Without any reply, Mr. Sumner asked for a vote, when the bill was passed,--Yeas 25, Nays 5.
July 18th, in the other House, the bill was reported by Mr. Wilson, of Iowa, from the Judiciary Committee, with the following substitute, intended to avoid in legislation the repetition of the phrase “race or color.”
“The word ‘white,’ wherever it occurs in the laws relating to the District of Columbia or in the charter or ordinances of the city of Washington or Georgetown, and operates as a limitation on the right of any elector of said District or either of said cities to hold any office or to be selected and to serve as a juror, be and the same is hereby repealed; and it shall be unlawful for any person or officer to enforce or attempt to enforce said limitation after the passage of this Act.”
The substitute was adopted, and the bill thus amended passed,--Yeas 90, Nays 20.
July 19th, the Senate concurred in the amendment, and, on motion of Mr. Harlan, of Iowa, further amended the bill by an additional section authorizing “the necessary grand and petit jurors for the June term of the Criminal Court for the year 1867.” This amendment, though not relating to Equal Rights, was concurred in by the House.
July 20th, the bill was duly enrolled and transmitted to the President for his signature, but was not returned by him before the adjournment, the same day, so that it failed to become a law. Mr. Sumner complained that Senators “proposed to go home and leave Equal Rights in the District without the protection we owe them.”
November 21st, on the first day of the meeting of Congress after the adjournment, Mr. Sumner introduced the same bill as it had passed both Houses, and asked the Senate to proceed with it at once; but this was prevented by the objection of Mr. Davis, of Kentucky. Mr. Sumner forbore calling it up for eleven consecutive days of the session, to see if within that time it would be returned to Congress, with or without objections. It was not returned, and on application at the Department of State it was ascertained that it had not been received there.
December 5th, the bill was taken up, on motion of Mr. Sumner, discussed, and again passed,--Yeas 32, Nays 8.
December 9th, it passed the House,--Yeas 104, Nays 39.