prejudices, not only of the people
among whom the laws were to be executed, but also of the army and
the people who were to execute those laws, and no man can doubt
but what at that time there was a strong and powerful prejudice in
the army and among all classes of citizens against extending the
right of suffrage to negroes, especially down in the far south,
where the great body of the slaves were in abject ignorance.

It must be also noted that in the Wade-Davis bill Congress did not
and would not make negro suffrage a part of its plan. Even so
radical an anti-slavery man as my colleague, Senator Wade, did not
propose such a measure. The effort was made to give emancipated
negroes the right to vote, and it was abandoned. By that bill the
suffrage was conferred only upon _white_ male loyal citizens. And
in the plan of the President, he adopted in this respect the very
same conditions for suffrage as those proposed by Congress. I
believe that all the acts and proclamations of President Johnson
before the meeting of Congress were wise and expedient, and that
there would have been no difficulty between Congress and the
President but for his personal conduct, and, especially, his
treatment of Congress and leading Congressmen. The unfortunate
occurrence, already narrated, at his inauguration, was followed by
violent and disrespectful language, unbecoming the President,
especially, his foolish speech made on the 22nd of February, 1866,
in which he selected particular persons as the objects of denunciation.
He said:

"I fought traitors and treason in the south. I opposed the Davises,
the Toombses, the Slidells, and a long list of others, which you
can readily fill without my repeating the names. Now, when I turn
round, and at the other end of the line find men, I care not by
what name you call them, who still stand opposed to the restoration
of the Union of these states, I am free to say to you that I am
still in the field."

And again he said:

"I am called upon to name three at the other end of the line; I am
talking to my friends and fellow-citizens, who are interested with
me in this government, and I presume I am free to mention to you
the names of those whom I look upon as being opposed to the
fundamental principles of this government, and who are laboring to
pervert and destroy it."

Voices: "Name them!" "Who are they!"

He replied:

"You ask me who they are. I say Thaddeus Stevens, of Pennsylvani