Mr. HENDERSON. But I am speaking of the original 13, because it is of their institutions that the framers of the Constitution spoke most. Mr. President, it was my intention to show that the constitutional amendment slavery gives no sanction to this bill o;lishing have been so long detained by interruptions, leading me into a course of thought not anticipated and causing me to repeat myself again and again, I shall pass it by with a simple remark. Slavery or involuntary servitude is a condition in which the slave has no will of his own. He belongs to another; may be compelled to labor without wages. He may be sold against his will, and the title to his person pass to another. The right to control his person and labor passes by inheritance. His posterity follow his condition. He can own no property. Whatever may be acquired by him passes and belongs to his owner. It is a condition well known and understood in this country. That well known relation of master and slave is now abolished. It was the function of the constitutional amendment to destroy and break up forever that relation. In my judgment it goes no further. It declares that slavery or involuntary servitude, except for crime, shall not exist in the U.S., and then confers on Congress the power to enforce the provision by appropriate legislation. From this the Senator an others educe the power to confer the suffrage by act of Congress. It is not claimed that the negro is not technically free, but it is said he cannot maintain his freedom without the suffrage, and therefore Congress may adoptan measures necessary to enforce his freedom. This argumentmakes the discretion of Congress the only limit of its power in the employment of means to maintain and perpetuate his freedom. Were this true, Congress might deem it necessary to educate him, and not only educate, but confer a classical education. In the judgmentofmany, an education, moral and intellectual, is as necessary to freedom as the ballot itself; but when this isgiven it may be found that freedom is an empty name without competency. A homestead may be given, and if a homestead be found useless until it is sufficiently stocked, Congress may proceed to furnish the means to stock it. Again, if freedom cannot be maintained without the ballot, then woman must enjoy it or be reduced to slavery. The argument, though on the side of mercy, and welling up from a pure and good fountain, I think is untenable.