Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-09-20
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. 90, 1865.
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION IN
CONNECTICUT.

The vote of the electors Of Connecticut to
be taken on the second day of October upon
the question of ratifying amendments to the
constitution to give the electoral franchise
to all male inhabitants of the State, without
regard to color, will be looked for with much
interest. Mr.. JOHy 7. WAITE, one of the most
prominent Democrats Of the State, expresses
himself in 4 letter upon this subject and
there can be no doubt that he speaks the
wishes Of patriotic men there of all parties:
~ cannot but believe that on the first
Monday of October next the electors of Con-
necticut will ratify the action Of the success.
siye Legislatures of the State, and so amend
the Constitution as to extend the elective
franchise to all male inhabitants of the State,
Irithout regard to color, who come up to the
existing standard so far as regards age, char
acter, intelligence and education. The other
New England States long since acoeded this
right to the black man, and several of the
slave States have at times permitted their
free men Of color to vote; why, then, should
Connecticut, ut this late day, hesitate to do
a simple act of justice to n portion of her
citizens, because they are black Every
one who has resided any time in this State is
we'll aware that the mass of our colored popu
lation are honest, industrious, intelligent,
and law abiding. That they have ever been
ready to assume their share of public bur
dens and discharge their duty as loyal citi
zens, is evidenced by the alacrity with which
they entered the military service of the
country, In the recent civil struggle, and
shed their blood and gave their lives to sus-
tain the Government and preserve the
Union"
Colored men voted in North Carolina for
more than thirty years, and have voted in
Tennessee within the last thirty years. In
some Of the States the slaveholders denied
them the privilege of voting by enactments
in violation Of the Constitution of the State.
In Connecticut colored men voted until 1877,
and the present Constitution of that State,
adopted in 1918, declares that, 'all men,
when they form social compact, are equal
in rights; and no men or set Of men are en-
titled to exclusive public emoluments or
privileges from the community"
How, then, can the electors of Connecticut
longer exclude the colored citizen from the
elective franchise Especially in view Of
the desire to extend that privilege all over
the country it is important that Connecticut
should, as she doubtless will do, set the right
example. 1t is in vain to preach the doc.
trine of free suffrage in the lately slavehold,
ing States if the Republican States of the
North refuse it to their own citizens.
The Virginia Bill of Rights, written by
THOMAS JEFFERSON, passed in l77G, re-
adopted in 1929, and again in 1850, asserts
THAT I'll elections ought to be free, and
that all men having sufficient evidence o.
permanent common interest with and attach
ment to the community have the right o.
suffrage, and cannot be taxed or deprived 0
their property for public uses without thoi
own consent or that Of their representative
SC elected nor bound by any law to which
thoy have not in like manner assented for the
public good"
1t will be good day for Connecticut wher
she secures to all men the equal rights guar
anteed to them in the fundamental laws Of
even the old slave States