Chapter IV: Front Matter (4)

I offer a petition of citizens of the District of Columbia, similar to petitions presented by me yesterday, calling upon Congress to provide irreversible guaranties in the work of Reconstruction, so that there shall be such security for the future, and, among such guaranties, proposing the enfranchisement of the colored race.

Sir, I am glad to present this petition from citizens of the District, because it shows that there are good people here who are not entirely indifferent to the great cause of Equal Rights. I am more disposed to make this remark because I see notice of a public meeting of whites here in the hope of arresting this cause. The whites can meet, if they please, and such a meeting, called under such auspices, may vote to continue their unjust pretensions; but any vote by them will be, under the circumstances, little better than an absurdity. The whites of the District of Columbia, in respect to the colored people, are no better than squatters, and those who for generations have squatted on the rights of others do not quietly give up. But it is our duty to dispossess them. Hereafter nobody should be allowed to squat on the rights of others, civil or political.

I move the reference of this petition to the Joint Committee on Reconstruction.

PROTECTION OF THE NATIONAL DEBT, AND REJECTION OF EVERY REBEL DEBT.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IN THE SENATE, JANUARY 5, 1866.

Mr. Sumner asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to bring in the following joint resolution, which was read twice, referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and ordered to be printed.

Joint Resolution proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of
the United States for the protection of the National Debt and
the rejection of any Rebel Debt.

_Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, (two thirds of both Houses concurring,)_ That the following Article be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States as an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified by three fourths of such Legislatures, shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution, namely:--

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