Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 13 (of 20)Sumner, Charles
History
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 13 (of 20)
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- United States; Speeches, addresses, etc., American
April 25th, the question was taken on Mr. Wilson’s motion to
reconsider, and was carried,--Yeas 19, Nays 13. The bill was
again before the Senate.
Mr. Sumner then moved his proviso, that the Act should not
take effect except upon the fundamental condition that within
the State there should be no denial of the elective franchise
or of any other rights on account of color or race, which was
lost,--Yeas 7, Nays 27.
The bill was then passed by the Senate,--Yeas 19, Nays 13. Mr.
Edmunds, of Vermont, Mr. Foster, of Connecticut, Mr. Grimes, of
Iowa, Mr. Morgan, of New York, Mr. Poland, of Vermont, and Mr.
Sumner were the only Republicans voting in the negative.
* * * * *
May 3d, the bill passed the House of Representatives,--Yeas 81,
Nays 57,--among the latter Mr. Stevens,--and was duly presented
to the President for his signature.
* * * * *
May 16th, the bill was returned to the Senate, with the
objections of the President to its becoming a law. On motion
of Mr. Wade, of Ohio, the message was laid on the table. May
21st, on motion of Mr. Hendricks, of Indiana, it was taken up
and made the special order for May 29th. On this motion, Mr.
Sumner, after discussing the order of business, remarked:--
I have said enough in answer to observations on the order of business
by Senators who have preceded me; but there seems to have been a
disposition to open the main question. Senators have expressed opinions
with more or less fulness on that. I shall not follow them. This is not
the time for such a discussion. That time may come. It has already been
in this Chamber, and then I had ample opportunity to say what I chose.
I may deem it proper to take another opportunity; but I am in no haste.
I have no disposition to press the matter.
I cannot take my seat, however, without one remark, in reply to my
friend from Ohio. He says that he is for the admission of Colorado
now, notwithstanding the veto of the President. I rejoin, that I am
against the admission of Colorado now, with or without the veto of the
President. If alone, I mean to insist always, that, from this time
forward, no State shall be received into the Union with a constitution
disavowing the first principle of the Declaration of Independence; and
I shall take advantage of every opportunity to uphold that principle,
whether given me by a Senator on this floor or by the President of the
United States.
The veto was never considered, and the effort for the admission
of Colorado expired for that session. Had the veto been
considered, Mr. Sumner would have said:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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