Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-04-28
OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
Negro Suffrage in the Distriet-Admitting
White Men to Black Fellowship The
Late Elections.
WASHINGTON, D. G.. April o, 1866.

WASHINGTON, D. c.. April q, 1866.
EpIroRs PUBLIC LEDGER: 1t is ex-
pected that in few days the idol of the
Radicals will have presented to him, in
the Senate, new offering, in the shape
of the bill proposing to establish negro
suffrage in the District of Columbia;
which passed the House sometime since,
as Kelly originally presented it, but
which has been tearfally withheld from
the Senate because they had reason to
believe that the President would GER
tainlyJ veto 1t, and they had not the
necessary two-thirds with which to pass
it over said veto. They are not sure yet
that they have two-thirds of the Senate
who would vote down veto Of this par
ticular bill but seem TO think that if this
is not an auspicious moment for its in
troduction they are not likely to have one
The President, it is said, is favorable
to qualified negro suffrage in this District,
such as permitting those colored men to
vote who took up arms in defense Of the
Union, or those who have certain de-
gree of education, but that he will veto
the bill if passed in its present shape, is
scarcely doubted The bill as now
framed, simply strikes the white" from
all our election laws, and puts the black
voter on perfect equality with the white
one "t
The following display of presumption
may safely be laid at the door of the
Civil Rights bill, for tina bill was freely
spoken of in connection Herewith; On
Saturday, the 2lst, the Conference of the
African NJ E. Church was convened
here, and in the course of the pro-
ceedings q quote from Forneys ChroH-
icle, that / may not be charged
with distorting the facts Bishop
Payne said there was white brother
in the house, who had been serving
in our Conference for two years, and
it was time for his ordination. Now,
he wished the Conference to say whether
it was prepared TO receive white men in
| its midst or not. Debate ensued, when
the Rev. Jas. Reed said he welcomed
the day to see white men knocking at our
doors, while we we're knocking at theirs
let us throw them wide open and bid
them come in, and skoio This country
that are dom disrespect a man for his
color" The white man being not q dis
respected on account Of his color, was
magnanimously admitted TO association
with his sooty brethren. The above is sc
highly ridiculous that one would have
been inclined to regard it as bnrlesqu'
invented by some Democratic wag, haC
it not appeared, legitimately reported fol
the Washington Chronicle, as piece o
city intelligence for its local columns.
The late local elections throughout th'
North we're very encouraging 10 III
friends Of President johnson, and plain
" indicate that his policy is surely an'
steadily gaining ground Large Con
sentative gains are continually reporte'
those have noticed occurring in Mich
isan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and I'LL
nois. These are the results Of johnson
meetings and clubs, which should be OF
ganised all over the country.
/ A new cause for excitement smohgs
the spectators has just been found in tn
discovery of gold-bearing quartz nea
Tennallytown, about three miles iron
Washington, As yet it is not know
whether it can be procured in sufheien
quantities to pay for working, bat Their
are parties about TO test the matter