, 1840-07-18

ReHT OF EaRoE 70 voTE-ABoErroNIsk,
Missouri aUEsrloN.-This chief citadel Of
the aristocracy having been t~riumphantly
carried, the Democratic members proceeded
to the adjustment Of the new and extended
suffrage. Diversities of opinion as to details.
o course prevailed among them but they final.
iy agreed, with great u%nanimity, to extend
this invaluable right to all white persons
who had resided in the State ono year, and
six months ia the county, and during that
time contributed TO the support of the Gov
eminent, either by paying taxes, or by labor
on the highways, or by service in the militia.
In the course Of this adjustment a Difficult
" arose that threatened, for a time. the great
est danger to the proceedings Of the conven
ton, but it was finally arranged. with that
prudence, caution, and efficiency which so
peculiarly distinguish Mr.. VAN BuREN's politi-
cal measures. The negroes, with scarcely
an exception, adhered to the Federalists.-
Their number in the city Of New York was
very great. and parties in that city were SO
equally divided, that it was often sufficient to
hold the balance between them-at times.
too, when the vote of New York, in the
Legislature, not unfrequently decided the ma
jority of that body. These circumstances
made the Federalists, in the convention, anx-
ious to preserve for the blacks that equality
of suffrage with the whites which they had un-
der the old Constitution, and they determin-
ed, If it was taken away, to avail themselves
Of the great excitement then existing in the
State on the Missouri question, for the pur-
pose Of defeating the proceedings of The con-
vention altogether. The able men by whom
they were represented in that body, spared
no effort to secure one or the other Of these
results. On the other hand, the Republican
members were unanimous in the opinion that
the negroes were unsafe depositaries of the
elective franchise; but they differed at first
rs 10 the mode by which their common object
could be best attained. A portion Of them,
in their desire to accomplish it, advocated q
direct and simple provision for the exclusion
Of the blacks. Another portion. of whom
Mr.. VAN buren, was one, thought it unwise
to expose all the amendments Of the Con-
siifution, which were ofsuch vital importance
to the welfare of the State, to the hazard of
rejection; and desired, therefore, the adop-
ton Of q provision which would be, in prac-
tice, perfectly safe, while, at the same time,
it frustrated the plans of the federal opponents
Of the new Constitution. II was also in itself
more equitable, as it afforded an opportunity
and held out an inducement, to the negroes
to improve their own condition, and acquire
habits Of industry and sobriety. The plan
proposed, for this end, was to allow them to
vote only in the event Of their possessing a
freeholdo the value of two hundred and fifty
dollars, and having been three years residents
Of the State, and been rated and actually
paid taxes. This proposition the Federalists
opposed with even greater acrimony than the
absolute exclusion Of the negroes, because
they perceived that it would, in all probabili-
ty, defeat both their objects. The Republic
an members all finally assented to it, and the
result proved to be that which its advocates
had anticipated. The question ss to the
free blacks became a subordinate one in the
opposition TO the new Constitution; the a.
~mendments, submitted 10 a body, were all
adopted; the people gained the invaluable
right Of a free and extended suffrage; while
such a spectacle as a black voter at the polls
OF New York has ever since been one Of the
rarest things under the sun. After an ex.
perience o ftwenty years, the provision in
question remains unchanged. Several a.
mendments nave been added to the Con.
s~titution in that interval; the right of suffrage
has been materially changed in other respects;
vet 80 satisfied have been the wise of all
parties, .that:no successful attempt has ever
been made to set this regulation aside.
1t must, however, be admitted that Mr..
VAN BUREN's lot in regard to it has been a
singular one. 1t was a principal cause of
that fierce hostility with which the Adolf
tionists have ever since regarded him; and
yet, from the period when he first became
the Democratic candidate for the Vice
Presidency, it has been selected by the South
ern Federalists as their most u~ntiring
theme of vituperation. That the censures Of
the latter are peculiarly unjust, this exposi.
tion, Which has been often made, Of his course
in regard to this particular measure, abun-
dainty proves; but, in addition TO this, it may
be truly said that no public man in the
Northern States ever evinced a more uni.
form determination to pursue, in regard to
all questions Of negro slavery, that course
which is demanded from all those who res.
pect the rights Of the South and the com.
PROMISES Of the Constitution. At the early
period to which we havs been referring, it is