The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-19
NEGRO sUFFRAGR.
Debate between Messrs. Kelley and Ran.
da1n in ths HoWss Sf Representatives,

da1l in ths Howss 6f Representatives,
on Thursday, the 10TH instant
The question coming up on tie bill allowing
eolored men to vote in the District of Columbia,
Mr.. Randall of Pennsylvania, obtained the floor
and said -
Mr.. Speaker, the discussion of this bill has been
lengthy and the arguments have been ample. l
should not feel II necessary at this time to oc-
cupy the attention of the House on the subject,
but for the tact that my native State, during the
course OF this debate. has been alluded TO. My
colleague from the fourth district (Mr. Kelley
has stated t. you here that prior to 1888 negroes
were allowed the privilege OF the elective fran
chlse in the State of Pennsy lvania. The gentle
man has told the truth in that particular, but
he has tailed to tell the whole truth. Sir, is
he not aware that judicial decision has been
made in Pennsylvania upon this very point2
Pennsylvania abolished slavery on the lst of
March, 1880, and ever since that period her
legislation has tended to amelorate the con-
dition of that race but at the same time her
legislation and the position of parties In that
State, have uniformly recognized distinction
between the two races. Our Constitution of 1890
contained the word "lrcemen," and under that
provision of the Constitution negroes claimed
The right to vote in Pennsylvania, and believe
it is well authenticated that they did vote. But,
sir, at the October election in 1885, in the county
oil Luzerne, "a negro applied to vote; the in
spectors of the election conducting the polls
denied him the right TO vote, and his vote was
rejected, whereupon a suit was instituted, and
decision gwen in his favor in the lower court
and that decision was overruled by the Supreme
Court in 1887, The opinion was delivered by
Chief Justice Gibson, and his opinions are fully
known to every lawyer in this House; he stands
as q jurist at the head The opinion of the court
was unanimous concurred in by four other gen
tlemen OF almost equal talent and reputation
with himself Ihe question turned upon the
word "lreeman," whether 1t meant citizen, and
entitled him to vote That decision of The court
while it was unanimous was also clear on the
point Of declaring thai the word freeman"
meant white men, and not black men, and that
consequently black men werS not entitled to
vote under The Constitution of l7o@
The question was further agitated until con-
Venton met in January, 1888. My distLA9ulshed
colleague from Pennsylyan (Mr. Stevens Ihe
Chairman ot the Committee on Appropriations,
was member of that Convention, and if l mis-
state anything that there occurred he can cor
rect me. This question was asltated there, and
III order to set the matter at rest and have no
luther eouiyocal language in the Constitution
the word "white' was inserted by vote Of
nearly two-thirds, after lengthy and one or the
most intellectual discussions that has ever taken
place in any public body in Pennsylvania So
mn ch for the right Of the nero TO vote in Penn
sylvania. l thought it necessary, in answer to
the statement Of my colleague that negroes voted
in Pennsylvania, to give the true and correct
history, both judicial and political.
My colleague stated further that it was the
Democratic party which adopted that amend
ment to the Constitution and deprived the
negro Of the right TO vote in that convention. l
am glad to say, from my leading and trom my
associations with the party, that the Democratic
party of Pennsylvania have uniformly been
against extending the right OF suffrage to the
negro race.
MIR. Kelley-will my colleague yield to me for
q moment?
MIR. Randall-Certainly
MIR. Kelley-I do not understand my COLLEAGUE
to deny that colored men were voters at the
foundation OF the Government, and thence down
to 1885. Do rightly understand him?
MIR. Randall do not denV that some COOrp0
people in Pennsylvania voted down to the year
1885. But say that according to the judgment
OF the court they voted illegally, when they had
no riaht to vote.
Mr.. Kelley-In other words, that in 1885 we
had Dred Scott decision in the State of Penn
ylvania.
Mr.. Randall-It was no fabulous or made-up
case at all, but a case upon the facts.
Mr.. Kelley-Does the gentleman mean to say
that the Dred Scott case was fabulous case?
Mr.. Randall used the terms so familiar to
longs, who constantly call that fabulous and
made-up case. | am not going to be led into a
discussion of the Dred Scott decision at this
time. desired to refer the gentleman to the
decision of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania;
and he cannot escape from it,
Now, as to the gentleman's allegation that it was
the Democratic party who took away from and
deny to the colored people the light to vote.
Sir, thai party have always had the cooperation
and the aid of vast numbers of the other party.
The Convention which met in 1888 elected as
lCS DGeSluln2 OHlC6T, non. JOnn sergeant. III
was Whig Convention; its organization was
Whig yet two-thirds Of that Convention voted
to insert in the Constitution of Pennsylvania the
word white" and can give the gentleman
additional authority, such authority as be has
heretofore usually regarded as WISE / allude
to the gentleman who is now the Attorney
General OF PennsylVania, Hon. William L..
Meredith. He spoke in that Convention; and
tor the purpose OF edifying my colleague (Mr.
Kelley) l will read one or two extracts from
his speech there. He says, in the course of his
remarks:-
He was willing to extend political rights as far
he could with reference to the happiness we'll
being and security of society. But he had doubts
to the propIiey of admitting the colored people
into our political family on the footing of Others
Now, is not that sound authority for the gen
tleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelley, my
colleague? Mr.. Meredith Is the leviathau, sc
to speak, of the Pennsylvania bar. Again, he
says:-
"There is something peculiar in the relation il
which the cOOred race stand TO the whites, wnIcf
renders distinction inevitable 1t has been sait
that 1t is enough 10 show man is citizen, 10 SHOW
that he has the right OF suffrage, TINS IS not th
case. he whtIe man who has not paid tax, o
who is minor or who has not been assessed, i
not the less citizen, not the less entitled to protec
ton, yet he is not permitted to exercise the right
suffrage"
Furthermore let me say to the gentleman tina
he is seeking to do that here, upon the people o
this District, which he failed 10 make an issue a
home. He claims the power to force upon tn
people of this District negro suffrage. But VIII.
does he claim the power to do this here. whel
he fails TO make the same issue IN his owl
district?
Mr.. Kelley-The gentleman is slightly mis-
taken there. When / was quite young man
ana somewhat active in the Democratic party,
united with others in petitoning the Legislator
of my State to initiate change of the ConstitU
ton so that every man who was not a pauper o
a telon could be citizen in the full enjoymen
of the privileges OF citizenship; and / have no
a con stituent, whether he BELONGS to my part