Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1865-09-20

WASHINGTON. ". ". aug @0'
Han, George B E!'aonds, Cern,ort, lo1a:.
DEAR Sls Il have jus. recrired sour lei
Ter of .,heS2tsn INST, stasing afueng thor
things, that the Ueion State ConEea'lon OF
iowa has adopted aa ID plan inftsplatform a
Recommendation in favor OF negro Suffrage;
that the CopperLead Convention has inaer,
ed President j ohnsoh's polcS For 'thesreor~
caniza,ou .of .ates, assum rs # 10 be in oppo-
s;:ion to negro s,,iitage; that this, is, in ~:
opinion, the leslie joined between the two par
ties in lows; that heretofore the Union party
has derived valuable MD from ,ne in support
OF its, principles; that snu regret, however. to
observe newspaper report OF a speech re-
Gently made by ne, as YOU think in aDtagnn
ism with its present principle and policy
which gives you pain.
In reply, have to say, that ifyour opinion
vas wei! founded, it Voull bo CAUSE OF great
e. paid to.mc -lEan, to yourself; bn., | b. &
Isats 'rcsaec,f.ly To State that you rinisapr:e
Sard tic position ci President JOHNSON, and
my own as we'll ss that CT the Union party 81
iarse. The real question at irsue, in $ ra
.iosai poiD. Of view, is not whether negroes
stah be permitted 60 vote. but WHITTIER tficy
shah derive that authority fro1zl the natiotia
Government or from the State Goyeruments
respectively.
President johnson maintains he'doctrie
that the Constitution of tins United States
does MT confer on the Federal Government
the right to Interfere primarily w;,s tas que
tion o. suffrage IN any State Vi hr U,io ::
that the Question n.y. ..rise an1 pr l,@;-'y be
decided ov CrugraSs. when S,l:..; y. ;...
members present heosrlvcs f,'..;.6missjoi. %
seats in that 'booy, ur!at n; .;ausc Of th'.
Const tuition, WHICH irak IS ra.:t Horse the
exclusive judge OF the qt;a,;:ca:i2ris :,pd cleo.
tions OF members; aud that ..her clause cf the
CenstituIi n OF the United Sla.es, ~bich p'p-
vdes that 1.-The United States shall guarantee
TO every State inthe C'ion g republican
form Of government
infer that ifauy Stsse sliould adopt law
on the subject Of suffrage, which woul' clear
ly show the State Gpzernmcnr to be ,itier
than republican, it would he the du,y Of Co,'
gress to reject applicants Cor Seats, and 70
sdopt whatever legislative repedjcs would in
their judgment be necessary to carry out the
guarantees Of the Constitution.
IThat-,h State Of Iowa may takc STEPS o
extend the right of Suffrage, is LOT, as it seems
to me, in conflict with this policy. and, CON.
sequently, those who support tie policy of
the President on this subject are not in antag
onism With the platform; Of tie Union party
OF lows.
The Union party Of that StstA propose thst
the State shall modify its own Constitution
60 as to include as electors, persons who have
not, under its present provisions. the right io
vote. This, as President johnson maintains
State may DC, but that the National Gov
ernment would hare 10 right 10 require Iowa,
or any other Statc, to modify its own Consti-
tuition. on this or 0ny ether subject, when
not IN conflict With the Constitution Of the
United States.
III should be in Iowa when that question
is submitted to the people, if it should be 80
submitted by tie Legislature, would vote
to extend the right to all classes of persons
possessing the requisite Intelligence and ps-
triatisn to be intrusied with participation
in the management ef public affairs, State Or
National, without regard to their natioralit.,
as do not believe that the liberty of any
class Of people can he considered safe who are
10 be permanently deprived of tho exercise Of
this right.
l d. not Gisgnise these opinions; vcu wa :.
therefore rn=ks vhac use. OF this letter yea
may deem proper.
have the honor to be.
FerF respectfully,
Your ebediert sc.v'i,