The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-07-28
General Garfield on Negro Suffrage.

tract from the able aud eloquent oration
Of Gen. Garfield al Raveuna, on the 4th
inst, wherein he urged with irresistible
logic, the right Of the negro to vote:
Let US rot commit, ourselves to the ab.
surd and scuseless dogma, that the color Of
tho skin shall DO the basis of suf ago. tho
tho taisman of liberty. [Applause adj.
nit that it is perIlous to confer the fran.
chise upon the ignorant and degraded, but,
If an educational test cannot be established
10. suffrage bo extended to all of proper
uge, regardless of color. 1t may we'll be
questioned whether tho negro does not un.
) dersiund tho nature of our institutions bot.
: ter than tho equally ignorant foreigner
He was Intelligent enough to understand
from tho beginning of this war that the
destiny of bis race was involved ia it. He
was intoligent enough to Do uuo to that
Union which his educated aud traitorous
master was endoavoring TO destroy. He
came to US 10 the hour of eorest need and
|, by his aid, uDdor God, tho Republic was
saved tApplause Shall We now be guilty
OF the unutterable meanness, not Of thrust
ing him beyond the pale of its blessing. but
OF committing his destiny to the tender
mercics OF those pardoned rebels who have
Uccu Gu IeiuC'aHbV 10 thk0 tOOlr
feet from his neck and their bands from
his throat? But soDe ono says it is danger
Gus at this timo to make new experiments.
l answer, is is always safe to do JUSTICE
| Applause But to grant suffrage to the
black man in this country is not innovation
but restoration. 1t is u. return to tho an.
cont principles and practice of the fathers
Lot me rotor you to u few facts in our histo.
ry which have been but little studied By the
people and politicians of this generation.
l. During the war of the Revolution, and
iD 1886. the date of tho adoption of our na.
tional constitution, there was but one State
among the thirteen whose constitution re
fused tho right of suffrage to the negrO.-
That State was South Carolina. Some, il is
true established a property qualification, all
made freedom prerequisite. But none
save South Carolina made color . condition
ofsuffrage.
2. The Federal Constitution makes no
such distinction, nor did the Articles of Con
federation. In tho Congress of the Con.
federation. on the 25th of juno, 1878, the
fourth article was under discussion. 1t pro.
vidod That the free Inhabitants Of oach of
these States shall be entitled to all priv.
ilogcs and mmunites of tho several States"
The delegates from South Carolina moved
TO insert between tho words "free inhabi.
.ants' the word "nhite," thus denying the
privileges and immunilies of citizenship to
to the colored mar. According to the rules
Of the C9pvOntion. each State had but l vote.
Eleven States voted on tho question. One
was divided. Two votod aye, and eight vo .
tod no. (See Eiliot's Debates, Vol. I, p.
9O) 1t was thus early. and almost unani.
mously. decided that freedom, no. color
should be the t's ofcitizenship. (Applause.
g. No Federal legislation prior to 1912
placed any restriction on the right OF suf.
frage in consequence of the color of tho cit.
izen. During that poriod the Congress
passed ton separate laws, establishing new
Territories. In all those. freedom and no.
color was tho basis of suffrage.
4. Alter nearly quarter OF century
OF prosperity under the Constitution, the
spirit OF sluvory 80 far triumphed over the
early principles and practice of the govern.
mcnt that in 1912 South Carolina and her
followers in Congress, succeeded in insert.
ing tho word "whito' in tho suffrage clause
Of Act establishing a Territorial govern
ment in Missouri. One by ono tho slave
States, and many Of tho free States, gave
way before this crusade Of slavery against
negro citizenship.
In 1917. Connecticut caught the infcc.
top. and n her constitution she xcluded the
negro from tho ballot.box. In every other
Now England State bis ancient right of
suffrage has remained and stiIl remains un.
disturbed.
Froe negroes voted in MARYLAND till 1888;
| in North Carolina ill 1885; in Pennsyl.
vania until 1898. 1t was the boast of Cave
johnson, of Tennessee, that he owed bis
election to Congress in 1928 to tho free ne
bad Lii
excluded from suffrage in 1884 under the
new Constitution of Tennessee. by voto of
23 to 33. As now States were formed, their
constitutions for the most part excluded
the negro from citizenship. Then followed
the shameful catalogue Of black laws--ex.
patriation and os!racism in every form,
which have so deeply dsgraced the record
of legislation in many of tho States.
| affirm, therefore, that our present posi-.
ton is ono of apostacy: aud TO give the bal.
lot to the negro will be no innovation, but
y return to tho old path--a restoration of
that spirit of liberty to which the sUtferiDps
and sacrifices of tho revolution gave birth.
But, it VIC had no respect for the earIy
practices and traditions of our fathers. va
should be compelled to meet the early
questions which will very soon DO forced
upon US for solution.
The necessity Of putting down the re.
bellion by force of arms WAS no more i'm.
perative than is that of restoring Law, order
!, and liberty in the States that rebeled-
No duty can be moro sacred than that of
maintaining and perpetuating the freedom
which tho proclama ton of em ancipaton
gave to the loyal black men of the South
Applause
r Il they are to DO disfranchsed, IL they are
: to have no voice in determining the condi.
:, tions undor which they are to live aud Ia.