Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-08-22
AN UGLY CREORD.

lHb ABOllTloN OANDlDAIE run ouDub
OF THE SUPREME COURT IN FAVOR OF
NEGRO SUFFRAGE.
The Unontown Genius of Liberty ex-
poses the course Of Judge AaNEw in the
Reform Convention on the question OF
negro suffrage. 1t should deprive him of
the vote of every man in the State who
believes that our free white ancestors
framed our institutions for free white men
and their descendants forever. We quote
from the Genius -
"The Republicans have been as unfor-
tunate in the nomination of Judge Agnew
as in that of Gov. Curtin. He was mem.
Der of the Convention which framed the
Constitution of 1898 +; and his course in
that body on the question of negro suffr.
age was such as will not very strongly
commend him to the favor of white men.
at is known that under the Constitution
oil 1880 it was mooted question whether
colored men were entitled to vote. In
some parts Of the State they we're allowed
to exercise the right, and in others it was
denied them. In the Convention of 1888
called to amend the Constitution, it was
proposed to put this question at rest by
confning the elective franchise to white
men only. With this view Mr.. Martin, of
Philadelphia, on the 23d of June, 1887,
offered the following proviso to Sd article !:
"Rouided, also, That the rights of an
elector shall in no case extend to others
than free white male citizens.''
'On this proviso the yeas and nays were
called, and Judge Agnew voted against it,
and Judge Woodward, the present Demo.
cratic candidate for Governor, who was
also member of the Convention, voted
for it. The proviso was lost.-(Debates,
vol. 3, page 9I.)
"On the 18th of January, 1888, Mr..
Martin renewed his effort, by moving to
insert the word "white' among the quail
ifications for voters. Upon this motion a
long and able debate ensued Judge Wood
ward taking an active and leading part in
favor of the motion and against negro suf
frage. On the goth of January vote
was taken on the motion, by yeas and
nays, and the word "white" was inserted
in the third article of the Constitution,
Judge Agnew voting against it and Judge
Woodward for it. debates, volumne 10,
page l6)
10 that motion, thus carried against the
opposition of Judge Agnew, we owe the
fact that negroes are not to-day voters in
Pennsylvania.
can attempt was subsequently made to
continue the right OF suffrage to those neg
. roes who had before exercised it; and for
this Judge Agnew voted, on the principle
that "balf loaf is better than no bread"
Judge Woodward voted against it.
This is the man for whom white men
are asked to vote. Had be succeeded in
making negroes voters, his chances of elec-
ton would now be pretty fair; but as
white men are, through the efforts of men il,
like Judge Woodward ,alone invested with
the invaluable right of suffrage, it is not
likely that Judge Agnew will ever reach
the Supreme Bench.
awe cannot refrain from giving the
oono iuuihg par agrapn OF powerful speech
made in the Convention by Judge Wood
ward on this question of negro suffrage:
Il am sure the sober sense of our citizens
would be outraged by decision that
negroes are to vote, and this will be de-
clded if you reject the amendment. At
no stage of our history have our people
been willing to give them this right, and
now let us not offend against nature, and
DO violence TO the general feeling, by say
ing that in all time to come they shall pos
sess it. Let us net reduce the inestimable
right OF suffrage to this degradation, lest
the people spurn it from them las unworthy
any longer of their affections, but let US
preserve and bequeath it as we have in
herlted it, and then posterity will have no
reproaches for our memories