Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-07-11
POLITICAL EQUALITY.


The Journal some days ago stated tia, there
ger. two ways 10 remedy the inequality of
poser that the freeing Of the slaves would oe-
esslon-obs -ss 70 confer the elective franchise
upon the freed negroes. making them politically
equal with the white citizens and the other 10
amend the Constitution 20 - 10 make the voting
population the basis Of representation Having
Whitfield tbs issue down 20 ,bese two alternatives.
.s inquired Of the Journal which IL favored In
reply. although beating sdroisly around the ques
tios.i ID finally favored the constitutional amend
meat remedy, Tor the reason that. 10 i,s opinioa,
Il vohld force upon the heretofore Slave States
negro suffrage to retain their political power
Wesuggested some difficulties that appeared to
as 10 stand in the way Of amending The Constl
tuition a. proposed aside from the injustice OF
deprlving the States Of right which they have
always exercised 10 which the Journal thus re-.
spends:
" Our nsighbor argues as II tho Constitution
required direct TAXATION 20 be levied according
TO the number Of voters. and soldiers 20 be fur
nished on the same basic II auch was the case,
u would present forcible. aud additional reasons
ia favor OF the proposed change, but the amend
ment would make no difference ia either Of those
particulars Tbs Constitution SAYS thst Re
presentations and direct taIes shall be sppor
toned among the several States which may be
included within this Union. according TO their re
spectivs numbers which shall be Determined by
adding 10 the whole number OF free persons, Ia
GLIDING those bound 10 service for term of
years. and excluding Indians NOS taxed, three
hlths Of all other persons Slavery being
abolished. there will be no Distinction between
h. fafa trI v.t.. a To- h. a
all the States being tree persons. and whether the
blacks vote or not. they will be estimated 10
making levies oftroops. since the principle has
been adopted OF using them ss soldiers
We did not argue a. the Journal intimates. but
only asked I. the question. II the Constitution
was amended 20 a. to make The voting popula-
ton he basis Of representation. whether, &C.
cording 10 the theory Of our Governmet. taxa
ton aud the levying Of troops should not be sp.
portioned upon the same basi-Y The Coustiiu-
ton provides that taxation aud representation
shall be apportioned among the several States
based upon the entire free population bu, slaves
should DO only counted as three dfhs in the
enumeration. The Journal says The people Of
all the States being free persons. OF course IL
follows. under the Constitution as Il now stands,
that in tho apportionment OF The direct taxes aud
the Ievying Of troops the burden of the late slave
States IN those regards, u increased By counting
all their population a. free Ia these respects,
then. they will have no advantage over the
other State. Until the next census. Eve
year, hence. there can be no change in
tho apportionment Of representation. for that is
already fixed until that period. The Constitu-
ton does not prescribe tho qualifications Of
voters OF the manner IN which the States shall
exercise their political power That IL "A right
not delegated to the common Government, but
was reserved by the States. A. We recognize
the principle that taxation should be basel upon
representation. il the Constitution il amended 80
as TO make the voting. instead of the entire pop
ulation the basis Of representation, the States
tina, refuse 70 confer the elective franchise upon
the blacks, while thoy will have diminished
representation. their direct taxes aud the fur
nishng Of troops TO the General Government
will be lessened ia the proportion This
certainly will be no advantage To the other
States
Suppose that negro suffrage is forced upon the
likely that the political power and importance of
the white voters will be lessenedi The Journsl.
in long article. argues that the interests of the
white and black citizens Of the South are denti
cal. hence. il says. there should be the most
kindly feelings toward each other. This position
granted. will il not follow necessarily. If the
blacks are permitted 70 vote. that the whites and
blacks will vote the same way and endeayor TO
impress upon the administration Of the Govern
men. the same policy 1t ia natural that a
people should follow those industrial pursuits
which will bring the greatest reward, and of
course the blacks will take the same inter
est a. the whites in having those pursuits
protected. We good TO be accomplished
in the proposed Intervention ~ the General
Government with the privileges of the States.
IT, a. the Journal contends justice aud policy
alike demand that the blacks shall be invested
with political power, il will he granted by the
States for their own good We think i, wiser
and safer. then to leave this power where il has
always been exercised-with the States, tor II
the preceden, is once established of the General
Government debating policy to the States out
side OF the powers delegated TO i, by the Conssi-
tuition. the rights aud liberties guaranteed to the
people by the fundamental law will gradually
become subject to the capriceS OF the dominant
party who nav happen 20 rule the nation