Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-03-23


for not less than FIVE years.
For a STAKEHOLDER. therefore, 20 doubt the In
falhbiIfy Of the president and congress, and TO
attempt 10 bold his slaves against their acts, is
high crime by this proposed law.
3. DisfTanchisement as citizens Of the United
States, Of all persons who, after this act, shall
bold confederate military Office from the rank
Of colonel upward, or any civil Office not merely
ministerial.
4. The formation Of new state constitution
and government ." so soon as the military resist
anoe to the United States shall have been sup
pressed in any state and the people thereof shall
have sufficiently returned to their obedience 10
the constitution and laws of the United States. +"
The proceedings initiative of such governments
are 10 be taken BIZ the federal governor, aided BY
state convention over which be shall preside
in the election OF delegates 10 which convention
the night of suffrage Is 10 be extended 20 negro
citizens who can read the constitution of the
United States, a proposed by the amendment OF
the gentlemen from P,nnsy lvania, Mr.. Kelley
and 10 white citizens, and TO all citizens Of the
United States, irrespective OF color, who are in
the military or naval service ofihe United States
all first having taken the oath of allegiance under
the act OF July "a, 1862 All persons who have
held any office, state or confederate, under the
rebel usurpaion, or borne arms voluntarily
against the United States, are to be excluded
from voting for being elected delegates
even If they offer TO take the cath OF allegiance.
In regard to the right of suffrage and the night
70 be delegates to the constitutional convention
the last amendment proposed by the gentleman
from Ohio, Mr. Ashley. in the nature of sub
stitute for tire whole bill and amendments, but
which have not had time fully to examine, ]
goes beyond any previous proposition aud viz.
tually would give to the freed negroes the right
kof n, md ba III ~
tional convention. / refer to sections three and
tive OF the last amendment o. substitute. In the
phrases 'all male citizens ofthe United States,
IN section three and ''all citizens of the Ur ted
States, in section five, are wrapped mp the two
! cardinal ideas of the party in power-negrC
suffrage and negro equality.
5. The bill makes it the duty of the consiitn
tional convention not only to declare Submission
to the constitution and laws of the United States
but to incorporate into the state constitution
| these conditions:
| SEC. II. And be it further enacted, That thl
convention shall declare on behalf of the people
of the state, their submission to the constitution
and laws of the United STATES, and shall adop
the following provisions hereby prescribed by th'
United States in the execution of The constiiu
tIonal duty TO guarantee republican form o
government to every state, and incorporate then
in the constitution ofthe state, that is to say:
First No person who has held or exercised
any office, civil or military, except civil office
merely ministerial and military offices below TN
grade of colonel state or confederate, under tn
usurping power, shall vote for or be member Q
| the Legislature, or governor.
Second Involuntary scTviiudc Is forever pro
hibited, and freedom and equality of civil right
before tie law are guaranteed TO all persons i
said state.
| Third. No debt. STATE or confederate, create
10y or under the sanction Of tie usurping power
or in any manner in aid the eof, shall be recog
nizcd or paid by the state; and all acts, iu1ica
or legislative, for the coniscaion or forfeiture o
any debt, property or franchise of any loyal cit
zen of the United States, are hereby declare
null and void"
The constitution thus formed, to be submittc,
to a vote of the people of the state entitled Il
vote for delegates to the convention, and if ~
proved certified TO the president who. after oh
tanning the consent of congress, Is by procama
ton TO recognize the sta c government thu
established and thereafter, and not before, sen
| aiOrS and representatives in congress and presi
Dental electors NAV be chosen in such STATE
6. II the convention refuse to re establish tn
state government On the condi ions prescribed
the provisional governor is to dissolve tie con
vention, and the remains in its territorial
provincial condition, under military durance, III
.
ional governor TO order new election, when tn
same process shall Je gone through with, unit
a government TO suit the prescribed terms shall
be accepted by the people.
The effect of all this is
l. To take from the people of the state al
power 10 initiate prOceC dings 10 reorganize thei
own state governmt Mt in harmony with the con
stitution of the United States ,oreven to prescrib
the qualifications of suffrage. The bill ignore
the idea that there is any vital power in the peo
pie to restore their sta.e gOvernment-not onl
taken from them by rebellion, but kept from
them BY federal pOwer-un,il the federal author
ity awakens the latent power of the people, put
il in motion, gives it direction, prescribes it
mode and instruments Of action, and defines an,
limits its results.
2. The effect is 10 exclude from the reorgani
cation the entire white population of the stat
who shall have held office or voluntarily born
arms against the United States, or who Shall no
take the oath of July 2, 1862
3. To confine the right of suffrage and powe
of reorganization to enrolled men and fedora
soldiers taking the oath; and the law affords M
guarantee that even the enrolment shall embrac,
majority of males over twenty one years o
age. The majority required as basis of actor
is so many enrolled persons taking the oath as
with the soldiers, shall constitute a majority O
the persons enrolled; that majority through de
\ feet or fraud IN enrolment may be not even one
tenth of the males of the state over twentv-on:
years of age.
f. The effect is the absolute disfranchisemen
of eleven states and their continuance in a STATE
OF war until they accept ''the abandonment O
slavery" as dictated TO them by the UniteC
States, and until, By organic law, they decla,
that all persons shall have equality of civil
rights before the law of the stare; well-seem
ing phrase of broad import, the precise meaning
of which | do not understand. 4 woman is
person, q negro is person. an alien is person
and the right of suffrage is civil right Doe
this high-sounding phrase of the bill mean tha
women, negroes and aliens shall all have eaua
right 10 vote in a regcncrated state with viii
male citizens What does equality of civil
rights before the law for all persons" mean
Now, il Is 10 be borne in mind that these vii
be the effects OF the proposed bill ION states il
which the bill itself assumes, a condition pre-
cedent Of this federal dictation, that "militar,
resistance to the United SAFES has been sup
pressed, and the people have sufficiently returned
TO their allegiance to The constitution and laws o
| The United States" In so. why treat them n,
aliens and enemies, conquered subjects Of al
| imperial power
In fact and in purpose, then, the bill before III,
House is one to abolish slavery in the UniteC
! States, and 10 enfranchise and elevate negroes
and TO disfranehise and degrade white men: a bill
| 10 change the social and industrial systems anC
internal polio 81 eleven states 4: q bill to TAX,