The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-10-05
Negro Suffrage.

The territory Of Colorado has adopted =
Constitution preparatory to asking adnis-
sion into the Union as q State. A clause Of
the Constitution conferring the right Of suf-
frsge on negroes, was voted down by the
people 10 whom il was submitted.
proposition to amend the Constitution
OF Coaneciicutt with a view to admit the
negro population Of that State to tho ballot
box, was submitted TO vote Of the people
on the ID inst. Il has been defeated by q
msjority Of, probably five thousand.
These are strong indications Of the seuti-
meat Of The masses North and viii give
additional point and pungeney TO the follow
ing remarks msde by Gov. Morton in his
speech at Richmond, Indians.
Let me inquire, Tor q single moment, in
what condition is Indiana 70 urge negro SUI
frsge in South CaroliuR, or in any other
Slater Letus cor slider, for single moment,
the position we occupy. We, have, perhaps,
twenty lo twenty five thousand eolored peO-
pie ID this State Most Of them car read
AID Erite-nany of fnt m are very intelli-
Cent and excellent eiiizeusi vell-to-do in
the world well qualified 10 exercise the
right Of suffrage and political power But
h0w stands the matterE We not only ex-
clule them from voting, We eXclu them
froal testifyiug ia the Courts OF justice. We
exclude them from our public schools, aud
We make ID unlawful and crime for them
In come into the State Of Indiana at any
time subseouent 20 1850. No negro who hss
come into our State since ls5e eau make a
valid contract; he cannot acquire title to
a piece Of land, because the law makes the
deed " I'd, aud every man who gives HIM
empiovmeut is liable te prosecution and
fine. ] sent oct the 2oth Indiana eolored
regiment. recruited with great difficulty and
al .orne erpeuse. Il has been in the field
two yesrs. ID has fought well on many oc-
tasions. and wou the high opinion Of officers
Who have seen it, We got credit on our
State quota for every man who went out
Y.t according 70 the Constitution aud laws
~ Indiana more than One-haf Of the men
10 that regiment have no nghtto come back
again, aud &c they do come BACK they are
subject 20 prosecution aud me, ahd any
man who receives them, or employs
tbeI, = ala, liable to punishment. Nov
can Indiana, in this cOndition-with
tventv-five thousaud co'0red men in her
bgrlers a sghoia she denies suffrage and
political power, and O. a certain extent,
civiI rigbts-vyilh what face, say, can IL
diana 81 40 Congress AID insist upon giving
tbe mont OF suffrage 10 the negroes IN the
southern States II her Congressman ask
10 Do fhis, they viii naturally DC asked N
turn, what have you doue with these people
in your own Sac? You have had them
there for many years. You have long had
an ouporuniiy 10 make the issue as to
whether thew ought 10 have these rights.
Their mental and moral condition is much
superior 10 that OF the great mass Of the
freedmen iu the southern States
WHIST have YOU doae? You have done
pcthbp. / ask you, what would be the
moral strength Of any politician presenting
that question in Congress- / ask how any
member Of Congress from Indiana, who has
Lot made the is-ue al home, caa present
himfelf and urge the right Of 'ongr,ss to
eufrauchise The negroes in the Southern
Sfatesg Il 1nsy be said there are only
few e them IN ILdians, ard il is not i'm
portaut But, II the few who are here have
= irht, moral OF natural, 10 the franchise,
when rou refuse 10 10 that few, you refuse IL
Co all. when YOU refuse il 10 twenty-five
thousand. you Yiolste sound principles just
a. much ss II you refuse i 10 tive millions
] tell YOU, these Nor he n States can never
command any moral force on that subject
until lhev shall choose 20 be just TO their
oEn Negroes at home.
Gov. Morton, like President Johnson,
thinks she Ncrihern States would receive
more credit for sincerity, and have more in
fuence in making TIER recommendations,
if they would set their own houses in order
before they presume TO interfere with the
domestic arrangements Of their neighbors. |
The speech Of Gov. Morton, backed by the |
vote IN Connecticut, viii have great weight ]
in bridging The radical extremists 10 their /
senses. Taken together, they are most en-
c,umgiug signs. By the time Congress |
meets, if afaiis continue 10 progress favora-
bly,, President johnson viii be ''master Of
tbe fituatiou %