Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-11-16

After mentioning n number Of particulars
in which il Is assumed the constitution Of
Illinois needs to bc amended. the Chicege
newspaper organ Of Mr.. Jacob Bum alludes,
in casual way, to the question Of suffrage.
A. II. Il would seem. the suffrage question,
in the estimation of radical fanatics, had
suddenly dwindlcd to i.signiticancc I,
cannot 10 put aside thus cavalierly. The
question which has agitstcd the whole ia
ZION ever since the surrender Of Lees army
vi not do~n at the biid ng { imprac,ica
bic dsmsgoguea Who lind that that question
IL aow abou, 10 assusne practicable shspe
In this lac, they perceive the death. kncll d
their own ambitlun hut they cannot aver
the fate that Is inevitable by any resumption
NJ indifference, or any effort to beli:tle tn,
great issue.
TIE suffrage question is by far the mos
important question upon which q cpnstitu
uonal convention IN Illinois can he en- led Ia
act. u Is the question 81 all others winch
demands that such . convention should be
called Il is the fundamental question I; the
foundation from which arise all the oihcs
questions that II constitutional convention
wolli be likely TO consider Om,ltinp this
ali other amendments that coull be u,xde Ia
the consult micn u III nois. affecting polite.
al privileges. would De practically useless.
II u a" egrcgiuus error to suppOse there
- no issue before the country upon this
subject. The ,ssuc is . vast vital one 4,
il i, one which involves nothing less than
The lite ii the republic. Suctinc,lv state {,
the Alternative which the Amc, lean PEI ie
must accept is Impartial Suffrage aud State
Rights u uavh,rsAl Suffrage and Consol
asiion. VII. the people in the several ota;,s
pr.Kerve 10 themselves their comslitu,iona
right tn press, ,bc the gu .liiica,ion IF clcc,
tors and the eligibility Of persons to hol
cilicc-a power they have rightiully .x.,-
clscd FROM the origin of the government t.
the present timc"-or viii they yield "a,
tina, power 10 the posses ,,ou ot . central
ized ohga'chy in the national capitol? Thee
are the ppus,ns propositions, from which
there Is no escape There IS no other nj.
rsti ..
Have the peop', Of illinois, Of Indiana -
Of every STATE whcrc impartial suffrage is
not already the fixed lsw ~ interest in
sh's isaual Ce,tan,l. they have very deep
interest. The people OF illinois have the
right, and desire To retain the right, IL reg
ula'c taer own domestic affairs IN IN. ir owu
way They do not desire, aud will /, o,
consent to have them regulated by the con-
grcssi0nal rep, esentstivcS of other States =
The relrs>sn, at,ves Of South Carolina .r oi
Massachusetts may understand, and doubt.
lesa do understand. tho wants s,,i interests
~ The people in their own State better lnan
the Representatives Of illinois or Callf,.rnis
understand them. But the people ~ ! H.
no understand their own wants eli inier>
cots better, and believe then.clvcs IN ~
competent 70 regulate their own political
and 'lcnsesti aiia,rs, tina. arc the rc,,rescn
tatives III ans Or ~ the other States. The
p--sple Of Massachusetts, have ever sseadfaoe.
!, refused to allow tue southern ami West
crn States to regulate or ia any way 10 in
tcrferc with ihln local instructions aud poll.
ci,s. They cstAhI shed impartial sstfrass
when he people in every other State wcrs
almost unanimously opposed to it. They
had the right To do 81, and in exercising
that right neither the people II any Other
State, nor the general g. ernmsas, he'd any
right to interfere. This right the people Of
Massachusetts, will never peacefully yield.
IL is right which belongs equally to the
people u lliineis, Of South Carolina, and Of
every other State of the republic. 1t is this
right which the radical sdvecAtes or CEN
trslisat'on propose 70 take away from tho
pc pile Of the States, AMI transfer to the ca.
trail government. in chat ses,sct chsasiae
our yovcesmcat system (ssM . republic .
States to centralized dvapssism.
There Is no other way in which tho pco>
pie Of the several States can avert this blow.
aimed st their dea'r rights. but by pro-
cccslIng without delay e excrcics those
rights. a. Massachusetts, has done, IVY the 70,
enlistment 81 imp srlial suffrage. They
must establish is themselves. aud thus pre-
serve to themselves the right to regulate il.
OF centralized power Will force Il upon
them, and the right they now DO sseos 70
regulate their own affairs will 10 losa f..
ever,
I; is emincnsly fitting. and il oash, to b
III, pride ., Illinois. the great ernpIe STATE
Of The West. to take the initiative in this
great work II progress and II u ainini~v the
:ignts OF the people. Let the people &c Iii
no's demand Of the ssen they have cAossn
TO the Legislature to provide withsut delay
Tor . csnvent,sn - amend The State con~,i
ution. Let that convent On msee q lie
earliest p ssss6'e day. aud let iss iirse duty
be the one whi..n ain Be isv eveoto 4. the
es;sbl,shmsns Of sxfAsrsAL sUrpaAoe. bv
the highest aud The only aathvri,y wsjch
has the right to establish Il, the people of
the State. -Q&fn0O TSmes.