The amendment was carried,—Yeas 23, Nays 14,—and the bill was approved by the President July 2, 1864.
OPENING OF THE UNITED STATES COURTS TO COLORED WITNESSES.
Speech in the Senate, on an Amendment to the Civil Appropriation Bill, June 25, 1864.
Failing to obtain a hearing for the bill reported from the Committee on Slavery and Freedmen,[364] Mr. Sumner resorted again to the Appropriation Bill.
June 25th, the Senate having under consideration the Civil Appropriation Bill, Mr. Sumner, after stating that the third section appropriated one hundred thousand dollars to aid the administration of justice, especially in bringing to conviction counterfeiters of Treasury notes, bonds, or other United States securities, as well as coin, remarked, that, to accomplish this result, something more than money was needed,—that there must be an amendment of the Law of Evidence; and he sent to the Chair the following proviso, to be added to the third section:—
“Provided, That in the courts of the United States there shall be no exclusion of any witness on account of color.”
Mr. Sumner then remarked:—