sections, and that such change shall precede the admission of any
State. * * * Congress denies that any State lately in rebellion has
any government or constitution known to the Constitution of the United
States, or which can be recognized as a part of the Union. How, then,
can such a State adopt the (XIIIth) amendment? To allow it would be
yielding the whole question, and admitting the unimpaired rights of the
seceded States. I know of no Republican who does not ridicule what
Mr. Seward thought a cunning movement, in counting Virginia and other
outlawed States among those which had adopted the constitutional
amendment abolishing slavery.

It is to be regretted that inconsiderate and incautious Republicans
should ever have supposed that the slight amendments already proposed
to the Constitution, even when incorporated into that instrument, would
satisfy the reforms necessary for the security of the government. Unless
the rebel States, before admission, should be made republican in spirit,
and placed under the guardianship of loyal men, all our blood and
treasure will have been spent in vain. * * *

The law of last session with regard to Territories settled the
principles of such acts. Impartial suffrage, both in electing the
delegates and in ratifying their proceedings, is now the fixed rule.
There is more reason why colored voters should be admitted in the rebel
States than in the Territories. In the States they form the great mass
of the loyal men. Possibly, with their aid, loyal governments may be
established in most of those States. Without it all are sure to be ruled
by traitors; and loyal men, black or white, will be oppressed, exiled,
or murdered.

There are several good reasons for the passage of this bill. In the