M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1865-12-14

- 80 Nh' hAo' bOWhlh
in 'p"nIenco, the C,ngress of the
"lted Status instructed the several
''atcs to institute governments oI
'heir own, they left each State to
" eide for itselfthe conditiC ms for the
oYment of the elective franchise
airing the period oithe CCnfeleracy
there continued TO exist very great
diversity in the qualifications OF
"'e'tors in the several States, and
even within State distinction OF
Qualifications prevailed with regard
10 the Officers who were to b. chosen.
The 9 institution of the United States
recognizes these diversites when it
oninina that, in the choice Of mems
bers ofthe House Of Representatives
Of tho United States, "thc electors in
each State shall have the qualifca-
tOns requisite for electors Of the most
numerous branch Of tho State Legis>
lature" Alter the formation of the
Constitution, it remained, rs before,
the uniform usage for each State to
enlarge the body ct its electors, ac-
cording to it's own judgment; and,
under this system, one State after
another has proceeded to Increase the
number of its electors, until now
universal Suffrage, or something very
near it, is the g3neraI rale. SO fixed
was this reservation Of power in the
haotS Of the people, and 30 unqnes.
toned has been the Interpretation of
tue Constitution, that during the civil
war The late President never harbored
the purpose-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 hostilties.
much less after their close, woud
have sanctioned any departure by the
Executive from a policy which has 80
uniformly obtained. Moreover, a
concession of the elective franchise TO
the freedmen, by act Of the President
OF the United States, must have been
extended to all colored men, wherever
touud, and 80 must have established d
change of suffrage in the Northern,
Middle, aud Western States, not leSs
thar in the Southern and South
western. Such an act would have
created a new class OF voters, and
would have been an assumption OF
power by the President which moths
ing in the Constitution and laws Of
the United States would have warren~
ted.
On tho other hand, every danger Of
conflict ia avoided when tho settles
ment Of the question is referred to the
several States. They can, each for
itself, decide on the measure. and
wether it is to b. adopted at once and
absolutely, introduced gradually and
with conditions. Ia my judgment,
the freedmen, il they show patience
and manly virtues, will sooner obtain a
participation in the elective franchise
through the States than through the
General Government, even it it had
power to intervene. When the tu>
mutt OF emotions that have been
raised by the suddeness Of tho social
change shall have subsidized, it may
prove that they will receive the kinds
liest usage from some OF those Oh
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 Cow
ernment to extend the elective franz
chise in the several States, It is
equally clear that good faith requires
the security ofthe freedmen in theil
liberty and their property, their right
to labor, and their right to claim the
just return oftheir labor. can not
too strongly urge a dispassionat1
treatment Of this subject, which
should be carefully kept aloof from all
party strife. We must equally avoid
has!y assumptions Of any natural
impoSsibility for thu two races to live
side by side, in state Of mutual
beDeft and good will. The expert
ment involves US in no inconsistency,
let us then 60 on and make that ex>
pertinent in good faith. and not be too
easily disheartened. The country lie
in need oflabor, and the freeG men are
in need Of employment, culture, and
protection. While their right of volun.
tary migration and expatriatiOn is not
to be questioned, | would not advise
their forced removal and colonization
Let us rather encourage them to
honorable and useful industry, where
it may be beneficial to themselves
and to the country, and, instead Of
hasty anticipations ofshe certainty Of
failure, let there be nothing wanting
Al