While requiring suffrage for all, without distinction of race or color, it leaves the machinery and motive power in the hands of the existing governments, which are conducted by Rebels.

Therefore, under this bill, Rebels will initiate and conduct the work of Reconstruction, while loyal citizens stand aside.

The President once said, “For the Rebels back seats.” This bill says, “For the loyal citizens back seats.” Nobody is disfranchised.

There is no traitor, red with loyal blood, who may not play his part and help found the new government.

It is true that suffrage is at last accorded to the colored race; but their masters are left in power to domineer, and even to organize.

You must exercise a just authority in disfranchising dangerous men.

On this point there must be no uncertainty, no “perhaps.” It is not enough to say that Rebels may be disfranchised; you must say must.

I plead for those good people, who have suffered as people never suffered before.

I appeal to you as Senators not to miss this precious opportunity.

Take care that the bill is amended, so that it may be the fountain of peace, and not the engine of discord and oppression.

I say it does not provide proper safeguards against the Rebel population.

And yet, when I simply insisted upon some additional safeguard against the return of Rebels to power, the Senator told us that I was asking something new.

Thank God, the other House has supplied the very protection which I desired; it has laid the foundation of a true peace.

Abraham Lincoln insisted that the new governments should be founded on loyalty; that, if there were only five thousand loyal persons in a State, they were entitled to hold the power.

His successor adopted the same principle, when, in different language, he compendiously said, “For the Rebels back seats.” What is now required could not be expressed better.

I accept the amendments from the other House as the best that can be had now; but I desire it distinctly understood that I shall not hesitate to insist at all times upon applying more directly and practically the true principles of…

I believe you owe it to every one of these States to supply a government in place of that you now solemnly declare illegal.

At least something more must be done; there must be other safeguards than those supplied by this very hasty and crude act of legislation.

I accept it as containing much that is good, some things infinitely good, but as coming short of what a patriotic Congress ought to supply for the safety of the Republic.

When Senators, even as powerful as the Senator from Ohio and the Senator from Nevada, take a course which seems to me inconsistent with the national security, they must not expect me to follow.

We are to have universal suffrage, a natural consequence of universal emancipation; but this will be a barren sceptre in the hands of the people, unless we supply education also.

Through the agency and under the influence of the National Government education must be promoted in the Rebel States.

Indeed, I should not hesitate, could I have my way, to place the head of the Department of Education in the Cabinet of the United States,--following the practice of one of the civilized governments of the world.

I cannot doubt that the time has come for this expense to cease.

PRESIDENT,--I rejoice in every enterprise by which human industry is quickened and distant places are brought near together.