The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-09-20
At Erie---Gen. Geary's Speech.

a grand Union mass meeting was held
at Erie on the 18th, whereat Gen. Geary,
our next Governor, delivered the follow
ing able speech =
FELLOW CITIZENS: I understand this
is the Inauguration of the campaign in
Erie. You are aware that the questions
now at issue are comprised in the amend
ment TO the Constitution, proposed by
Congress as conditions precedent to the
admission of the Southern States TO their
old relations with the General Govern
ment-relat;ons interrupted by the war
Beture the war the questions which divi-
ded the country into parties were differ
ences Of opinion in regard to railroads,
tariffs, and such subjects. but they are
now tor the most part settled, and the
vital questions now directly before the
people for consideration arc those growing
directly from the war. As the con~titu-
riOnal amendment is an ePitome of these
questions, [ will consider the different
provisions which it cvEtaiuS.
"The first propo>irio2 of Congress sub
mittcd to the people is that all persons,
without respect to color, born or natural
ICED in the United States, shall be enti
tied to receive civil rights in ali
the States and Territories. In Penn
sylvania and The Northern States the
people are not affected by this. Long ago
our fathers made this provision for our
people. Long ago they took up this
question and provided that al persons.
without regard to color, so far as civil
rights were concerned, should be equal
before the law. Civil rights and political
rights a:e two very different things
Civil rights affect relationship of indivii-
uals to each other, and tnat alone political
rights affect relationship of individuals to
the Government. Civil rights give each
man right to sue and be sued, 10 testify
in courts, and buy and sell real esta'e -
But opponents say, however, that it affects
negro suffrage. They thrust this question
right out upon the people, and they say
that negro suffrage is to be forced upon
the people. This Is not 81. Negro
suffrage is a political, not a clvi! right,
and although negroes of this State are in
iuIl enjoyment OF all civil rights guaran-
teed to its white inhabitants, they cannot
be given the right OF suffrage without an
amendment to the State Constitution
Examine that document and you will see
that no question like this can affect the
people during the present canvass. The
Constitution of this State can only be
amended once in five years. 1t was
amended in 1861 to allow soldiers to vote,
and caunot be amended again within
three years. 1t may come up in 1869,
but not before. You will observe that by
the second proposition of the proposed
amendment the question of negro Suffrage
is taken right out OF both Houses OF Con-
gress, and vested solely in the people of
the several States. tell you that the
question of negro suffrage is not before
you. You know it, and the harpings OF
the Democratic party on this point are an
insult TO your good sense.
another proposition of the consttu-
tional amendmen; proposed by Congress
is in relation to the representation of those
negroes freed from slavery 6y the war aud
the National Legislature. We want the
Constitution so amended that hereafter
and forever every man in the South shall
be equal, and no more. Under the old
rule, that three ffths of their slaves should
be represented, the whites doing the vot-
ing, they had twelve representatives in
Congress of constituencies of slaves, not
one of whom was permitted to vote. Now
that slavery is abolished, they want the