Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-01-27

f-ic, and The States Congress and Ht
President
A our readers are aware, the bil
establishing universal negro suffrage D
the District Of Columbia, passed IN
House OF Representative on lhursta.
last bv vote of one hundred and siNteel
ayes to ffty-f0ur nays. IL viii prohahi.
also pass the Senate by decided mayor
ifv. Ii Is generally assumed that IL Wu
rlreive the President signature an'
thus become a law, but We regard this
bv no means certain. lt Is SAID ln HaN'
been asserted by judge Kelley ON tn
floor Of the House, while the bill Wa
r4Don its passage. that he knew the Presl
dent would sign it, and this statemen
probably had some effect in swelling th'
vote in its favor Whether Judge Kelly
pretended 70 speak from positive per
sonal knowledge of the President inJen
ton. or only by way Of inference from
his position and presumed opinions, We
are not aware.
The massage of the bill in the House is
claimed by the Tribune rs a decided tn
lDlnh Of the radical majority The
claim is perfectly just. But whether
that triumph was achieved by far eN-
,lre;se Of its strength, or by an adroit and
somewhat uuscrupulOus alliance with the
Democratic minority, may he open t0
serious doubt. The bill was originally
introduced by Judge Kelley, of Penn
svIvsnia. and was referred % the JUdlc-
iarv Committee. Of which Mr.. Wilson, 81
Iowa. Is Chairman. Il provided for uni
versaI negro suffrage in the District Mr..
Wilson reported it back, and tie House
entered up0u its discussion. After this
had gone on for a few days, conference
OF the Union membe of the House was
cal Il % consult as 10 the proper course
% be pursued.
! frer full discussion IL was decided, by
a vote Of more than two 10 one Jhat the
lHI should be rec0mmitted % the judi
aisrv Committee. with instructions %
amend Ic So as to require all persons both
white and black. who should hereafter
H. admitted 10 vote in the District, 10 be
able 70 read .he Constitution Of the Uni
Ted states. OF else % have served m the
army. or 20 pay taxes on personal or real
stale. This was distinctly understood
IvaW narfies % be- the decision of the
Union F,art-. and by none more distinctly
than ~ Nr. Wilson himself No one
pretended hat il bound any one 70 vote
iu anv particular way but 10 was sup
i,os..d thar il would have weight with
Mr. wilson and his associates as 70 the
f0rus II which The question should De
-uhmitiei o. the action of the House.
var-r iaraa majority Of the Union MEM
.b,arS gt.si-ed the vote t8 be- taken upon
,,-auffnr 10 the e0lored men of the Dis
trict a sIfilage qualified by the ability 70
read aud they supposed that IN defer
snce n their wishes, thus distinctly eX-
lifessed. this hoald be done.
They were mistaken Mr. NJ llson and
hfs assoaiste~ voted with the Democrats
AGAINST the recGmmitment, and thus
brought the vote directly upon the ques-
ton ~ uaiversal negro suffrage in the
District. and the great body Of the
Cnion majority preferred 70 vote together
rafrer than separate HpOn this ISSUE thus
fsrced upon them. Whether they acted
wisely or not, will De determined by re-
s.lIrz but we know that they acted
from A paramount desire 10 save the
iFFuion party from disseusiOn and dis
ruprion If-they had been met I'D this
effort bv a corresponding desire on the
us-t Of Mr.. Wilson and his associates,
fha prospect of ultimate success would
haze been more hopeful than they seem
at present
II this question were confined 10 the
District Of Columbia, it would be of Jess
importance than 81 is. Congress has
within that District the unguestioued
power Of exclusive legislation, and hvw-
ever opprsssively and uuWlsely that
power may be eXerciced, the injury lu-
fiicted l. confined within narrow limits.
But this step IS but an entering wedge 70
a general system of legislation concern
ing the negro race The aFoWai mas re-
paaredlv been made by those known a.
81 %. % .HrrH ~ huH ~
fuaiu purpose was TO establish a principle
IN the District which should afteTward se
applied % the several States.
Judge Kelly, Of Pennsylvania, the au-
rbsr of this bill, declared recently, in
debate with Mr.. Casson- Of Iowa, that
Congress had the right 30 prescribe the
qualifications Of voters "l8r the most
numerous branch Of t'.e Legislature IN
every State I'D the nion-in other words
that. notwithstanding the explicit Ian
s-1ags Of the Constitution, Congress had
silDTelng power over this whole subject
and he H. prepared TO Introduce a bill for
if. assertion aud exercise. Mr.. Stevens
kas introduced a bill 10 give every eman-
cinsted negro a homestead, either from
~. eUufiScated estates OfSUulheFn reueisr
on from lands In the South owned by the
Government. A bill is already before
the House Ignoring utterly every ihnig
done bv the President toward the reslQIa-
ton Of peace and Federal relations IN the
Southern StaJes, and proposing 70 organ
ize territorial governments Tor Them al.
And TIE saHs fuctics are 10 BE- cBapl0ycd
70 force each and euerg one o. Hese
5,sersures upon the L.Htoa party W ne
Ff01se, i0hfok Drogcd So sHcccsg'a ol' ts'S
District Qf C9lanttiQ 5W.
Nrf U1 a.
rbiuery Of caucus. Decisions viii De
sustained and enforced when favorable
10 these projects, and disregarded and
oyertarown. by alliance with the Demo-
Gratis when adverse. And a. the DEM
ocrats themselves are simply play mg
their own partisan game, they must nat
lraIlv be expected 20 aid, by such acton
a. these alliances may Oiter' ln fastening
upon the Union administration Whatever
may be most obnoxious TO the puoiie
judgement and thus offer them the best
chances 90 @ speedy retura 70 power.
IL NAV fairly be presumed that Fresl-
dent johnson viii not overlook these
considerations, as well as Others more
duectly involved, in bis actiOn upon THIS
siH TIE question Of negro suffrage Is
one upon which the Union party as
such, has never taken action u has
never come before any national cOnVen-
tiol, nor have aAy considerable number
ct state conventions taken ground upon
It. Nor is ii quite easy t0 SEE what eNi-
geuciss ei the public welfare force il,
with such perempIory authority, upOu
the instant action Of Congress and the
country. While Do Is a matter of COM
parttiFely little consequence TO most Of
the N9FlhrFl and Eastern States. il
touChes most closely lla sentiments and
urei Idices OF the West, and Is absolutely
\ matter Of life or death 10 Jniouism and
LOYALTY among the masses Of the people
ia tie Southern States.
Tie men. moreover, Who know most
Of tie actual condition Of the co,ored
race "a the south, do not hesitate 10 as
sart that no more fatai step for them can
-. taren than this--that ID viii Intensity.
inevitably and mcalCulably, Nehostlity
of rsses. already strong enough 10 de-
mant the wisest and most eateigl treat
ment-and the chances are three 70 one
that L will bring on collision lnsurrec-
ton. tnd rebellion, that may eventually
wrap the whole country in tne names OF
q warteu times more terrible than mar
we haze Just closed. These are e0nsiq-
erati0ls t6 which no wise man shculd
willinfy close his eyes ana they may
ven u l-l1A f-INE AF ~ Vic N.-tA -
those most exclusively devoted 10 the
welfare of the colored race.
It i well enough 10 bear in mind
moreover. that President johnson has
never Dmmitted himself in any way to
the principle Of universal suffrage, either
for the District Of Columbia or for any
State md that is the principle which.
81 this oil passes the senate, Is b be pre-
scented br bis approval. He has never
gone furher than 10 say that If acting
within lis own State alone, he might IA
vOr the admission. Of qualified calored
voters 4 the exercise Of the right Of suf-
frage and even this was given merely
asa personal opinion, and IN no sense a.
an indiAtion Of official action. ID is
known. lls0. that he regards the people
e. sf the District Of Columbia a. having in
no wise lDst their rights as citizens, or
their clam 10 respect and regard for
their wishes concerning their own affairs,
5y their Abiecti0n 10 the exclusive juris-
~ = - a 1.