The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-01-19

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 1886.


to those who can read the Constitution of the
United States, or who pay tax on q certain
amount of property, or who have served in
the Union army, and excluding from the right
to vote all those who have borne arms against
the Government, or given aid and comfort to
the rebels.
The discussion has developed many facts
of which the country ought to be advised.
The colored people Of this District pay taxes
upon property valued 1t about one and quar-
ter millions Of dollars. They sustain twenty
two churches, with over four thousand com
municants, and a. many Sunday Schools, in
which over two thousand children are in
structed every Sabbath. Notwithstanding the
large amount of taxes paid by them, the city
authorities refuse to vote them dollar for
their schools, and therefore out of their pri
vate means they sustain q large number of
schools, in which their children are being
educated.
/ Our Representative, Mr.. Wilson, spoke to-
day in favor of the bill. am sorry to say
did not hear him, but am informed that his
was an able and effective effort. His con-
stituents will doubtless shortly see it in print.
The aristocrats of the District land they are
numerous) are greatly exercised on this sub
ject. The City Council ordered vote to be
taken to determine the wishes of the people.
OF course, those who favor the measure paid
no attention to this vote, and consequently
al 4 II -
less true, however, that large majority of the
white men of the District are against the
measure, but is this reason why it
should not pass9 Is it not rather . rea-
son why it should? The very fact that the
| City Council has taken the taxes paid by the
colored men for school purposes, and used it
! to educate white children, refusing to give
the colored people any part of it, is evidence
the negroes need the ballot for their pro-
lection.
Besides, one cannot help feeling kind Of
satisfaction at seeing these nabobs, who, IN
der the old Democratic regime, lordedit over
! Cuffy, and who during the rebellion were rank
rebels, brought to a realizing sense of the fact
that before God and the law they are no bet.
ter than a negro. If it goes hard with them,
! don't care.
! A stranger entering the galleries of the Sen.
ate or House when the subject Of Recon.
struction is mp, land 1t is up in some shape
almost every day. will almost imagine him
self looking upon great debating society en-
gagged in discussing the question, Can a
State commit suicide?n / have heard seve-
raj very able speeches on the different sides oi
this vexed question, and must say that there
is much to be said on both sides. 1t is, how
ever, an abstraction IN relation to which mer
may honestly differ1n theory, and yet act to-
gether harmoniously. The President think,
the functions ofVthe Southern States were
only suspended by the rebellion. sumner
Stevens aad others think they were destroyed
Now the practical question is, when and upor
what conditions may those States resume the
exercise of their functions as such? And the
question is the same whether they be dead Oh
merely suspended Now this question
must necessarily be decided by Congress
The President, being merely the Executive
officer. can do nothing in the premises except
enforce any Law that Congress may make
President johnson very properly leaves th'
subject to the decision of Congress, aud in
that decision | doubt not he will cheerful,
acuuiesce. | do not believe he will be Tyler
ized or Filmoreized. II such were his inten
tions he would not favor, as he does, the pas
sage of the negro suffrage bill in this Dis
trict. 1t was stated to-day in the House, by
Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania, that the Presi
dent had personally assured him that he was
anxious for the suffrage bill TO pass.
Yesterday had the pleasure of listening
to short but telling speech Of Charles Sum
ner, in the Senate. He had received infor
mstion thst fresdnen were being kidnapped
at the South and carrisd 70 Brazil to be sole
into slavery, aad he offered resolution in
sfructing the Committee on the Judiciary tt
enquire what legislation is necessary to stoT
! and prevent such outrages. He supported hii
resolution in short speech, in the course o
which he read letters showing the truth o
these reports. At the conclusion of hi
stirring appeal to every Department of th'
Government to take care of the liberties o
the freedmen, | was congratulating mysel
upon the fact that the Senate of the United
States was at length free from the insoienc,
Of the slave driving oligarchy, when sudden
ly'I heard the squeaking voice of Garret
Davis, of Kentucky, declaring that he had NJ
doubt the Yankees would revive the slave
trade unless some law was made to prevent i,
at least he was sure they would do it i
they could make any money by it. But Sum
ner paid no more attention than he would tt
the speaking Of q mouse, and the resolution
passed without further discussion.
A large number Of Generals in the army
were mustered out to-day. Of Iowa Gene
rails, only Curtis, Corse and Gilbert remair
in the service.
I The Supreme Court is engaged in the con
sideration of prize cases, growing out of thu
capture of blockade runners during the war
i The mandamus cases from Lee and othe
counties will not probably be reached thi
term. Yours, NJ.
The City Council of Dubuque has passed a,
ordinance requiring the City Assessor to re
turn, 10 the city tax list, al does ~ persona
property of their owners no dog to be assss
, sed at less than Eve dollars, the tax to b
I collected as other taxes, and TO be lien OF
the personal pfOpeftv of tho ovnera A roo,