The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1866-02-15

'hcr clOSD, form the 'Neis OF rep
resentatioh mainly because in some
States the female population is rel.
atlvely in excess of the male, and
especially in New England. whose
male population is reduced by en-.
grafton 10 the West. Ile fears a
-eduction in the political power OF
New England but think il has
been demonstrated that his facts
are somewhat fancics, and his fig.
nros arc 5 i'll more fictitious. So,
ut least, understand tho gentle
man from New York, tMr. Conk-
lin, whose electorate Investigations
given to this House are full of in
tCrcst and value.
Ii no change shall be made in
tho Constitution, the political pow
or Of all the loyal States will be
relatively diminished by the in.
creased power now to DC given TO
The late slave States.
Either of tho two proposed
amendments win increase the rel
ntive representation and power Of
the loyal States 4; but the amend
mcnt Of the chairman of the com.
mittee on reconstruction, [ Mr.. Ste.
yens, while it is preferable to the
Constitution as il now is, perpotu.
ates the very political evil which
to some extent it remedies. 1t
gives representation to women,
children, and unnaturalized for.
eigncrs, all declared by the laws
of the States unsafe or unnocessa.
ny deposi;ar'es of political power.
IL disregards the fundamental idea
OF all just representation, that ev.
cry voter should be equal in polit.
ical power all over the Onion.
If in any State there shall be q
large influx of unnaturallzcd for
eigners. as in the great cities Of tho
East, that State viii gain addition.
al representation thereirom. Ii in
any State there shall be an cxcees
of women and children, or both,
these will give additional represcn.
ton and political power.
The dominions Of Brig. Young,
if incorporated in tho Union, would
become the paradise Of politicians,
rich in unequal political power, be.
cause OF the multitud;aous wives
and innumerable children of tho
Saints of Utah.
With what grace can we say to
the South, "you shall have no
representation for freedmen not
eniranchised, we insist upon rep.
reservation for aliens and women
and chillren not enfranchised Z
1t the representation of unfrarf.
chised freedmen may be safely in
trusted to all tho Representatives
of the nation, may not that of ali
ems and women and children be
so2
Ii it is unjust to give local 20.
lit'cal power to the South by reas-
on of her unonfranchised freed
mon, is it not unfair to give SINH
lar power by reason OF uneniran-
chised aliens elsewhere 2 know
it may be said that one reason for
denying representation on behalf
OF unenfranchised freedmen is to
encourage the South to educate
and qualify all her people not on
ly to become useful citizens but
competent voters. This is but one
lement of consideration with those
who nrge it. The reason which
onclusivelv iustitios it ia that a
people declared BY law, if in fact
unprepared for suffrage, should not
bc represented as an elament of
power by those interested in to-c"-
er keeping them unpreparcd. But
children never can be qaalifie as
competent depositaries Of polit cal
power, and therefore should not en-
ter into the oasis OF r, representa-.
tion. 1t never has been deemed
necessary for tile protection of fe-
males that they should be regarded
as an element of political power,
and hence they should not be IN
element Of representation. If the
necessity shall come, or -four sense
of Justice shall 50 change as to en-.
'ranchise adult females, II viii be
time enough thon to mako them a
basis OF representation. aeg !.
While my own State and tho
West generally would certainly
gain political power by .he amend
ment of my colleague, IMr.
ScHENcK, | do not for that reason
support it. If gentlemen will
overlook Observation-Disclosures o.
sight, ana be gnided BY cdnsiderf-
tions Of temporary eypediency or
power, constitutional amendments
IAN neyen be made. Some con-
,essions of opinion mnst be made
rom tho East as well rs from the
West to insnre success. II is SAID
o be one of onr political max ms
hat there should be no texaticn
without representation. Put il ia
an unalterable maxim of
justice that representation
should not be based on property
but people, and that taxation is
controlled not by tho weight of
property, hut by people welding
political wer.
4 q5Rutiwomen children, and gen.
orally 4 ali. ns, WELD no political
power and are therefore rot ele-
inentsto be considered in reTrSsen-
tation. except as every kePr,sen-
tativo wields power FOR All Of theso
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