Mr. HENDERSON. I desire to say just one word before the division. I will not take up any time. The object of this amendment is to secure nothing more nor less than is secured by the 2nd section of the original proposition, and it is not pretended byuny gentleman that it will accomplish anything additional to what is included in the section as it. now stands. I will state a fact in reference to my own State and then the Senate can do with it what it chooses. This amendment reads: But whenever the right to vote at anv election held under the Constitution and laws of the U.S or of any State, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, A'c. Now, we have in our State an election for school directors,0. general election held in every municipal townshiplhrougliout the State of Missouri, at a certain time. At that election there are qualifications prescribed that we deem absolutely essential to keep up the common school system in our State. For in stance, property holders only vote for school directors, because the tax for building the school houses is only imposed on property holders. trustees. The school directors divide the congressioual townships into districts for school purposes, and those trustees are elected by the persons who have children to send to school. ow, if it be intended to exclude all persons who cannot vote at those elections from the basis of representation, I apprehend that not I on will the negroes of my State be excluded an or the proposed amendment, which will lose us a member in conress, but it will exclude 2/3rds of the whites of the State of' Missouri. I desire to know whether any such construction can be given to this proposition. Ithas been said, in reply, that the proposition as it now stands is subject to the same objection. I think not; because no court will construe, and Congress cannot possibly construe, the meaning of “the elective franchise, ” as generally used, to apply to such elections as that. I, at least, prefer the language of the original section to this amendment. I do not want to put myselfin the way of what has been determined by the committee; but I do not desire to vote for a proposition that a sound and reasonable argument can be made against. I see no use ofit. We do not accomplish anything whatever by it. Of course it may be left to Congress hereafter to say, under the section as it now stands, whether “the elective fran the re is an election also for school chise” has been refused or not, and of course they will apply it to the Generalelections for political olhces. But the language of this amendment is, whenever the right to vote at any election." That language is not used in the original section. There is an election in my State where individuals are denied the right to vote unless they have a property qualification. The section which it is now proposed to strike out and to put this in lieu of it does not contain this objectionable language. It does not say “at any election." Therefore the inference will be that it. up ilies only to these general elections at which polliiical officers are elected, members of the Legislature, Governor, judges, &c. I prefer that this amendment should not be adopted. 1 do not think it ought to be the desire 0t members of the Senate to put any gentleman in an indefensible position in his own State where the laws of his State are of such a chhracter that he cannot defend himself against a reasonable, rational opposition.