Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-01-11

nent peace and prosperity, and the cooperation Of
the House is pledged to the general policy of recon
| structon inaggurated by him. in ali of the modes
proposed in the Constitution and not inconsistent
with the security of Republican institutions Laid
RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE IN THE DISTRICT OF coLr.ie!A.
Inc House then proceeded to consider House bill
70 l. extending the right OF suffrage III the District
Mr.. Wilson of Iowa, said that he should move to
re-commlt the bill to the Committee on the Judica-
ry, but before doing would state his views on the
| measure. lie believed that there was no doubt of
| trct of Columbia.
Mr.. v. said the Constitution not only conferred
the lndlsputable power, but seemed to invite the
| Identical legislation which the pending measure
promises No where in the Constitution could he
ind any class distinction applied to citizens of the
United States. Its ample folds envelope all alike
1t in way deveopes color of skin as tenure to he
rights and privileges of citizenship If the Consti-
tuition refuses to know the color of the citizen why
should the statue law be wiser? After sketchng the
action CT the States Mr. Wilson said take the history
OF the municipal government of this city and what is
there IN Its pages to make American feel proud
of the results of this departure from the principles of
dr4e m democracy? Is there worse governed city in
an OF the republic? Where in all the country was
there to be found such evidences of thritlcSs de-
pendence as in this city before the cold breath of the
North swept down here during the rebellion and
impaired little of ankee yigor to its business pop
:, Where within the bounds of professed fidelity to
the Government was true loyalty at lower cbb and
sympathy with rebellion at higher flood-lreedom
more hated. and emancipation more roundy de
nounced-whte troops harder to raise and black
eneS more heartily despised; Union victories more
codly received and reverses productive of less de-
spondency than right amongst that portion of the
Young population, and its adjunctS, which control
the local elections of this District? With what com
plaIianee the social elements of this capitol fostercl
Ine prood OF traitors who rushed hence to the service
OF the rebellion in 1861 Are these fruits of our error
pleasing? He CMr. W. said that in the recent elec
mere The friends OF equal suffrage abstained from
Young Inc enemies OF impartial suffrage cast some
thousand votes How many were fraudulent no one
he doubted not that these seven thousand votes
could have been polled against the abolition of slav
cry IN this District. A large majority who voted
loved slavery "rd hated freedom We know they, ore
opposed to impartial suffrage and to emancipation
put we oyer,rode their desires with the latter and
the country shouted for joy. Why cannot We make
the country glad again? lie hoped TO reipfoTce The
tiue 4ea VINO refused to participate in the late eec-
ton that they, with the new voting population eau
for all time control the municipal governments OF
washington and Georgetown in the interests of free
DOM humanity, justice, and the true principles of
popular government. In referring to the desire of
some to compromise the difficulty about suffrage by
surrenderlng the government of the two cities 10
commission to be appointed by the President Mr.
W. salu IL was advancing from bad t. worse. When
men Will surrender their own rights rather than re-
spect the political rights of others the uoliticD de-
mOrallzatlOn Is complete.
That this political dehasement should exist in this
capital OF the Republic is burning, bstering dis
grace which demands vigorous and speedy remedy
1his is not a case in which to make haste soYly'
lhe good name OF the nation requires swift Justice
in our treatment of this worst deyelOpment OF mo-
slavery blgOry. Let the laws to be passed by Con
gress be OF such character that person can tell
from the reading of them what color is stamped uuon
Wilson proceeded to aliude to the co!orel population
OF the District, saying that traitor oreathed the
ar with black skin. Through all phases of treason
from the bold stroke of Leo on the battlefield -
the unnatural SYMPATHY of those who live with.
TINS )isTlc but mated the 81 yhC Of the dag runs the
blood which courses only under white surface
IneSe coiorcd !aen were not all ignorant Some ui
them were highly educated, while many Of them are
possessed OF greater educational ratification, have
yet been suggested limitation upon the right of
suffrage The number Of colored inhabitants in this
District II la0U, was 4,OUJ.
sin hat INN
value OF real and pe1S0nal property now owned by
held by them Is %l2)Glp consisting of twenty -Ouc
churches, which supported at cost of U10 per
annum. The number OF church communicates is
13W0 while the average attendance upon religious
services Is nine thousand. The number OF coored
Sabbath schools Is ~, attended by between three OF
% Jour thousand children Of other schools there
November 1869 was 4,G30. Four thousand OF colorgd
people OF this District can read and write They sub
scribe Tor about four thousand five hundred news
papers. large proportion being daily newspapers
VI societies, benevolent and others, they have 30
This is the record tsad Mr. W. of class OF citizens
slaves, or the mmeda descendants Of slaves, many
having purchased their own freedom. lie was in
favor OF trying the experiment-hat success will at
tend 1t he did not dOubt-others believed the result
can be ascerained by putting the two opinions to
practical test The passage Of this bill will furnish
Mr. Boyer, of Pennsylvania, addressed the House
IN opposition to the bill. III said that although this
House had legal right to impose negro suffrage in
tia biStTcl Iey mad no moral right to eni
the people against their viii recently expressed
II would I'll become US, he thought, to fsten upon
tne people here a political regulation which our own
constituents have decided to be degradation OF the
elective franchise. Men who have been reared in
ignorance as slaves have been selected by this bill to
exercise this franchise. Mr.. Boyer elaborated this
position lie conended that the people of this Dis
tlct were not dsloyal. He favored the education of
the negro OF protecting him, and then il would be
tlme TO talk OF giving him the right of suffrage.
Mr. Hale, Of n. Y, offered an amendment to the
n proposing that all colored people before enjoying
Surage snail be able to read the Constitution of the
I. 81. pay taxes on property and those who have
served IN the army. The amendment also prohibits
any one who has borne arms against the Government
from voting.
Mr.; ScAo6e!d, of Pa advocated impartial suffrage
iPr thS District at considerable length; declaring
that TINS was the time and here the place for trying
the experiment, called lie reviewed what were
the social, political and moral relations between the
whlte race anu black race. and urged the political
equality of the two.
Mr.. Kelley. OF Pa, urged the immediate enforce
ment OF impartial suffrage in this District and quoted
from the writings of Jefferson in favor Of political
e1uailty lie presenter the statistics already read
IN the House showing the condition of the colorcd
population in Washington. Mr.. L. declared that AT |
one time colored men voted in every State in the
Union but South Carolina He was glad TO know
that as the President in favor Cf extending i'm
partal suffrage IN tennessee, he must be its friend
mere N tins District: In fact he had personally as
SuIed him that he the PRESIDENT favored impartial
suffrage here. In concluding his speech ne quoted
from the debates of the Constitutional Convention in
support of his position on the question of suffrage
Without action on the bill the House at ~ P M !
adjourned, - - -4 |