Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-05-24
Tuesday Mornings Nay "a.

- Vub4 great oo1ecuon raised by wendell
Phillips to the presidents plan of recon-
StruCtiOn is, that It does not make voters
of the negroes. he says that the war has
destroyed whatever loyalty there Was
among the white men of the South, and
that We must either govern the southern
states for . generation as territories aud
keep great standing armies there, or We
must make the freed negroes the rulers Of
the South. He does not believe the Fdmin-
istration will have the courage to do this,
aud therefore he goes against the admtnis-
tration. and fbe were a negro he says he
would pray that the war might go on for
twenty years. or until the political rights
ofblack Americans are secured.
The question of negro suffrage is also be-
fore the United States Senate, in a bill
amending the charter of the city of Wash
'ingtons The bill as reported makes no dis.
ttuction OF color in the exercise of the fran.
chise. Senator Cowau of Pennsylvania
moved to insert the word "white." sena.
tor Morrill, of Maine, moved as q substitute
for Senator CoWau's amendment provis.
ion requiring of AL voters a years. resi-
dencG 10 the District, taxable estate. and
ability to read and write. Senator Tsn
Byek of New Jersey, opposed this indirect
mode of exoludtng. poor aud unIearned me-
grOes because it at the same time excluded
the same classes of white voters.
senator Wilson, OF Mass, thought that
prOp,r qualification of $3.50, as in
New York, would be the best Limitation Of
suffrage; he would not counsent to make
s,difference on account of color or race.
Senator Wiley, of this State, opposed ne.
gro suffrage, because the people of the
District are against it, and have reason to
be, since the ignorant negroes of the Dis.
trict would control the elections; not
only SO, itwGuld irritsts the border states
and excite prejudice against emancipation.
Mr.. Sumner, in his arrogant way, accused
Senator Wiley of indicating slavery 10
one of its meanest exhibitions. Senator
Wiley replied with spirit, denying that he
defended slavery, and said that when Mr..
Sumner should liberAte as many slaves as
he had he might claim to be better friend
of liberty. Senator oowau also rebuked
Mr.. Sumner with considerable spirit
for always charging friendship for
slavery upon senator's who did not FOL.
Tow all his notions as to special measures.
he said that Illinois, New York and Penn.
sylvauia were against negro suffrage, aud
that the measure cannot DO forced upon
the country: Senator Lane of Kansas for
once was eminently sensible, aud said that
while he should oppose any property quail
ihcation for suffrage, he was not in hurry
to put votes into the hands of negroes; let
them wait three years and become acquain-
ted with their political duties aud capable
of exercising them. before we bestoW upon
them the right Of suffrage.
The difficulty with such men as Phillips,
Is that they insist upon applying princi.
pies at once and without regard TO cir.
cumstances and conditions. They are
clearly right in demanding that ali men
shallhave their natural rights, without re-
gard to race or color. Grant this abso.
lutely and without qualification and vel
the idea of making voters Of the negroe.
ofthe South is none tho less absurd and
dangerous.