On reflection, I came myself to the conclusion that, while
the Bill was reasonable and there was no reasonable doubt
of the power of Congress to enact it, yet the attempt to pass
it, if it were to fail, would do the cause infinite mischief. It
would be an exhibition of impotence, always injurious to
a political party. It would drive back into the Democratic
Party many men who were afraid of negro domination; who looked
with great dislike on the assertion of National power over
elections, and whom other considerations would induce to act
with the Republicans. So I thought it was best to ascertain
carefully the prevailing opinion and see if we were likely
to get the Bill through, and, if we found that unlikely, not
to proceed far enough to have a debate in either House.
Accordingly I visited the House of Representatives, saw several
of my Massachusetts colleagues and some other leaders. They
agreed that, if I found that the Bill could not, in all probability,
pass the Senate, it should be arranged to lay it aside in
the House without making any serious movement for it there.
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