Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-15
NEGRO SUFFRAGE IN THE SOUTH.

NEGRO SUFFRAGE IN THE SOUIH.
The people nave been led to believe that
the war which Is just closing would forever
PUT the deteStei 'nrgro question at rest,
as an element Of political discussion. But
no soouer is the first glimmer OF peace dis
cerned, than the politicians BEGIN TO dig up
this apparently irrepres stole question, with
= hope o. making 1t once more subject oil
contention In The realm of politics. Slave
ry has betn sunk so deep by the war that
the most persist Mt partisan will hare ~ at
TEMPT to make political capital out OF tire
institution; but the nee rOes remain, and the
$, ttlement OF their status under the new
order OF things is already exercising the
minds OF party leaders. "Negro suffrage"
Is the successor of "negrO slavery" as a
subject for political division. The radicals
aim that every negro, from saddle color
to ebony, shall be entitled to the same
rights, with respect TO voting, that white
ci. liens enjoy. Tiey insist, also, that this
right shall be granted them IN settling the
cues Ions of demonstration, and that 1t
5 all tie protected by the military power
On the other hand the "conservaIves"
contend that unrestricted negro franchise
would be productive Of great social evils
aud that il would be highly pernicious to
the interests Of the South. Now the tru
Is, that neither party takes the rlght view
ot tine question. We hold to the old De-
mocratic doctrine that the States have tue
right 10 CIRCULATE their domestic insti
tutiops In their own way, subject only 10 tie
Constitution ofthe United States" The con-
stitu,ions of the several Southern States are
valid at the present umc, just Is they were
before the war. They have not been abro-
gated by the act of secession, nor have they
been repealed or changed in. legal way
According 10 these instruments, negroes
hay. n { the right to vOIe, but tle people OF
each State have the power 10 amen1 the
Constitution thereof, and if they desire to
graft the elective franchise 10 negroes, no
bower can lawfully prevent them. So far as
this question is concerned, the Southern
States to-day stand precisely where Tho
Northern S ates at one time stood. Negro
ltfrage was not formally allowed in New
YurA but the people OF this State decided,
under certain restrictions, TO give negroes
the right 10 vote. The people Of Ohio de-
cided 10 let negroes vote who were hall
white. The people of Illinois, until very
recently, d nuf allow negro to come inio
the ate at all without frs, giving bonds for
his good behavIO winch of course amount
ed 10 prohibition. We CT Q these cases as
instances showing that the people of State
have the power 10 Getermiue whether me-
groes shall vote or not, aud what the quail
fcati, shall be. A State is supreme, with
regard TO the regulations Of its own govern
ment, 20 long as the, e S 10 conflict W IN the
F, deral Constitution, aud the y ople hive a
nerfect rlgnt to permit or refuse negro SUI
fraoe. TO make distinction OF shade, allow
;ng only the saddl, colo's TO vote, to make
a property qualification, or make any other
-ngulations of that character that they dee N
advisable. Therefore, it is a Waste of time
for politicians to trouble themselves about
wbaJ should CT should not be done about the
onestion of "negro suffrage" IN tie South.
The people will settle these matters in their
own way, lust as the people of the Northern
States 40. and it is for them to say wheth,r
negroes shall or shall not vote.-N. / Sum