They are all under military surveillance. No statesmen looks upon their present governments as anything attemporar, imposed by arbitmry power until the cop e could form free goveruments. It provides that within 6 mont s conventions shall be called of all the free male people of the States above the age of 21 years with certain exception: on account of crime to form constitutions to be submitted to the judment of the people. Upon the ratification 0 such constitutions they may he admitted into the Republic, provided, always, that.such constitutions shall not violate the fundamental principles of republicanism by discriminating against. any citizen or class of citizens in favor of any other under similar circumstances. til Now, air, if there be auyState that does not desire such organic low, let it remain in a suite of pupilage until it shall have learned the ele mentary principles of justice and freedom. All who choose to deal fairly by all men may thus be represented in this body in the next Congress. Those who do not choose to give equal rights to all men, will, with my consent, never enter this Hall except as Delegates. A large class of the rebels under oath re nounced their allegiance to the U.S and swore allegiance to the confederate States of America. consider such oaths void. But the subjects of it have no right so to treat it. This bill opens a door to enable them to absolve themselves from such oath without perjury. The time fixed is short enough. The loyal men should have some time to consolidate their gov crnment. I assure gentlemen that withoutsadl provision the fate of the Union men in all the ten of the 11 States will be deplorable. I rejoice that Tennessee has provided against such horrors, and that she has a Governor with energy to enforce it. Those temporarily excluded from the elective franchise by the 6th section are excluded because they have committed the highest felony. They may thank the tender mercy of Congress that the punishment'is so light. Had they been left to AndrewJohnson “as he was” they would have mounted the block or fled to foreign climcs. The balance of the bill provides for the admission of Tennessee, which deserves special favor as the birth place or residence of one of the most extraor inary men in his time that has ever appeared on earth. I do not pretend that she is loyal. I believe this day th’at 2/3rds of her people are rank and cruel rebels. But her statesmen have been wise ahigilant enough to form a constitution which bridles licentious traitors and secures the State government to the true men. And she has an Executive fit to ride upon the whirlwind. I know that 2/3rds of the congressional districts will send us secessionists, which will greatly impair our 2/3rd votes. But she has 2 or 3 men in her delegatifii who would have saved Sodom. In the Senate, at least, one man deserves the favor of Congress. Ot the other I say nothing, as I know nothing, and I would not do injustice to one who has never done in jury tome, or, as far as I know, to the country. I have done in this matter what I deemed best for humanity. It may be thought lam showing too much anxiety on aquestion in which I can have no separate personal interest. I know it is easy to protect the interests of the rich and powerful; but it is a great labor toard the rights of the cor and downtrodden; it is the eternal labor 0 Sisyphus forever to be renewed. I know how unprofitable is allsuch toil. But he who is in earnest does not heed these things. I know, too, what effect it has on personal popularity. But if I may be indulged in a itt e egotism, I will say that if there be anything for which I have entire indifference, perhaps I may say contempt, it is that public opinion which is founded on popu lar c amor. In this, perhaps my final action on this great Question, upon a careful review, I can see nothing in my political course, especially in regard to human reedom, which I could wish to have expunged or changed. I believe that we must all account hereafier for deeds done in the body, and that political deeds will be among those accounts. I desire to take to the bar of that final settlement the record which I shall this day make on the great question of human rights. While I am sure it Wlll not make atonement for half my errors, I hope it will be some palliation. Are there any who will venture to take the list, with their negative seal upon it, and will dare to unroll it before that stern Judge who is the Father of the immortal beings whom they have been trampling under foot, and whose souls they have been crushing out?