The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-12-07


their coteHaporaries, and recent lepis
lation by Congress. When, at the frs
movement towards independence, the
Congresses the United States instruct
ed the several States to institute gov,
ernments Of their own, they left eact
State to decide for itself The coaditlon,
tor tho enjoyment of the elective fran
chise. During tho period of the Con
iederacy, there continued to exist 4
very great diversity in the qualifca
tions Of electors in the several States
and even within State distinction
ofqualifications prevailed with regard
10 the officers who were to be chosen
The Constitution of the United States
recognizes those diversities when il
enioins that, in the choice of members
of the House of Representatives of the
United States, 'the electors in eael
State shall have the qualifications re-
quisite for electors of the most nu ner
oas branch of the State Legislature"
After the formation of the Constitu
tion itremaincd, as before, the uniform
usage Of each State to enlarge the body
of its electors, according to its owr
Judgment; and, under this system, one
State after another has proceeded tc
increase the number Of its electors, un
til now universal suffrage, or some
thing very near it, is the general rule
So fixed was this reservation ofpowel
in the habits of the people, and so un.
questioned has been the interpretation
of the Constitution, that during the
civil war the late President never har.
bored the purpose-o certainly never
avowed the purpose-of disregarding
IT; and in the acts of Congress, during
that period, nothing can be found
which, during the continuance Of hos,
tllltles, much less after their close,
would have sanctioned any departure
by the Executive from a policy which
has so uniformly obtained. Moreover,
a concession of the elective franchise
to the freedmen, by act of the Presi-
dent OF the United States, must have
been extended to all colored men,
wherever found, and SO must have es.
tablished a change of suffrage in the
Northern, Middle, and Yves tern States,
not less than in the Southern and
Southwestern. Such an act would have
created a now class of voters, and
would have been an assumption of
power by the President which nothing
in the Constitution or laws of the Unit,
ed States would have warranted.
On the other hand, every danger
of conflict is avoided when the settle.
ment Of the question is referred to the
several States. They can, each for
itself, decide on the measure, and
whether it is to be adopted at once and
absolutely, or introduced gradually
and with conditions. In my judgment,
the freedmen, if they show patience
and manly virtues, will sooner obtain q
participation in the elective franchise
through tho States than through the
General Government, even had it the
power To intervene. When the tumult
of emotions that have been raised by
the suddenness of the social change
shall have subsided, it may prove that
they will receive the kindliest usage
from some Of those on whom they
have heretofore most closely depended.
But while have no doubt that now.
after the close of the war, it is not
competent for the General Govern.
ment to extend the elective franchise
In the several States, it is equally clear
that good faith requires the security
of the freedmen in their liberty and
their property, their right to labor.
and their right to claim the just return
of their labor. | cannot too strongly
urge u dispassionatc treatment of this
subject, which should be carefully kept
aloof from all party strife. We must
equally avoid hasty assumptions of
any natural impossibility for tho two
races to live side by side, in state of
mutual benefit and good will. The OK.
pertinent involves us in no inconsist-
'ncy; let us then, 20 on and make that
experiment in good faith, and not bo
90 easily disheartened.
The country is in need of labor, and
he freedmen are in need of employ
nent, culture, and protection. While
heir right OF voluntary migration and
'xpatriation is not to DO questioned, l
would not advise their forced removal
md colonization. Let us rather On.
courage them to honorable and useful
industry, where it may be beneficial to
themselves and to the country; and.
instead OF hasty anticipations of the
certainty OF failure, let there be moth
np wanting To tho fair trial NJ tka nv, /