Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-03-30

matter that will address itself to the iudrm.nt
OF the " hls people Of the several States, when
the right OF say ing " no shall and who shsl,
not vote at elections-is q matter which the
Constitution carefully secures to the people of
me several States snd does not permit Con-
ffess in any msEleT to interfere with.
The &C emission of negroes to the privilege Of
Noune al elections is not q new question. 1t
Is very cid ons, dating as far BACK as the
adoption OF the consi q ton In N or d Carolina
ano 1enr'ssee. and possibly in come other
sIavehojdIng State OF States, certain classes of
free negroes had he right OF voting, Just as a
voting in the State of New York. In Masss-
cLusets, and perhaps in other New Ems land
States, negroes are admitted to the elective
franchise and are eligible TO office; neverthe-
lsts, sxc.pt in abolition speeches. the M re
is practically regarded with as little political
And social respect as he is any other StlIe
OF the Union. The proposition to admit groes
to the privilege OF voting has made but little
progress during the last halF century. aud
throwing out the vote OF that class In Ne "
York, We DO not believe the aggregate free
negro vote in the United States will reach two
thousand woes. We see no evidence OF any
progress in Puhlic sentiment towards the ad-
mission OF negroes TO the elective franchise; on
the contrary, We think the hostility to such g.
mt asu il more intense now than ever. Under
the fear that the war would bring to tnis State
an adcit.obal black population, the people OF
Illinois, by nearly unanimous vote, eighteen
mC u his ago, decided that no negro sh ,uld ever
be aom'tt. to any politi al PRIVILEGE N this
STATE, and ~ vote but little less oyerwhelm-
ing d, ClsTed that no negro shouid ever be per-
miited 10 come into the State of Illinois for the
purpose OF -sidrnce. 1t the same questions
were submitted 10 the people Of Illinois to. day,
tisy would repeat their former decisions lust
a. smpbaica as they did in 1862
The control of the privilege of voting is SO
completely within the power # the States, each
WITHIN its own jurisdiction, that 1t is not likely
tfat neg o equality in political affairs vii,
make sry extensive progress within the next
IwtTtS Years, ard after that, the negro race
havir e ceased To b. slaves, III have lost an
their claim npon th- philanthropy Of their
press NJ special champions.
hi rs p nding before Con grass to extend TO
TIE negroes IN Washington city the right of
voting for municipal officers. That hill may
pass. tu' i. Is u remarkable fact that if il dors
pass II will pass by The votes If men from
Uhio, lndisrs, Iii os, Iowa and Wisconsin.
who would not vote At home to cont.r a iiGe
Priyieg' on their Negroes # their respective
=. st s. Mr. ArHod may find it con ven ,ent and
pHiriorc TO No,e for negro. suffrage in the Dis
trlct o. CClumbi, bur M Arnold could not
Re 'uduced to voc ia Chicago tor negro sur
frase n Illinois. II il be proper to force q
lar,f negro vote on TIL peop,e OF WA,hilx:1a
city, v fy l. il not proper and right I'D do the
same il tbica1 o! Nevertheless, the IA u is
We have s1ateo. and j. o0ly serves 10 show
how utterly shonest is the whole G: hame OF
tonfr.ssional leeisla ton upon the negro ques-
ten ChicOso Post ...