North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-09-09

THE ABOLITION CANDIDATE FOR JUDGE or
Z drHE E soPREmE COURT IN FAVOR OF NEGRO
SUFFRAGE.
The Uniontown Genius of Liberty expose
the Course Of Judge Agnew IN the Ret rm
Convention on the question of negro suffrage.
II shonld deprive him Of the vote of every
man in the State who believes that our free
white ancestors framed our institutions for
tree white men and their descendants t,rev,
er. We quote from The Geaius.
" The Republicans nave been as unf,rtu.
nate IN the nomination of Judge Agnew "a in
that OF Governor Curtin. He was member
'f The Constitution Of 1888; and his cour.a
IN that body on the questl Of negro sne.
frsge was such as will not very strongly com
mend him to the favor Of white men.
" Ii is known that under the Constitution
of 1870 1t was a IN otel Question wha,ner
c"l"red men were entitled to vote. In some
parts ofthe State they were allowed to exer-
clse the right, a I'd IN others it was denied
them. In The Convention Of 1888, caIIe,7 to
amend the CrnstI' ution, it was prnuosed tn
put this question at rest by conhnining the
elective franchise to white men only. With
this view Mr. MarIn, OF Philadelphia. on The
% Of June, 1897, offered the following pro.
Wis, to the 81 article: ....
& Provided, also, That the rights Of an
election shall in no ease extend to o;herg
than free white male cItlzens.'
:" On this proViso the yeas and nays were
called, and Judge Agnew voted agr.,st it
and Judge Woodward the present Democrat
&c candidate for Governor, whu was also u
member of the Convention, voted for i.
The Eroviso was lost ( Debates, vol Sd
page 81
;" Oh The 18th of January, 1888, Mr.. Mar,
TN renewed his efDrt, by moving to insert
the word white among the qualifications for
voters. Upon this muton long and able
debate ensued, Judge Woodward taking an
active and leading part ID favor of the motion
aud against negro suffrage. On the Goth OF
January vote was taken on the motion, by
Yeas and nays, and the word white vas In.
serted IT tire third article of the Constitution
Judge Agnew voting against it and Judge
Woodward for it.-(Debatcs, vol. 10
page l06)
10 that motion, thus carried against tho
opposition of Judge Agnew, we owe the fac.
That negroes are uot to day voters in Penn
sylvanIs.
An attempt was subsequently, made to
continue the right OF suffrage to those negroes
who had before ex rel ell it aud for this
Judge Asnew voted, on the principle that
hall loaf is better than no bread Judgs
Woodward voted ae ainst it.
ms is theman Tor whom white men are
asked to vote. Had he succeeded in making
negroes voters, his chances hf election wouId
now be pretty fair; but white men are,
through The efforts Of men like Judge Wood.
ward, aione invested with the invaluable
right OF suffrage, it is not likely thai Judge
A9neW VIII e'er Reach the Supreme Bench
We cannot refrain from giving the con-
clud'ns paragraph OF powerful speech made
IN the CnnvenIio, by Judge Woodward on
th> qn' stl"n ui negro suffrage.
am sure the sober sense of citizens
would be outraged by a decision that negroes
are To vote, and this will be decided 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
rgainSt nature, and do violence TO the et neral
feeling, by saving that in all time to come
they SHALL possess it Let us not rcauce
the inesfimable right of suffrage to this deg
radiation, lest the people spnrn it from them,
as unworthy any longer of tLeir affections,
but let US preserve and beGneath it as we
have inherited it, and then pps,erity will
have no reproacheS for our memories.