Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-01-26
gIlatrbman q Stair JuurnaI.
MONTPELIER, JANUARY &c, 1865.

MONTPELIER, JANUARY &c, 1865.
SUFFRAGE IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
On Thursday, the House passed bill to strike
out the word white in laws pertaining to citi-
zens of the District Of Columbia, thus giving
equality Of rights, irrespective Of color. Motions
to postpone and lay on the table were rejected
the latter, 1928 to 46--when the bill passed by
more than a two-thirds vote yeas, ll6 nays, 50.
Thus the Vermont rule is applied The House is
more liberal than we expected. and we cannot help
thinking that the insolence Of white folks towards
colored men and their friends in Congress, has
helped some Of the doubling brethren in taking
wonderful jump over their scruples. Now,
il the oopperheads and secesh gentry of Washing
ton will distribute fingers, hands, or heads OF
negroes to each Senator memento, the House
bill will probably 60 through the Senate by equally
as strong vote.
The Globe tells us exactly how it happened
that, Immediately after majority of the Repub-
licau Union men had decided in caucus in favor OF
restricted suffrage, the House passed bill for I'M
restricted suffrage by more than a two-thrds vote
A0er the debate had been closed, the first question
was on q motion Of Mr. Nbacl (Dem) to lay
the bill on the table, yeas, AZ (Dems. present all
/ included) nays, 1873 This shows that the Demo
Gratis were opposed to unrestricted suffrage.
Next came the motion Of Mr.. Darling (3epub
10 postpone the bill TO the first Tuesday in March
yeas. "a (Repubs.) nays, l35, the Democrats
voting with majority of the Republicans against
postponng which indicates that the Democrats
did not wish to give the Republicans an opportu
nifty to deliberate with a view to agreement
The next question was on the motion Of Mr.
Robert Hale, (of New Iork, Vermonter) to re-
commit the bill with instructions so to ameLd AS tc
give the right Of suffrage, irrespective Of race OF
color, to all who can read the Constitution Of the
L. S, or who arc assessed for and pay taxes, OF
who have served in the army or navy Of the u. 5
and have been honorably discharged. and to ex
clude all who have borne arms against the L 5 II
the rebellion or given aid or comfort to the re-
bellion 1t will be observed that this puts white
and blacks on an equality, and so far is clearly
rights but moreover it also disposed Of all obiec
tons based on the ncapacity or unftness Of ne
groes for the safe exercise of the electoral priv
lege The votes stood thus yeas, So (Republ
cans. amcng them Banks, Dawes, Deming, Dixon
Hooper, jerks, A. II. Rice, Washburn and Wood
bridge, of New Englaud) nays, III, including
all the Democrats and a majority Of the Repub
LEANS. This shows that the Democrats are op
posed to restricted suffrage, their first vote show
ing that they are opposed to unrestricted suffrage
They will permit rebels TO vote, but viii not le
black men vote, not even If they are as intelligcn
as white men, and moreover have contributed b.
their money and their blood for the defence Of th
nation This is the Democratic record. Beilec
upon it, and remember it.
Now we are prepared for the result The tao
tics of the Democrats clearly aimed at two things
to wit TO defeat the bin boy a division Of th
Union Republicans, or to force the latter 10 vot
for that scheme which would be most odious il
the South, and therefore enable the Democrats Il
use it as party capital. in drawing to the Demo
cratic party the support Of the South when read
mittcd to the Union. That is the pi,h Of the mat
ter. This is an old game, playing for secesh ans
slayocratic support, and are glad to see tina
the Republican Union men met it nianfully b,
passing the bill for Unrestricted suffrage yeas
ZIG (Republicans, and a noble specimen Of ID,
true Union Democrats in Francis Thomas, o
Mary Wand, who was a Democratic NJ c. in tn
administration OF Gen. Jackson) nays, "a, dem
ocrats and a few Union men from slave states)
We regrd to see Mr. Phelps, Of Maryland, in th
negative. Such vote must have come hard fror
a Nermonter under any circumstances but to cas-
it against his colleague, the venerable Goyerno
Thomas we think must have been doubly hard
The closing speech for unrestricted suffrage wa
made by Mir Boutwell,, Of Massachusetts It wa
brief and excellent and we shall give it to on
readers