New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-06-21
EFCO INSTRUCTION.
CoIorcd Men Entitled 70 votc-Rcporf OF
the Committee on Reconssr"ctiou APP
pc:nted by the Central Union Club.

pointed by the Centrni tnion N""'
meeting of the Executive Board of the
Central Union Club Of Brooklyn was held On Saturday
evening at which committee appointed 70 consider
the whole subject Of reconstruction ana report thereon 10
the Board next Wednesday evening. This report has
been prepared and is as follows.
To me Erecpt,re Board Of the Central Union Cub q
Brood
Tie undersigned, to whom. by a vote OF tho Board
the questions arirg out Of the policy Of tue Anin'ra
ton In regard 20 reconstruction OF the Southern
States were referred, respectfully report 49,
| l. The reconstruction of Government IN the " Sc
ceded states Is subject Of the prOioundeSi interest 10
every American citizen. While the task -e belongs
10 the National Government. adinlnlstercl D! INC
President and Congress u srght GId Wise that every
citizen should form his oxr Judgment ANA Freely eS
Ure,s II; Ours a Government OF shs proDit, ana our
chosen uors do not and cannot desire that the people
should he silent upon snch grave ana dircuf qucs-
tions In frank and loyal spirit we shouia oHef our
suggestions and IN the same srir We should submit
10 the voice OF the whole nation legally expressed
IL AS abstract question. your committee have n}i
fer called upon 20 say whether IN all cases and IN sll
communities n uneducated coored man should be al
lowed to vote BIi looking Of the condition o. the re.
VOTED States II actually exists-wth thonsands on
dislOyal ignorant. hacivlaed people, whom no uaths
and no tests can cfectualy keep nom the ballot Dox-
we are iuy convinced that It Is eninent' desiIahe
and indeed Decessar! 10 the equipose OF the Govern
rnent that no distinctions should be made in those
States Oh account OF color iar the suffrage IL con
cerncd Universal suffrage can be sustained only UPON
tie theory that the ignorant and unihii are ~ much
div idcd by their pIcHdlces and Int est al are the 10
eicsnt aud prosperous classes And this ;hcor, IL Al
most always fonnd to be true. But II any ariboiL line
is drawn between men equally ignorant ana Mile,s
We instantly throw the Government into tie bshcs o'
single class actuated 10y common prendices and tend
ing to unbllalce the state
Especally ~ this true Of the soutE- The great
nrty OF the white people there have b~cn rurposell
keut NJ ignorant and nearly az poor A. tho negroes
themselves. Their ignorance has been practiceu upon
10 make them dsoya. Ii IN certain that they cannot
IA. trusted If left alone carry on the Government o
their States check must be placed upon them
or they VIII huiy the solemn pledges OF 'he NATION 70
the freedmen ana make the south intOeTaDle ~ ioya
Shall this check be found in osihs Of allegiance
These are taken without sIn'erity ana dsreRarucu
without shame Shall II be ionnd III constant SUPP
vision nv Congress by the military pow"t Tbs
would DESTROY the independence OF the States ana
change our whole ioGu oi government ~ seoIs !"
your Committee that Providence has answered inc
Question for Us. -Four millions ~ coored people-no
more ignorant than The OF The wLiies IN me dSo
gained States while necessarily oyaand bound To the
nuse of Tho nation with chains that cannot De Drokcn
arc there ready 10 hands lfthey have the Iighi
Of suffrage they NAV he mlsled on minor questions bn
On the vital question: Sha! tar Nation iYei hoy oah
move, be ,ed1ced into negative All the rig.s o the
States can b. preserved aud yet the Union stand I'M
movable -,
| Ill The most important question is, ehethoi the
right OF suffrage be conferred upon the co!0red
peore of the South without violating the rghis of the
Staes II has been too hastily assumed by many per
sons that II cannot be. Your committee have carefully
wed the whole sunlect. anu lhchtiEAlcO
siiutons and laws of the States as wen a. other legal
authorities The conclusion Mt which they have arrived
49, that all the colorcd people Of the seven dsorgnnzed
States have y night to vote. which cannot be taken
away from them nv any power short Of state Convex
ton elected by the whole people of each state
The grounds upon which wo base THIS conclusion We
can but briefly state;
!. The case OF Georgia IS peculiar one ana one
which admits of no doubt The Constitution of that
81 % prescribes no qualification for electors except that
they must be citis and inhabitants oi tDe state
af
required of them" The word white" nowhere
occurs the Constitution in connection with the night
OF suffrage We quote from an edition prepared under
the direction Of the State by Howell Cobb IN leJy. The
authority will. trust be deemed satisfactory al
though the character of Mr. COBB. ~ man OF honor
has deteriorated since that time
The Constitutions Of North Carolina. South Caro-
hno and Georgia contain provision in respect 10 the
right OF suffrage, except with regard to elections Tor
the Legislature and Governor; South Carolina none as
10 the Governor be not being chosen by the people
There is nothing said IN these constitutions about the
right OF suffrage for local Offices that being regulated
bv statu'es 49,
3 The Constitutions OF Florida, Alabama. Missis
sppi and Texas prescribe that every free white
male &c. &c, shall be deemed qualified elector'-
The Constitution OF Florida adding al all elections
nnder this Constitution These Constitutions declare
that the Governor and Legislature shall be chOsen by
me qualified electors" but they every one declare by
marked and important contrast. that IHH PEOPLE
mot the qualified electors only have nj all times an
inaenable right to alter or abolish Their foym OF gov
ernmnpt In such manner they may deem expedent."
A. There is Constitution law, or ordinance now In
force in any Of the dsorgGnizcd States winch
regulates defines orlimts the rgtof suffrage for dele
rates 10 a Sate COnrsniioa.
From these facts proceed TO consider the inferen
ces of law Delegates 10 a State Convention are not
officers under the Constitution Of the State. They are
entjrely above It, They represent the people acting IN
tLeir sovereign capacity altering sbohIng their
snrn of government" What then in the absence of
osi,c law shall limit the right Of the people TO vote
~, spch delegates The Constitution of North Caro-
lima nrescrbes qualification for an elcctor OF the
Sen.e and another for elcctor Of the House OF Com
least II did down to the latest date OF which
c can find sny record. Which OF these qualifications
hall me reoured Of voter for Conventonf No writ
TO- iar daternines The Constitutions OF Georgia and
San n Carolina require certain property quaiihealonS
nj tIer Legislatures. DO these apply TO members OF
convection : ., .,,. 3; ;, III
RICH, of m, p,ops OF State to elect Convention ana
To frame cannot be- and Is not ateinf TED
to be restricted by constitutions or laws Inc Peope
are sovereigpnot the qualified electors iOf to'erhors
or Legislatures And in the seven States now under
consideration there is no human power thnt can even
pretend to right 70 exclude any citizen IRON he po
who excluded BY the universal usage OF Hse peo'
pies. This usage does not exclude the coiorea nnh.
He IL legal voter TO-DAY IN all the New England o'",ss
except Connecticut Ho Is voter IN tns olan. ne
was allowed TO vote in North Carolina ana iehhossec
until 1885, and have said Ia allowed 10 VOC ny
the Constitution Of Georgia as 1t exists to-day
In support OF our doctrine that restrictions
by law upon elections for Governors and Legislatures
do apply 10 elections for State Conventons We
hrsav " tbs oaAss Of klaaigas Nad AlkARSM " leVo.