SEC.--That no person shall be disqualified for service as juror in any court, National or State, by reason of race, color, or previous condition of servitude: _Provided_, That such person possesses all other qualifications which are by law prescribed; and any officer or other persons charged with any duty in the selection or summoning of jurors, who shall exclude or fail to summon any person for the reason above named, shall, on conviction thereof, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000.
SEC.--That every law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, whether National or State, inconsistent with this Act, or making any discriminations against any person on account of color, by the use of the word “white,” is hereby repealed and annulled.
SEC.--That it shall be the duty of the judges of the several courts upon which jurisdiction is hereby conferred to give this Act in charge to the grand jury of their respective courts at the commencement of each term thereof.
Objection was at once raised to the admission of any amendment whatever, as imperilling the pending bill,--Mr. Alcorn, of Mississippi, while pressing this, objected further, urging the hazard to the measure embraced in the proposed amendment from attachment to a bill requiring for its passage a two-thirds’ vote instead of the usual simple majority.
December 21st, Mr. Thurman, of Ohio, objected to the amendment of Mr. Sumner, on the ground suggested by Mr. Alcorn,--raising the point of order, that, “being a measure which, if it stood by itself, could be passed by a majority vote of the Senate, it cannot be offered as an amendment to a bill that requires two-thirds of the Senate.” The objection being overruled, and Mr. Thurman appealing from the decision of the Chair, a debate ensued on the question of order,--Mr. Thurman, Mr. Bayard of Delaware, Mr. Trumbull of Illinois, Mr. Davis of Kentucky, and Mr. Sawyer of South Carolina sustaining the objection, and Mr. Conkling of New York, Mr. Carpenter of Wisconsin, Mr. Edmunds of Vermont, and Mr. Sumner opposing it. In the course of his speech Mr. Sumner remarked:--
Does not the Act before us in its body propose a measure of reconciliation? Clemency and amnesty it proposes; and these, in my judgment, constitute a measure of reconciliation. And now I add justice to the colored race. Is not that germane? Do not the two go together? Are they not naturally associated? Sir, can they be separated?