Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1863-09-30
Judge Woodward on the Word
s' Whise'' in our Constitution.

In January 1888, twenty-five years
ago, a great question came before the
Convention which made our present Con-
stitution whether the right to vote should
be confined TO the white men, or extended
50 as to embrace the blacks To the
powerful efforts and speech of Judge
Woodward upon that occasion, we are
indebted for that word in our Constitution
which now, in view of the emancipation
policy of the Administration, becomes more
valuable than ever. The Judge commcn-
ced his great speech upon the motion to
insert the word "white' by saying:
Who ought to be voters in Pennsyl-
vania, or, in other words, who ought to
have political control of our government
This is question of the first impression
and of great magnitude. When you have
established and distributed its powers
among the several departments-legisla-
tive, executive and judicial, it remains TO
decide who shall direct and control that gOU-
ernnent- The machine may be well sup
Piled with all the necessary wheels and
springs, but in preparing and fitting them
no question can arise of SO great impor-
tance, as aUho Sae&N hare tie regulation Of
| It's motions and direction, ,Cien 1t Is finished
and ready jor use. The question has now
to be answered, with reference to two
distinct and separate classes of men, the
/ whites aad the blacks. and for all the re-
( fiction | have bccn able 10 give on the
subject, am prepared to say, the 0ottica
/ po1cerS or this government, ought TO be erer-
! c1sed erciusrey by ,chits men. In coming
to this conclusion / have endeavored, a:
( far as possible, TO divcst my mind OF al
/ popular prejudiccs against the African
race, whom We have among us. They de
serve my synpathies, and they have them
but | feel unwilling TO surrender this gov
ernment, in whole, or in part, into thei
. keeping, and l am, therefore, prepared Il
vote for this amendment and to say in on
Constitution that the voters Of Pennsylva
MIA shall be WHITE freernen."
He then proceeded in a statesman lik
manner TO support his position, in reply t
Thad1eus Stephens and others who ha
spoken in favor Of comforting the right t
vote upon blacks.
Several years ago President Lincol
made a speech on this same subject at
gathering Of negroes in Cincinnati for tn
purpose of presenting Mr.. Chase, nov
Secretary Of the Treasury. with a siivt
pitcher. Then and there Mr.. Lincol
said. amid tie sweet aroma Of persp!rlr
negroes, - We feel, therefore, that all Il
u. distinctions between individuals Of Il
same community, founded IN dny such CT
cuna&u,ces as color, origin or the like, al
: hostile TO the genius OF our institutions ar
incompatible with the true history
American liberty I embrace with pie
J. sure, this opportunity of declaring my d'
appreciation of the clause of the Constit
ion which denies to that portion of Il
colored people the right of suffrage"
Gov Curtin belongs to the same scho
of Abolitionists. In his recent speech a
cepting the nomination he said nothi
against the Presidents emancipation a
/. negro equality policy.
White men of Pennsylvania, are any
you governed by your passions and pre-
dices as to be willing to admit negroes
terms of political and social equality
- so, vote for Curtin, if not vote for Jud
:! Woodward.