New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-03-25
suf,rsre and tbe prorpipa News.


Suffrage in our City,
80, ,he Island froubles took the broad ground
that Manhood uss sufficient and indefeasibe oualifea
ton 10 exercise the Right Of Suffrage whether In accord
ance with or defiance OF the existing Constitution &C
&c asserting the right OF the dsfanchsed TO entranchse
Themselves by whatever means they should think pro
per.
To this the Morning News replies: ,,,,,,
We positively deny the Truth of hi, statement, .ane'sed
The Tribune produce proof, retracf' or ''sH' 0'-
sandcrer-whicht "
Here is some OF IL
r, the Democratic Rerter, Vol. XII p. y, &c Is an
article on The Rhode Island Question we pre-
sumo the Editor of the Morning Neaos will not deny
its horship-mantaining the proposition embodied
in an affirmative answer 10 this question:
AFTER a Constitution is once adopted By which an
electoral body is established smaller than the 1hok
p.opk does there still remain legal right 10 change that
Constitution In not provided By the Constitu.
ton ITSELF and without the consent of the electoral body
To this query of its own the Democratic answers
This depends entirely on another question whether
the rights which belonged 10 the whole people they
entered into tho social compact or when al the he'ou
ton they formed new Government, were Transferable
or defeassle That the formation OF the social COM
pact all mot all lhe men were equal and entered
into as SUCH have clearly shown That at the Re
volution they acted equals again, is equally clear
Have they surrendered lost that equalty-hat equal
right TO participate in the Government that equal right
that every man hath his freedom, without being sub
jected TO the will authority Of any other man
ansoeT this is contained IN the Dectdrdop o. IndepeHd
epcs and firmly imbcdded in fundamental Hns as
glorious cnces,ors had some Prese1tnHet .Nat t
might some inglor'Ons day nhen M's 8Tsd' TtSmy
rights should be questioned
DECLARATION INDEPENDENCE
awe hold these truths be telfevdent: That al 1ren
Inn, all te rneD created equal that they are endow
ed by their with certain rsALiESABLE rights maj
among these are fe liberty snd The pursuit OF happiness
deriving their just powers from me CONSENT ot THE
GOVERNED" &c. &c.
The writer, in another place states that, as con-
sequence of our Declaration of independence.
1.-The phole population RENTED to their original
rights to their rights men-to their natural
equality Ecuy person. OF competent age and judgment
had as much right any other participate in the ne"
Government. No man, or number of men, had any right
TO exclude any other from his equal share IN lis
foundation.
Is not this plain and pertinent? Mr.. O'Sullivan
proceeds 10 argue that any restriction or Limitation
of the right of Suffrage was valid only as an act oil
the whole peoplc-a delegation of power to some TO
subserve the interest or convenience of ALL He In
ssts that this delegated power may be resumed at
any time by the whole people, without the consen!
of the parties TO whom the power may have been
delegated is, the Legal Voters and the Gov
eminent constituted by them He says:
whether they THE whole peopel have in any OF
their constitutions restricted the Right OF Suffrage or not
the rght,o open or change at any time is
If all persons entered into the social compact equal
rights and if their rghs could not be transferred OF o
feed thfy haze them still, and their srercsse o. mem
depends on their oun SoM and pleasure
1.-The People, we repeat, are all nose nh0 ~@e cdPaoe
Of entering The social compact" &C. DC.
Mr. O'Sullivan proceeds 10 show the grounds on
which Minors, Women, Non Residents, Slaves
(where Slavery exists Idiots and Insane persons
are made exceptions to this rule, but never once in
Inmates that Blacks or any other class are to be ex
cluded, whether on account of Intellectual weak
ness Social depression or for any cause whatever
He sums up as follows:
I'VE believe now that have gone over the whole
ground and that sale 10 asserting it to be the law
OF all the American States wherever Slavery does not
exist that The Sovereignty resides an The rhofe BODY Of ddR
male permaneRt3esdeats of sound mind II this be JUST
conclusion then the right Of majority Of tbs BODY 10
change The government pleasure, mhateva may be ne
,oishcs Of the electors is beyond dispute"
Have we quoted enough? Or shall we go on In
If the main drift and purpose OF the
article from which we quote, as of many others in
the same work from the Editors pen, be not to
establish precisely that Right of the Disranchised
TO Eniranchse themselves whichwe asserted in our
former article then is our apprehension gross and
misty indeed We care not whether the author
take back his charge Of SANDER or attempt by
some bubble TO reconcile his Dorrism with his
hostility to. Universal Suffrage now-the ease is
clearly SO plain that amount of Artful Dodging
will avail him.
Passing, n silent contempt, his impuation OF the
basest motives TO US in advocacy ofthe Rights OF
the wronged and tramped African Race, we pro-
coed to answer fully his questions 10 us on the Ne
gro question: viz:
al You enumerate among your Reforms 10 be strug-
gled for exclusion of citizens from political rights
on account Of birth, property creed or color What
exclusion does any citizen suffer by reason OF either
birth creed or except negroes, OF property
"2 Another reform is to be the abolition of every
ves,ige of feudalism and slavery What
tge of Slavery now remains in this Statei
80 Are you in favor Of negro jurors, officers and nEe
men, as well as OF negro voters q
To these queries we reply:
l. We have already answered this to the News
hardly five days ago. The ex action from one class
Of our citizens of Property Qualification estab.
fishes an unjust and odious principle as thoroughly
as though that exaction were more general. The
exclusion of Clersymen from office is a virtual dis
on account Of Religion, and ought 10
be abolished at once. We are opposed 10 exacting
any qualification for Office except majority of the
Legal Votes.
9 All the exclusions aud distinctions in our pre-
sent Constitution. laws and usages, founded on or
relating Color, vestiges of Slavery and ought
10 be rooted out.
3. We see no reason whateverwhy negroes should
be debarred from forming Fire companies and aid,
ing to put out fires as well as othet men. We are
not degraded by the fact that Negroes may become
Editors how can any be by allowing them TO become
Frer,en? AS to Officers, we in favor of letting
the Voters choose such they think fit in every
case though as we very rarely hear Of poor who
live by their daily toll getting Office we apprehend
the chances of Colored Men in any case are slender
indeed. We do not see why general rule of oh.
vous justice should be subverted in this case. So
as to Jurors If There be such antipathy between
Whites and Blacks is pretended let Juries of the
latter be summoned only in cases where Blacks are
Webelieve w hiie men who are dragged
apon Jury after Jury will very cheerfully concede
such cases 10 Juries of the defendants color.