The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-06-14
THE NEGROES.
The Status Of the American NegFO-.-
A Few Faets and Opinions from Va
TiOus Sources .

facts which throw some light upon one of
the great political problems which war and
emancipation have left for US 10 soIve-the
prospects, deserts, and proper social and
political status of the negro race in Amer
lea. They indicate to a considerable ex-
tent the temper in which the people, north
aud south, approach it.
NEGRO SUFFRAGE IN FLoRIDA.-REMARKs
or CHIEF JUSTICE CHASE.
A Fernsndins Fla) correspondent of
the Boston Advertiser relates the following
as having occurred on the recent visit OF
Chief Justice Chase to thst place:
His Honor, the Chief Justice, having
been informed that Mr.. AdOlph Mot had
been duly elected Mayor of the city by the
ballots of both white and colored citizens,
but hsd not yet been sworn into office, sig
nifsd his willingness to administer the
oath. Accordingly repairing to the Office
of the Collector of Customs, the cath W
duly drawn up and engrossed by Deputy
Collector W. B Q. Duryee, and in the
presence of ksjor General Gilmore, and
the several military officers of the port,the
oath of office was solemnly administered to
the Mayor. "Gentlemen, said Ar.Cbsse,
~ sm about to adm inistel the oath of Of
fec TO the first Mayor of a city elected by
white and colored voters in the State of
Florida"
NEGRO SUFFRAGE IN CONNECTICUT.
The following is an extract from the
speech of Hon. Il. B. Harrison, delivered
in the Connecticut House Of Represents
tives on the passage of the constitutional
amendment allowing negro suffrage:
Mr.. SPEAK ER-As 8 member of this
House, l deem it wise at this time to let
the people of Connecticut-the white
voters of ConnecticUt-decide whether
they will accept this amendment or not.
Therefore, for that reason alone, if there
were no other, I would vote Eyes" on the
question now before the house. As one
ofthe people, / would vote for the amend
ment, because l am in favor of 8~bolishing
slavery in Connecticut Whether we can
reach it elsewhere or not, we can reach it
here, and I am in favor of cutting it up
here, root and branch. You say that
slavery has been abolished in this State. 1
deny it. The negro in Connecticut is tole-
rsted-he is not free. Reluctantly you
have yielded to the slave, one after another
some of the attributes of a free man; the
most precious of them all you still refuse
him. You no longer whip him; you no
longer sell him; you no longer refuse to
let him eat his own bread in the sweat of
his own brow; but that great right which
is the essence of citizenship Ia a free com.
monwealth; that right which is the de-
fence and guarantee of all others; the right
TO be, as a man, absolutely equal to every
ether man before the law the right to ex-
ert the influence of a free an in the choice
Of his own rulers, and in moulding the laws
by which he is governed-this right you
still refuse to deliver to the black man.
Therefore 1 say he is not free.
EGR SUFFRAGE IN NORTH CAROLINA.
From The Raleigh Progress, May 81
We have not hesitsted to declare our
qualification at the freedom of the negro,
and to express the opinion thstthe people
of North Carolina would rstify at the bal.
lot box the proclamation of the President,
and the order of General Schofeld issued
in pursuance thereof. We are glad that
the negro is free on his own account. We
believe as did our great and good CASTOR,
that African slavery is q curse to n peo-
ple-thst it destroys the energies Of the
on.slsveholding whites, that it keeps
them in ignorance and retsrds the devel-
opment of the resources of the country, and
that the sooner a people who have it get
clear of it the better. The negro is free
in North Carolina, and if we had it in our
power to enslsve him again, we would not
=. " DukaNka, he r--olo-. -,.n 49,
his condition or not is a problem which he
has got to work out; but so sure are we
that a new field of moral and intellectual
culture, as well as material prosperity, ia
10 be opened up to them by the ~insugurs-
ton of free labor, that we would not restore
him to his former status if in our power TO
do 30. = . = AT present we are
sure that there is not a single man in the
State in favor of allowing him to vote; and
any attempt on the part of the general
government to force it upon US wonld Sc
riously interfere with that fraternal, sym
pathetic affection SO necessary between the
people of the different States and sections
to secure q union of hearts as well as q
union of States.
NEGROES VOTING IN NORFOLK, VA.
From the Alexandria (Vs.) Journal, June 81
Msssrs. T. L. R. Baker and Joseph A.
Dear, of Norfolk, in writing from that
city under date of the 29th ultimo, stste
that a large number of cclored persons
applied at the different precints st the
election held on the 25th ultimo, and re-
quested the privilege of voting. As no
mention Of this fact has been made BY the
Norfolk papers, we quote as follows from
their letter:
At the election of the 18th ultimo. out
of the whole number of three hundred
and twenty white votes polled, Daniel W.
Todd received eighty-nine being the
second highest of three candidates running
for thu State Senate. Mr.. Todd also re-.
ceived one thousand and forty-fve votes of
culored men, whose votes were rejected at
the polls, but were, on the same day, reg
istered peacefully and quietly at their
places of worship. The election will be
contested on the ground of the rejection
of the votes Ct the colcred men, who we're
all qualified voters in other respects if
color be not a disability.
Color is a disability" and q very serious
one under the present constitute n of the
State. The qualification of voters, as
therein laid down, prohibits the granting
of the elective franchise to any save white
persons who have arrived at the age of
twenty-one years. However, the same
constitution ~dEquslifes from voting all
who have engaged in, or given aid and
comfort to those engaged in the rebellion
since January l, 1864, but nevertheless
many u persons did vote at the recent
election in this State, and in many in
stances their votes were not even uues-
toned.
d NEGR0 IN TENNESSEE,
The lower branch of the Tennessee Leg
lslsture has passed a bill fixing and regu-
lAting the condition of freedmen and free
persons of color. 1t consists of sixteen
sections, which embrace the following pro-
visions:
The first establishes the relation of mat
rimony among persons Of color on 8 legal
basis, but forblds marriage between q white
person and a negro, mulatto or person of
mixed blood. The third declares that laws
In force for the benefit of married women
and children shall apply to people of color,
provided that colored people shall not be
into the same public schools with
white children. The fourth section sp-
plies the laws affecting the relations of