n of the popular sentiment or will of the people than all
other Executives since the existence of the Government."

Mr. Spalding feared that the bill, should it become a law, would be
found defective in not affording any protection to that loyal class of
the inhabitants of those communities upon whom the elective franchise
was conferred. "These colored men," said he, "who are now recognized
by the Government as possessing the rights of freemen, are to be in
jeopardy of being shot down like so many dogs when they attempt to
visit the polls." He then offered an amendment, which was accepted by
Mr. Stevens, by which a section was added to the bill suspending the
writ of _habeas corpus_ in the ten rebel States, and placing them
under martial law until they should be admitted to representation in
Congress under the provisions of the bill. In this section thus
introduced may be seen the origin of that feature which, in an
enlarged and extended form, gave character to the important measure
ultimately adopted by Congress, which is popularly known as the
"Military Reconstruction Bill."

The discussion was continued by Mr. Koontz. "It is a solemn,
imperative duty," said he, "that this nation owes to its colored
people to protect them against their own and the nation's foes. It
would be a burning, lasting disgrace to the nation were it to hand
them over to their enemies. I know of no way in which this protection
can be better given than by extending to them the elective franchise.
Place the ballot in the hands of the black man and you give him that
which insures him respect as well as protection."

Mr. Scofield maintained that the ratification of the Constitutional
Amendment by three-fourths of the loyal States was all that was
necessary. "Twenty-three of the twenty-six States elected Legislatures
instructed to adopt it. Very soon these twenty-three States, having a
population in 1860 of twenty-one million five hundred thousand, and
not less than twenty-seven millions now, will send to a perfidious
Secretary the official evidence of the people's will. Delaware,
Maryland, and Kentucky alone give a negative answer. Who, then, stands
in the way? One old man who is charged by law with the duty of
proclaiming the adoption of the amendment, but who has determined to
incorporate into the Union the _debris_ of the late Confederacy--he
stands in the way."

"The Secretary is clever in work of this kind. An English nobleman was
at one t