Mr. FESSENDEN and really, Mr. president, I do not know that it would be just or rightto the Senate under existing circumstances for me to speak upon any other subject than that which is immediately under the consideration Of the body. I do not approve of trav eling into matters that are collateral, because it is simply availing ourselves of a place here to give utterance to ideas that do not perhaps belongtothe occasion. I will follow out, therefore, my own rule, particularly as I have not strength enough left to do otherwise; but I wish to say in closing that I commend this oiat resolution to the careful consideration of the Sea ate. It is not all that we could desire; it is not all that ourconstitucnts could wish; it does not accomplish, as it stands now, all perhaps that it might accomplish; but it is an impor taut step in the right direction. It gives the sanction of Congress in so many words to an important, leading, effective idea? It opens a way by which the southern mindto speak of it as tesouthern mindmay be led to do that which is right and just. I see that the honor able Senfrom Delaware [Mr. Ssensnusr] looks at me as if he thought that that was not a very safe supposition; but I have hopes, great hopes, of those who were recently conederates; an I believe that now that they have been taught that they cannot do evil to all the extent they might desire with impunity, and when their attention is turned of necessity in the right direction, the road will seem so pleasant to their feet, or at any rate will seem so agree able to their love of power, that they will be willing to Walk in the direction that we have pointed. If they do, what is accomplished? a process of time, under this constitutional amendment, if it should be adopted, they are led to enlar e their franchise. hat necessa rily will lea them to consider how much further they can go, what is necessary in order to fit their people for its exercise, thus leadingio education, t us leading to a greater degree of civilization, thus bringing up an op iressed and downtrodden race to an equality, 1 ca iable of an equalit, and I hope it may be, With their white bretiren, children of the same father. and, sir, if this is done, (we cannot hope for it in a day, but if in a few years this is accomplished, and accomplished by the steady and silent operation of this constitutional provision which applies itself to the interests and to the love of power of men) some of us may hope to live, I probably may not, but the honorable Senfrom Massachusetts mayto see the time when by their own act and under the effect of an enlightened study of their own interests all men may be placed upon the same broad constitutional level, enjoyin the same rights and seeking liap iness in tesame wa and under the same advantages; and that is all that we could ask.