one ▁U . S . ▁Sen ators ▁from ▁the ▁eleven ▁states ▁of ▁the ▁South , ▁condem ning ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁decision ▁to ▁des eg reg ate ▁the ▁public ▁school ▁system . ▁According ▁to ▁his ▁ob itu ary ▁prepared ▁by ▁the ▁Associ ated ▁Press , ▁S math ers ▁once ▁agreed ▁to ▁pay ▁the ▁b ail ▁of ▁the ▁ja iled ▁civil ▁rights ▁leader , ▁Dr . ▁Martin ▁Luther ▁King , ▁but ▁only ▁if ▁King ▁agreed ▁to ▁leave ▁Florida . ▁ ▁S math ers ▁tried ▁to ▁water - down ▁equal ▁rights ▁measures ▁that ▁President ▁D w ight ▁Eisen h ower ▁put ▁through ▁Congress , ▁supporting ▁the ▁Senate ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁legisl ation ▁before ▁oppos ing ▁the ▁final ▁passage ▁of ▁the ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁S math ers ▁voted ▁against ▁the ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁and ▁Senate ▁version ▁of ▁the ▁V oting ▁Rights ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁Non eth eless ▁he ▁supported ▁the ▁final , ▁am ended ▁voting ▁rights ▁measures , ▁which ▁enfor ced ▁the ▁voting ▁rights ▁prov isions ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁and ▁ 1 5 th ▁Am end ment ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Constitution , ▁while ▁out law ing ▁all ▁liter acy ▁tests . ▁He ▁did ▁not ▁vote ▁on ▁President ▁Johnson ' s ▁elev ation ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁Associ ate ▁Justice ▁Th ur good ▁Marshall ▁to ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court . ▁ ▁Other ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁ ▁S math ers ▁also ▁helped ▁pass