The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-20

quesuon OF sunrage under the Constitution as
It Is, belongs TO the States severaliv and aocb
decides Tor itself who shall or boii nhu 10 e"In I
voters; and Conerefs has no authorize ~ Ieois
late on the subject. Amending the Con SO,
s,oo % 40 W give the authority to Congress would
Ine equilibrium between the States and tbo
Union, and tend to consolidation or The oorS ore
ranzaton OF the governmental power in tbe
con,,io, government. 1t would, in principle,
country. 10 leave the establishment imnartiaI
sunrage to the several States, each Tor itsait
oners no efficient guarantee at all Tho Ststas
may naS ADOPT impartial suffrage to-day and re.
negroes and colored men from VOTING and
Ieslrlct suffrage TO white men alone Tt ,oeme o,
70 me, then, that impartial suffrage as n cond.
nNst IOT Preceoent 10 restoration, is exceedingly
prove nugatory or harmful. | think the negroes
should be distinctly recognized as free and eauoI
Sitlzens Szens OF the United States, and the several
ov s Sl t iIee 20 enIIanchze them in their own
ana Judgment, or not, as they Judge best,
IN regard 10 the second, the loyal peoDle want
an ample guarantee that Congress snail nnver
rrepauiate lne Nauonal debt nor assume the
confederate debt. You doubtless believe that
you would nave the guarantee in impartial suf
lrage; as honestly believe that impartial suf
Irage would be just as good as no guarantee at
lillian, az; ana IL IS probably the same belief that
induces several Democratic journals to accent
your platform. The vote of the Soutb wonid
hardly be changed in single locality Nv The
@ehlranchlsement @ OF the emancipated slaves. You
th t1h vi tpe freedmen as constituting large por-
uon OF the tCydt people of the South; but, once
sure OF their freedom, they will be as loyal or as
usIoyal as the dominant white class and no
more more So 1t seems to me arrant nonsense to
taLR qDout me loyalty or disloyaty of people,
Whether white or black, who have for genera.
llons been held III slavery, and who, five wears
ago, had never had a country or domicile AZ
rule, If we judge from all past experience. the
SoIoLea ,o people II eniranchised will vote accord
ing TO the advice of their former masters or the
socially dominant class in their Respective
otates. POOR, ignorant, without social n p1sition
ana without any political training, or political
iian' naolIs' tney cannot expect to be independent
' Xoters' ana the only question TO be decided is.
Wlll they take the advice and follow the djrec.
non oItne politicians OF the South or the poli-
tlclans OF the North?
DO not in any sense oppose what is called
negro suffrage or the abolition of all political
ulStlncnon between white men and black, or
CoIored men; but protest against regarding
tne eniranchisement of the freedmen as any
gusSiahtee that the national debt will not be re-
puolated or that the Confederate debt will not
De assumed. The adoption of your platform.
MT Eultor, seems to me to be the practical
adoption, under another form, OF Mr.. Johnson's
policy, Whlch the late elections have emphati-
cally Iepudiated. Grant universal amnesty, if !
you VIII; would, If 1t had depended on me,
granted 1t In June, lS65-but secure the needed
guarantees first.
IhO 'eH states ludJ engaged IN the Rebellion
lost ny their rebellion their status and rights
and lmmunlties as States in the Union: bur. for
tnelr sake, and for the sake of the Union, 1t is
Ieslrable that they be restored as States in the
SUnon' S.' on a footing OF equality with the other
states, as soon as possible. Congress has de-
clded, not that they should give guarantees, but
nat the Union should, prior to their restora
Ilon, establish certain constitutional guaran-
les lor Itself against the proba bihty of future
rebellion, whether North or South East or
west. For this purpose it has proposed the
Constitutional amendment, which several States
laVe already ratified, which the loyal people in
ma which affects all the States alike. Perhaps
he Constitutional amendment is not perfect.
1ut 1t Is the best Congress could devise. Let
nat be ratified by three-fourths OF the twenty
TX states In the Union, and then let the ex. !
states reore anize under the amended Constitu- |
ION, and resume their vacant seats in the
Union. |
The disabling clause in the amendment I |
would strike out if il looked to the last Rebellion
lone but it looks to the future as well as to the
ast, and is, perhaps, wise and just. Let the ex-
tates reconstruct themselves under an enabling |
CT OF Congress, and come back; then you may |
aiely grant universal amnesty, and Congress
an remove, by a tWo-thrds vote of both |
iouses, the disability imposed, and the last |
races OF the Rebellion be oblterated. Impartial |
utfrage will soon follow, and without marripe |
he symmetry Of our National Constitution. At |
ny rate, let the Constitutional amendment be |
INSISTED on, and let not the public mind be dis |
racted by any substitute, whether more or less |
lVoraole TO the negro. | have the honor TO be |
our oDedlent servant, o. A. BRowNsoN.
Elizabeth, N. j.. November Is, 1866.
Remarks by the Tribune.
l. Mr. Brownson queries whether we would |
ave impartial suffrage established by the |
tates, by Congress, or by Constitutional amend |
lent. We answer, by them all. We should |
realty prefer that the good work would begin
nth the States, North and South; but we do
OF propose to stand on ceremony. We hold 1t
he true and vital interest of each State to
e lust to her own people, and especially to her
abortng class. If only for her own sake, and
'lthout reference to anything but Itself. we
old that impartial suffrage should be PROMPTLY
dopted by each State, as means of satisfying
er hitherto degraded population, and making
hem contented members of the BODY nol1tic.
eady and proud to do and dare In its defense
We do not want to STE impartial suffrage pre
ented to the south on the point of a con.
uerors sword. If the South were todav an
Independent ma ZION, with her blacks free we
eneVe her wiser statesmen would ,nsis+ ON
neil . enilIanchlsement as means of Increasing
eI hdIlonal strength, security and preatnass
MI broWnson thinks Impartial ufTra 90 ,ai,ht
e cohceueu 10 suDserVe present end mi |
IlthdraWn when that end had been o,toiiI ah'
'e ueClueuly Chlnk otherWse; but, since there |
possibility OF this, and the Dare nnssiblIitv
;, "a source OF uneasness weakness, and DeriI
lhen every consideration demands tha spo,,r Poim
ng of tranquility and contentment. esnec,onv
I the south, we insist that impartial sntfraGs
e i'm beaded in the Federal Constttution Thst
vii be the end of the controversy.
z. Mr. BroWnson objects that this would ,,or |
he symmetry OF our Federal system W.
nswer that this objection comes too late VI
vas urged-and with great speciousness-
he amendment abolishing slavery throuSbont
NE Unlon' 1t was, undoubtedly, the rule that