The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1866-08-02

late masters will have thirty votes in
Congress and in the electoral college on
their account-just equal to the united
vote of Indiana and Ohio. In other
words, the white men of these rebel
States, nineteen -twentieths of whom are
rebels, and were engaged in the late re
bellion, can vote down Ohio and Indiana.
by representing the negroes, who are
stripped of all political rights whatever.
The negro, for himself, amounts to
nothing. counts for nothing, and his ex-
istence is utterly ignored; but he amounts
to a man, and counts for man, for the
benefit of white rebels. by whom he is
surrounded The white people of the
rebel States have forty-two votes for
/ themselves. and then will have thirty
more for the negroes.
Democratic politicians appeal to the
vulgar prejudices of the people by claim
ing that this is white mans Govern
ment; but what kind of white man 3
Government is it which has thirty votes
| in Congress and thirty votes in the Elec-
toral College based on negro representa-
| ton? This advantage which the rebel
States now have is monstrous. and is not
to be quietly endured. No Northern
man who has tile least respect for him
self can for moment consent that they
shall retain it Even if they were loyal
if they had tried to sustain the Gov
ernment, instead of destroy it-they
could have no possible claim to it.
They have thirty votes in Congress
that have no constituency; thirty votes
as from thirty rotten boroughs uEder the
English system. And these thirty votes
just balance and set off the thirty votes
sent up by three million six hundred and
forty-two thousand white people from
Ohio and Indiana.
These eleven rebel States have other
advantages in the Government, which it
seems to me ought to satisfy the most
avaricious Democratic politician. They
have twenty two votes in the Senate,
while Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with
joint population exceeding theirs by
quarter OF million, have but six votes.
This is gross inequality, and would
seem to have little foundation in reason,
yet it was q part of the original theory
of the Government, that the States,
without regard to their population,
should have equal representation in the
Senate, and we are not seeking to change
it.
In order to correct the shameful abuse
and injustice l have been describing,
Congress has passed joint resolution
amending the Constitution of the United
States, the second clause of which pro
vides that whenever the right to vote
is denied in any State to any of the male
of such State twenty one
years of age, and citizen of the United
States, or is in any way abridged, except
for participation in the rebellion, or
other crime, the basis of representation
shall be reduced in the proper
ton such male citizens shall bear to the
whole number of male citizens twenty
The effect of this amendment will be
to exclude the negro population from
being counted in making up the basis of
in any State in which
negroes are denied the right of suffrage
It assumes that the male negroes over
twenty one years of age bear the same
To no. VIII ri loti
that white males over twenty one years
of age bear to the whole white popula-
ton, and deducts the negro population,
by that proportion from the whole mum
given. This will have the effect to de
duct the whole negro population of the
rebel States from the aggregate number
of which representation is to be given,
Congress and in the Electoral College
1t also deducts the twelve thousand in
Indiana, from the aggregate population
for which she is entitled to representa-
ton, and SO in every other State. This
in effect leaves the question
of negro suffrage with each State, to be
by and within itself If
South Carolina wants representation for
her negroes. she has but to confer the
right of suffrage upon her male negroes
over twenty-one years of age and she
will have it. And the matter is referred
entirely to her own denomination, and
so with every other State.
The principle enunciated by the am
endment is this, that wherever there is
a race of people who are deemed un-
worthy or unfit to receive and enjoy
political rights. they shall not be made
the basis for comforting political rights
and powers upon others.
Against this amendment the Demo
cratic party has placed itself in direct
Democratic members of
Congress voted against it, and Demo
cratic politicians are misrepresentino il