Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-07-06
TIRE JOURNAL ON NEGRO SUI
TRACE.


FuAGE.
The Journal. on Saturday lAsi. thus made
the issue upon The negro suffrage question:
There are but two remedies for such an M
fair distribution Of power, one 70 70 give the ne
eroes the elective franchise. and the other u TO
amend the Constitution 50 that none but voters
shall be enumerated In fHiog the ratio OF repre-
sentaton."
Again We put the inquiry to the central organ
Of the Republican party Of Indiana. which horn
Of The dilemma will Il tske-negro suffrage or
amendment TO the Constitution making the
voting population the basis Of representation
The Journal should have no hesitation. when u
ha. narrowcd the Issue to Two alternatives, to say
which IL favOrs Il il Tor giving the negro the
elective franchisel II 20. why not give il to the
white foreign born soldiers Who have been tight
ing the battles Of the Unlonf Arc they not
entitled 70 Is much consideration az tho fheed
nexroi Have not the Journal men a. much
confidence in their mothers, their wives
their sisters and their daughters to In
diligently place vote In the ballot boz as an
African iust emsncipated from slavery IL 80.
WY place the ballot In the hands OF the Ignorant
negro and prohibit the intelligent white woman
from exercising the same privilege That's the
question.
We inquire Of the Court Organ, what will be
the eject OF "nons but voters shall be enumera-
ted In fixing the rata Of representation Upon
that basis the six New England States. having
sow twelve votes In the United States Senate
would be entitled to no more than New York,
which has only two votes in that body. New
York Ass thirty three Representatives in the
House. Illinois has only thirteen. Indiana
eleven, Delaware one. Maryland five, Michigan
sir, Minnesota two. Kew Jersey FIVE. Wisconsin
sir. California three. Oregon one. and so on
and yet all these States have an tqnal rep
resentation and voice In the United State:
Senate with NeE York, but il, a. the Jour
nal proposes, no one but voters shall bs
enumerated in fixing the ratio OF representation
New York would have an overshadowng in
auence in both of the legislative branches of thu
National Congress The idea Of the trainers o.
tho Constitution Vas to preserve the equality o.
the States by giving them an equal representation
IN the Senate. but this the Journal proposes te
abolish and virtually obliterate State lines anC
centrallre power by destroying the equality O
the States, which the Constitution preserves il
one branch Of the Government. and in only one
The Journal mapifests appreciation OF III,
dilemma in which il has placed ITSELF by misre
presenting US. Ii charges dat we are opposed q
giving the soldiers Of Indiana, who have beer
fighting for the overthrow Of the rebellion. the
same political influence as the white inhabitants
Of the States which have been in rebellion. We
have not assumed or advocated any such posi
ton. The Journal asserts that the only rene
dies for the unequal distribution OF power
which the emancipation Of the slaves would
occasion. were either Ito give the negro the
elective franchise" or else to an.ad the Con
stitution so that none but voters shall be enume-
rated In fixing the ratio OF representation. and
with the moral cowardlcc which distinguishes
the party which I, represents. IL dare not take
either Of the alternatives which il presents the
only remedies for the difficulty. IL cannot
straddlc the fence upon so plain an issue. mol
wiggle out OF IL by special pleading. IL has
made ND the issue seuarely and now we ask il "a
take one side or the other and the public viii
expect tina. Il will have the courage to do 80. a,
the organ of powerful party. Fair on,
chooss betwixt the two" When We know III,
journals position, we shall then be able to dis
cuss the issue with H. ntelligcn.ly. but a, presen
iis non commi,talsm Is equal to the reputation
that the sage of Undertook had in that line
We pause for reply to our inquiry