Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 19 (of 20)Sumner, Charles
History
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 19 (of 20)
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- United States; Speeches, addresses, etc., American
SEC.--That no person shall be disqualified for service as
juror in any court, National or State, by reason of race,
color, or previous condition of servitude: _Provided_, That
such person possesses all other qualifications which are by
law prescribed; and any officer or other persons charged
with any duty in the selection or summoning of jurors, who
shall exclude or fail to summon any person for the reason
above named, shall, on conviction thereof, be deemed guilty
of a misdemeanor, and be fined not less than $1,000 nor
more than $5,000.
SEC.--That every law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or
custom, whether National or State, inconsistent with this
Act, or making any discriminations against any person on
account of color, by the use of the word “white,” is hereby
repealed and annulled.
SEC.--That it shall be the duty of the judges of the
several courts upon which jurisdiction is hereby conferred
to give this Act in charge to the grand jury of their
respective courts at the commencement of each term thereof.
Objection was at once raised to the admission of any amendment
whatever, as imperilling the pending bill,--Mr. Alcorn, of
Mississippi, while pressing this, objected further, urging the
hazard to the measure embraced in the proposed amendment from
attachment to a bill requiring for its passage a two-thirds’
vote instead of the usual simple majority.
* * * * *
December 21st, Mr. Thurman, of Ohio, objected to the amendment
of Mr. Sumner, on the ground suggested by Mr. Alcorn,--raising
the point of order, that, “being a measure which, if it stood
by itself, could be passed by a majority vote of the Senate,
it cannot be offered as an amendment to a bill that requires
two-thirds of the Senate.” The objection being overruled, and
Mr. Thurman appealing from the decision of the Chair, a debate
ensued on the question of order,--Mr. Thurman, Mr. Bayard of
Delaware, Mr. Trumbull of Illinois, Mr. Davis of Kentucky, and
Mr. Sawyer of South Carolina sustaining the objection, and Mr.
Conkling of New York, Mr. Carpenter of Wisconsin, Mr. Edmunds
of Vermont, and Mr. Sumner opposing it. In the course of his
speech Mr. Sumner remarked:--
Does not the Act before us in its body propose a measure of
reconciliation? Clemency and amnesty it proposes; and these, in my
judgment, constitute a measure of reconciliation. And now I add justice
to the colored race. Is not that germane? Do not the two go together?
Are they not naturally associated? Sir, can they be separated?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account