New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-06-24
LETTER FROM ROBERT DALE OWEN
Negro Suffrage ind Representative Population.
The Three-Fifth Principle in Aggravated
Form.
70 PIE PREsrpEHT.

Sir: From the recollectionS now twenty years
all of the wars when we were Congressman together
derive abiding faith In your propty your pouiot
lam and vorr stern devotion ~ democratic principle
u, ma tn address TO you and through you to the Peo
vs over whom YOU preside. few oonnderetims toueh
lxw greet measure OF public lolcs know 'ha' u ~
spur habit kindly receive, even from private anu
unofficial source such honest suggestions as are OF
character involving cconsl harmony and the National
ssfety.
There IL an aspcet Of the nesro.sufh~ve question
which has 1 think arrested less attention than IL
merits: not the aspect Of right; not the question
,-vbether in restoring 10 a lowy and humble race.
xuvn-trallen for ages, their outraged liberty, we
cught to give them the ballot defend tt Int queo-
ton more Selfish relating 20 own racei one not OF
sentiment but Of calculations essentially practical and
of imminent importance.
Permit me- first to recall TO jour notice few facts
which any one BY reference to the census OF 1860 and
70 the Constitution. can verify.
Tn sc,.sl poppation OF the States Composing the
Onion anu their rprssnatre population have hitherto
diff ered considerably Inc actual popnlation,in lec
bebsg Upward Of thirty.one millions (3 lts04'l ana
the represents I've population about twenty-five mii
ho m and half cny C9 $3.50. The difference DO
~ ten the TIVE is nearly million xix hundred thon
"a nd 05e477D Soe Compendium Of Census. pages
13h, la2-
The reason Of this is apparent IL tie year 1860 thei
ese in round NUMBERS four million OF Slaves 39g'
BIZ In these States These slaves were not estimated
the repre- sentative population. ran for man. Five Of
Rem were estimated three FOR by the Constitutional
provision regulating the bass Of representation (Art
Sec y. there was 10 be taken the ghola nnmoer
of free persons and three-fhs % all other persons
Two-fftbs of the "otla. persons were LETT out Bnl
stwoffths Of four millions is one million six hundred
tlousani
About two million four busdred thousand Of the
slaves be regarded having entered under the
last Census into the besis Of representation In Other
words the white save-holling population Of the South
obtained political antege the same as that which
they would have rcaped by actual addition TO rheii
population Of two million four hundred thousand fire.
persons As under tie last Census the rao of repTeseI
1ation fixed at hundred and twenty seven ou
and Census page o the South in virtue OF that ,ea
fiction Of two million foar hundred Thousand addition,
freeneD. had eighteen members Of Congress added
her representation Her total number OF representa-
tives being cibtyfou she owed moro than one fit
Of thar number to her Gave prcpe = 1t follows tha
IT, In q republican goveIDment the number OF free per
sons be the proper basis Of representation she ha'
rpward Of oneff.h political influence than Ie
Just shsrc. Each OF her voters possessed powe
ESQ far the election OF the President OF the House
90 nth than that of .ch Northern voter.
No friendly eqsal fights. even Oeng q
Whe NAM he restricts the principle 10 persons Of his
own coo7, will offer Justification Of partition Of 10
hcal power so unfair as his 1t not defended, on
prncpls by these who assented to H. II accepted
necessity, supposed necessity, in the construc
tion oct Of discordant materials, Of the American
Union
We ot tire North have hitherto acted upon it.
a. III - &,tusf.a
~ 1t were under protest We preferred Unequal dyis
ION Of power regeIss the two great sections Of thu
Republic to the chance of arascly.
?. That w1s in the past. Are We in tie future having
got rid BY terrible sacrifice of tie OF that nius.
lice still TO tolerate the Injustice IL .f in aggra
vGted forms Doubtless that our hands are free.
we have ouch intention. Let rs take heed lest VIC
increase and perpetuste this abuse en often do,
-. without intention.
Seldom ever, hes there been imposed any ruler
. task more thickly surrounded vita difficulties thar
that now before ven, Of reconstruct in The late in
sunec,ionary Stateg Uncertain of the sen.
tnents and intentions Of just crying from =
Initiating defeat little more be done thea TO in
tte experiment and then wait 10 whnt OF
4 1t would be premature to lay down any settled All
fom Which, let eyests turn they viii there Is to be
40 departu.c We are traveisng unknown and treach.
ercus seas, and must take soundirg5 as we &c. Aor
should we omit tie precauon OF sha-p lookout for
breakers ahead It seems 10 that we msy expect
such On the course are parsnine.
The present experiment appears to be, TO leave TIE
work OF reconstructing Government in the late Rebel
South ~ the loyal whites or accurately stated
to the whites who shell have Purged themseges from
che crime of treason (actual or implied) IS Al
oath taken from whatever motive effect tueh pur-
CATION Will this experiment, if it proceed min peded
result in tie permanent exclusion Of the negro from
sufraget
IN proof that il vin II might suffice 10 remember
that these meB have grown up IN the belief-havc been
1ndoc-ihste ed fro the cradle in rho eonvotion-tat
the African is degraded Add that the has
brought the blacks and Whites Of the South into antag
oaise rel,tions eXaperating against the former alike
TIE rich planters from whose msstershp they fod and
the "poor Whites" who always hated them, and to
twkom emsncr ston Causing despsed to their leve
II personal affr0nt.
But there Is Eotiye for exclusion IN this case
stronger than anger. powerful than haired-the
incentive Of sef ACKNOWLEDGEMENT They who made
de judges be the but vastly tue
ganers-5y taeir own decisian.
Observe the working Of this thing BY the COnsttu.
ton the representative population il TO CONSIST Of al
free persons and three ftbs Of I'll other persons IT, By
se1t Winter Slavery ball have disappeared. there will
be other persons in tie South. Her actual popl-
lation will then coincide with her representative popa
Gtion. She viii have gained as 10 Federal represe To-
tor GOD coo srsons She viii be entitled not 0w
10 "a meubers hut "a; and her votes for Prcident