The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-09-28
ThR 8edf0rl GazgttG.
SPEECH OF
HON. EDGAR COW N,


The first section of the amendment is
not, by many, considered very materi-
al, although it is easy to conceive Of a
case in which it might work great mis-.
chief by compelling the inhabitants of
a State to suffer themselves to be over
run by totally different race Of peo-
pie, which for their own safety they
might wish to expel-as for instance, if
the people Of California should find it
necessary to eXpel the Chinese. This
provision would prevent them from
doing 50, as to all of that race born in
the United States.
Again, a State might find it necessa-
~ to abridge theprivilegcs and immu-
mites Of some Of itspeople for the sake
of equality, as has happened very often
in history. Utah might wish to abol-
ish Polygamy when she becomes a
State; yet if that should be declared
by Congress one of the privileges or
immunities of citizens Of the United
States, herpower over thesubject would
be gone and she could not regulate this
domestic institution Of hers at will, as
is the admitted right Of all the States
as the Constitution now stands.
Lastly, it will be claimed, under this
clause, that Congress will have the right
to define and fix what are the privilcg-
es and immunities Of citizens Of the
United States, and in that case they
may include the right Of suffrage a.
mong the pririieges, and thus force ne
gro suffrage throughout the Union by
a mere majority-Which would be IA
tai to the Republic.
SECTION SECOND.
This second section is violation Of
the fundamental principles Of the gov
ernment of the United States, and cal
culated to change its character entirely.
When the Constitution was formed, it
was intended to confer upon the Gen
eral Government only such powers as
were necessary to enable it to govern
in all matters of general interest to the
whole, reserving those which the States
might regulate for themselves by their
separate action.
The right to make war and peace
establish post-ofiices-make uniform
rules for naturalization and bankrupt
cy-reguIate commerce VIII FOreIgh
nations, and between the States-and
settle difficulties between States and
the citizens of different States, being in
their nature general, are instances of
these powers. But the Constitution in
no case gives the Federal Government
any authority to interfere in State ai-
fairs. where the State itself could reg
ulate them, without affecting any bat
its own people. Thus slavery was left
with the States, because no matter what
action the State took upon it, such ac-
ton was not felt beyond its own peo-
pie, or 6utside Of its own boundaries,
and so. too, of a thousand other things;
especially, that Of the right Of suffrage
which each State was left to regulate
for itself. and which it could thus reg
ulate without in any way affecting lis
sister States.
Now, if this amendment is adopted,
the RIGHT of suffrage will be given over
to the Federal Government not di-
rectly, it is true but indirectly and
with the same effect as though it were.
1t declares that whenever any state
denies to any of the male citizens Of
the United States, being p years OF
age, the right to vote, that then the
power OF that State, in the Union,
should be diminished in proportion to
thenumberof votersso excluded. That
is. PENNSYLVANIA has now 600, 900 adult
males over q, and she has q members
of Congress, or one for every 25,000.
| But if we suppose that she has $1,000
male negroes Of the required age, and
to whom they viii not allow votes,
then she will be obliged to accept one
member of Congress less, or else change
her constitution 50 as to allow the ne
oroes to vote. That is the alternative
presented to Pennsylvania, Etthcr let
| the neqro r0te, or else lose n me11bcr Of
| C9aqrcss rs the pcaadl-that isallof it..
But it goes much farther in the South
ern States. They would All lose hcav-
iIv-some, indeed, would have to give
M oue-half their members in the House
of Representatives. But the worst
part of it is, too, that the operation OF
! this section is not only not equal IN all
the States, but is absolutely unjust to
some. in order that others may profit
by it. In all the NorthernStates which
have few or no negroes, they run no
risk. and cannot lose, but they gain in
power just as the others are deprived OF
/ it. This is the secret of their anxiety
for its success.
But if we maintain our old opinions,
which have been held by all parties in
all the States of the Union heretofore
land in no one of which is manhood
suffrage" pure and simple, allowed
that the power to say who shall east
its ballots is the essence of State free
dom. then this section becomes an in
suit to US. 1t says to all the people OF
oil tho States tsVOu have thought il