Mr. SCHENCK. Now, what do the friends of this amendment propose? They say, “Pass our bill declaring martial law, but accompany it with an additional provision which shall indicate to the States that have been inrebellion what you expect them to do in order that they may get rid of martial law by showing their fitness to have it lifted from them.” This amendment is of itself an argument which, it seems to me, appeals to this House and to the whole country, and especially to that party in the country that has sent the majority to this House. It proposes that whenever the constitutional amendment which has been submitted by this Congress to the States “ shall have become a part of the Constitution of the U.S., and when anyone of the late socalled confederate States shall have given its assent to the same and conformed its constitution and laws thereto in all respects, ” this shall be one of the conditions upon which that State shall be relieved from martial law. Now, sir, what is that proposed amendment to the Constitution? Just what this ComReconstruction gave us at the last session of Congress securing equality of rePresentation; debarring from the privilege of E. office the dangerous men of the South until their disqualification shall be removed by 2/3rds of both Houses of Congress; providing, for maintaining inviolate the public faith; prohib iting payment for slaves. It is unnecessary for me to recapitulate the provisions of that amendment. They are familiar to every gentleman here. But, sir, the condition I have specified is not the only condition proposed to these States as that upon compliance with which they shall be relieved from martial law. It is further required that the State “ shall have provided by its constitution that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed equally and impartially by all male citizens of the U.S., 21 years old and upward, without regard to race, color, or previous condition of servitude, except such as may be disfranchised for participating in the late rebellion” thus securing what this measureproviding for martial law does not secure, and what is not clearly secured by the bill in relation to Louisiana. [Here the hammer fell]