The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-10-21

| confided by the constitution to the peo-
| pie in theirdomestic governments is seen
in the fact that but for this provi-
sion there is at this moment a
sectional majority in Congress ready
to expel from, or keep out of that
body, the representatives of many South
ern States unless they yield to the die
tation of that majority the power to i'm
pose q condition of suffrage which these
very States that made the constitution
of the United States abjured from the
beginning.
EFFECT OF NEGRO SUFFRAGE.
This daring attempt, which, IL sue
cessful, would in effect be IN abrogation
of the constitution by a body which has
no being without it, has an aim far be-
yondthe establishment of negro suffrage
in the States exhibiting it. Negro suf-
frage, if it had no other effect than that
of altering the state of a poll and acting
as q balance of power in the hands of
one section of the country to east the
of the soil, the wealth and intelligence
of the other section would be intolera-
BILE; but it would bring in its train other
incalculable evils, the worst of which
would be the creation of a mixed, de-
graded caste of laborers, much more ia
tai to the peace of the government than
negro slavery during the first two CEN
turtles of its existence. 1T is true that,
like Frederick Douglass, men might
arise swarthy rather than sooty, with
Saxon contour-with long smooth locks,
once black, turned prematurely white,
as if to deny his origin. Yet, like him,
all such would be compelled to resort to
their colored relations for wives ; for
none but the most abandoned women of
the white race marry with them. In q
late speech to an association of blacks in
Baltimore made by Douglass speech
of lofty eloquence, ] admit, and worthy
of the great apostle of our time, the gift
ed Beecher, and traDscending in power
all previous efforts of his disciple-he
points to the able men among the Gre
oles of st. Domingo, who arose to assert
the liberties and vindicate not their
equality, but superiority over the French
and Spanish racesin that island by their
determination. There is much food fol
' Illumination in this pregnant suggestion
if we connect it with the plan proposed
! by Mr.. Stephens, the leader of the ma
: iority in the House of Representatives
and by Mr.. Sumner (hisses), who stand
Q inasimilar attitude in the Senate. 1 have
nodoubt the four millions of freedmen
might, in time, work out for the Soutl
q catastrophe like that of ST. Domingo
if governed on the plan proposed by
Messrs. Sumner and Stephens, counte,
nanced by Mr.. Beecher. (Groans-;
voice, "Hurrah for Beecher.'9 Mr.
j Sumner admits that there is danger 'tt
national peace and tranquility" in tn
! attempt to blend two nations and max,
them one. A more philosophic mini
than his ascribed the centuries of troubl
in Ireland to a like attempt. Monsieu
de T~ocqueville, travelling in Ireland, OF
= served to Mr.. Torrens Mccullough, N
p: "All your evils in Irelond sprin
from one cause-you are two nation
here.p CA voice-"We'T1 soon shake o
their yoke"-cheers.) Mr.. Sumner bt
gins his list of guarantees, which are {
precede the admission of representative
from the Southern States, with thi
problem of blending two nations-th
black and the wilhelm the control c
g the national and the State governments
g He insists on ''unity of the republic
being affirmed by constitutional pro
. vision; that each State shall ever renal
IL a member of the American Union; ths
the people thereof are a part of tn
IS American nation that lit is essentis
not only that slavery shouldbe renount
ed, but also that all menshould be halle
rs equal before the law, and this enfraI
chisement must be both civil and politi
d cal; that peace and tranquility requir
:, another Special guarantee against tn
whole p%retension of color; n rebel Stat
can be readmitted with this controvers
!, still raging and ready to break forth"
G REPUBLICAN IDEA OF RECONSTRUCTION.
But let me next proceed to give tn
/. plan of operations projected. This wa
6 partly developed by the bill of recon
= struction presented to the President a
the close of the first session of the las
Congress by the majority at the biddin,
of their chiefs, and which was ~reiecte,
by him. The whole scope will be foun'
!, in the quotations l make from tn
y speech made by Mr.. Sumner, in which
he illustrated his own and the views O
= his party friends in the convention owe
. which he presided at Worcester, and tn
speech of Mr.. Stevens, a commentOn tin
q resolutions he prepared for the conven
:, ton at Harrisburg, and which wer
passed by that body. 1t will be seen tina
q Mr.. Sumner bases his scheme for its exc
cution on the wal powers, on the implie
assumption that although ''battles hav
i ceased,i' martial law is to be continue
N by Congress-. lie dSSeGlS tildl INC les
dent is charged with this power, but a
in time of peace, the demanded lire
4 yersible guarantees cannot be obtaine
merely by Executive action, what II
20 does is subject to the correction OF Con
II gress - and ain obtaining guarantee
!. I'VE are told we must look confidentl
~ to Congress, which has plenary power
y over the whole subject. Congress ca
do everything needful. 1t has alread
I begun by excluding rebels from Office
> 1t must continue its jurisdiction; whetE
T. er through the war powers or the dut
to guarantee n republican form of gov
eminent, or the necessity of the case, a
i'm Territories, is matter of little impoi
n tance.n. Congress is, then, under tn
one or the other, or all these powers, t
exact that ''as all who have Tough
against us shall be disfranchised, so al
who have fought for US shall be enfran
chised.n "For awhile the freeman vii
take the place of the master" "By thi
n act of Congress, July 2, 1864, and tn
r supplementary act, all rebels are debar
h red from holding office under the Unite
g States. This exclusion, thus sanctione,
by Congress, must be the pole star c
If our national policy. If rebels canno
lie be officers under II government the
t. ought not to be voters. They should b
n politically disfranchised,n and ever
- - ..-. .s1 - -