f life,
and obtained a position as the Representative of a large constituency,
without finding out what a republican form of government is. "I will
ask the gentleman," said he, "if he thinks that those States that have
excluded and disfranchised more than half of their native population
have a republican form of government?"

"In my opinion," said Mr. Hill, "when the framers of the Constitution
placed in that instrument the declaration or the provision that the
Government of the United States would guarantee to each State a
republican form of government, they spoke with reference to such
governments as then existed, and such as those same framers recognized
for a long time afterward as republican governments."

"Well, that is a very good answer," said Mr. Higby. "It is an answer
from a stand-point seventy-five years ago. I speak from the
stand-point of the present time."

Mr. Higby desired that the joint resolution should go back to the
committee. He said: "I do not wish it disposed of here, to be voted
down. I want, if it is possible, that it shall be so framed that it
shall receive the full constitutional majority required, and be a
proposition that shall operate with full force in all those States
that now have a great population excluded from the rights of
citizenship."

"If the gentleman proposes," said Mr. Stevens, "to send it back to the
committee without instructions, I would ask him what we are to do.
There are not quite as many views upon this floor as there are
members; but the number lacks very little of it. And how are we to
gather up all those views spread through all this discussion, and
accommodate all, when each view would now probably receive from one to
three votes in its favor?"

"I have only this to say," replied Mr. Higby: "with my views of the
Constitution, I never can vote for this proposition with this proviso
in its present language. I say that it gives a power to the States to
make governments that are not republican in form."

"I say to my friend," said Mr. Stevens, "that if I thought, that by
any fair construction of language, such an interpretation could be
given as he gives, I would vote against it myself; but I do not
believe there is any thing in that objection."

Mr. Bingham took the floor in favor of the proposed joint resolution.
In "giving this and other amendments to the Constitution my support,"
said he, "I do not subject myself to the gratuitous imputation of a
want of r