Thanks be to our Heavenly Father, dear Sir, that there are no Brookses in Congress this year, to raise their canes over any man’s head.

Now, Sir, my prayer is, that God may give you strength to do your duty this year, as no other man in or out of Congress can do it; for no other man has shown up the barbarism of Slavery like yourself.

Years ago, in the days of Kansas, I stood here when one small community was surrendered to the machinations of slave-masters.

I stand here again, when, alas! an immense region, with millions of people, is surrendered to the machinations of slave-masters.

Congress must dare to be brave; it must dare to be just.

It proposes nothing less than to establish Equality before the Law, at least so far as civil rights are concerned, in the Rebel States.

This is done simply to carry out and maintain the Proclamation of Emancipation, by which the Republic is solemnly pledged to “maintain” the emancipated slave in freedom.

Here is our pledge: “The Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.” The pledge is without limitation in space or time.

It is as extended and as immortal as the Republic itself.

Wherever our flag floats, as long as time endures, we must see that it is sacredly observed.

The performance of this pledge cannot be intrusted to another; least of all can it be intrusted to ancient slave-masters, embittered against the slave.

It must be performed by the National Government.

The power that gave freedom must see that freedom is maintained.

I assume that no such blunder will be made by us,--that we shall not leave to the old proprietors the maintenance of that freedom to which we are pledged, and thus break our own promises and sacrifice a race.

It is “the rights of free farmers,” not in certain particulars, but in all particulars,--not merely in exemption from the authority of their masters, but in complete enfranchisement.

From all the provisions on this head it appears that the freedman enjoys rights to choose local officers, and to be chosen in turn.

I trust that this grand example is none the less worthy of imitation because from an empire which is not supposed to sympathize with liberal ideas.

An experiment inspired so completely by the spirit of justice cannot fail.

Without it Emancipation will be only half done.

It is our duty to see that it is wholly done.

Slavery must be abolished not in form only, but in substance, so that there shall be no Black Code, but all shall be Equal before the Law.

Of what value is the enforced consent of disloyal and barbarous bodies pretending to act for certain States at the dictation of military power?

Military power may govern during the war; but it is impotent to make a republican State, or to adopt an Amendment of the Constitution.

Both these bills are broader even than that of my colleague; for they point to the absolute obliteration of all legal discriminations founded on color, whether in the court-room or at the ballot-box; and to this conclusion we must come at…

The most explicit, the most positive, the most mandatory words in the Constitution are, “The United States shall guaranty to every State in this Union a republican form of government.” This great duty is thrown not upon any individual…