The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-12-08
" Universal Amnesty---U Universal
Suffrage

t" Universal Amnesty Universal
Suffrage
We notice that there is a good deal still being
said, in various parts of the country, through
the press and otherwise, upon the subject of uni
versal amnesty to the late rebels, in consideration
OF the rebel States granting universal suffrage.
Such propositions in our judgment, is a complete
begging Of the whole question at issue. We
say to the rebels If yOu sOiU accede to certain
propositions we sOil pardon you. Ifwehave the
right to say that certain conditions must be COM
piled with on the part Of the rebels, as condi-
ton precedent to their enjoyment of the rights
of citizenship, there certainly can be no reason
why we should demand concessions from them,
for until they are pardoned and restored to their
former rights, they cannot legally exercise any
power whatever. And for us to ask them to do
certain things in order that they may regain the
rights OF citizenship, is to admit that they 40
possess certain prerogatives, Notwithstanding
their treason The President in instituting his
provisional governments, proceeded upon the
theory that there was no civil government in the
States lately IN rebellion, and inasmuch as these
" governments" with the solitary exception of
Tennessee, have never been recognized by Con-
gress, properly speaking there are no ctU1 goU-
ernments in the ten States unrepresented IN
Congress This being SO, why should we hold
parley with men having no legal status TO speak,
and of course no right to make contract We
have the right to make such laws for the people
( in the insurrecdonary States as we may deem
proper and we possess the power, and it is the
duty of the government, to enforce them.
The proposition to adjust our difficulties grow
ing out of the war upon the basis of universal
amnesty for universal suffrage waving all OBJ
objections as to the legality Of such measure
it seems to us has not been properly and careful
ly considered. In the first place, it would ma
terialy increase the power ofthe Southern States,
by giving them thirteen additional members Of
= Congress and thirteen more UoteS IN the electoral
COLLEGE for President and Vice President. In the
next place it would be the means of restoring the
leaders of the rebellion to power-the men who
have planned, plotted and conspired to destroy
the government for the past thirty years. Have
we any evidences that their ideas have under
gone any material changes during the six years
just passed Are they more patriotic and loyal
than they were in 1851 ? Are they more strong
" attached to the Union now than when they
retired from the halls of Congress, and went
home and organized a new government contain
ing features and based upon principles essential
ly different from our own? Are not their pref
udces deepened and intensified rather than
modified or dissipated by the crushing defeat they
have met at the point of the bayonet? Are they
more disposed to legislate in favor of freedom,
justice and humanity than before, and ifso why
Would they never seek to have the Confederate
3 debt assumed or the National debt repudiated?
Would they be willing to vote money out of the
treasury to pay pensions TO the manned and
crippled soldiers of our army, when their own
relatives, disabled in attempting to defend them
and their ideas, were denied the privilege OF
sharing in the gratuties of the government
Can the leaders of this conspiracy against the
government, be taught TO love the power that
inflicted upon them such terrible punishment
What would prevent, if these men were again
restored to power, the formation of coalition
between the Northern dough-faces and themselves
to rule the country in the interest of that party
calling itself Conservative" but which is only
the synonym of slavery and retrogression
And, in our opinion, the other proposition
universal su6frage-is open to as many and as
grave objections as the first What proof have
we that the negro just emancipated from posi-
ton of servitude covering two and a half centu-
ries is capable of expressing an intelligent opin-
ion at the ballot-box in his present ignorant and
degraded condition Has his judgment ever been
tried Has he had any opportunities of demon
strating bis capacity for usefulness Is it ascer-
tanned whether he could raise himself to the po-
sition to clearly comprehend the great principles
upon which our government is founded, and to
act inteIligenhy in the matter of suffrage To
what standard the negro may attain, intellectn-
ally and morally, when left to himself 1t belongs
to the future to determine, and until that ques-
ton is solved in satisfactory manner, we think
the discussion of the question of universal suf-
frage is ilI-tmed and inopportune.
We are satisfied that the easiest and most prac-
tical way Of settling the difficulties in which we
are now involved is to insist upon the Constitu
tioual Amendment. 1t seems to US well adopted
for the purposes for which it was designed, and
the people have expressed themselves by an over
whelming majority in its favor, and the South
must either accept it or remain unrepresented.