provided by the
election ordinance adopted by the convention which framed said
constitution."

It will be seen that by this bill the people of Virginia were to
proceed in the work of reconstruction at such time as the president
might deem best, and that such reconstruction in all its parts was
to be on the basis of equal political rights. The constitution to
be submitted was framed by a convention, in the election of which
colored citizens participated, and of which colored men were
members. The "registered voters" who are to vote on its
ratification or rejection, and also for members of the General
Assembly, for State officers and for members of Congress, include
the colored men of Virginia; and if the constitution is adopted, it
secures to them equal political rights in that State. The
remaining sections of the bill provide for the reconstruction of
Mississippi and Texas on the same principles, and left the time and
manner to the discretion of the president.

This bill was reported to the House of Representatives and
unanimously agreed upon by a committee, of which four members were
Democrats. The most distinguished Democratic representatives of the
States of New York and Pennsylvania advocated its passage. Out of
about seventy Democratic members of the House, only twenty-five
voted against it, and the only Democratic members from Ohio who
voted on the passage of the bill, voted for it.

It thus appears that upon the recommendation of General Grant even
the Democratic party of Ohio, by their representatives in Congress,
voted for equal political rights in Virginia, Mississippi, and
Texas! And to-day the great body of the people of those States,
Democrats and Conservatives as well as Republicans, have yielded
assent to that great principle. In view of these facts I submit
that I am fully warranted in saying that General Grant has begun
the work of reconstruction in a masterly way and with marked
success.

Again thanking you for the honor you have done me, I repeat, in
conclusion, what I said two years ago. The people represented in
this convention mean that the State of Ohio in the great progress,
"whose leading object is to elevate the condition of men, to lift
artificial weights from all shoulders, to clear the paths of
lauda