The national Republican., 1866-11-19
SUFFRAGE.

Suffrage should be conferred by the states,
that right being guaranteed to each State by
the Constitution. ANDREW JOHNSON is in
favor of qualified suffrage in Tennessee as a
citizen of that State. He authorized us, in
behalf of the Chief Executive of the nation,
to urge qualified suffrage for three classes of
coored men OF this District, in April last,
and at his suggestion we renewed the propo-
sition again in July, only about one week
before Congress adjourned. We took special
pains to notify several radical Senators and
Representatives who were anxious nquirers
on the subject that TnE President was in
favor of the plan proposed in the RErrBLI-
CAN. The radicals were afraid to touch the
question, and went home to their several
States and blackguarded The PRESIDENT, and
declared that he was opposed to extending
the right Of suffrage to the black man.
ANDREW JOHNSON is in favor OF more for
the black man in Tennessee, as citizen Of
that State; he suggested to Gov. SuARKEy
of Mississippi, more for the colored men Of
that State and requested and authorized us
to urge upon Congress, at the last session,
IlUTC lOT lllt IHcu Vi bislIISt'
than CHARLES SUMNER, or HENRY WILSON, or
any other Congressman Of Massachusetts,
ever urged for the colored men of their State
No coored man who fought in the Union
army, or who owns property, no matter how
much, can vote in Massachusetts unless he
can read and write. President JOHNSON goes
beyond that He is in favor of granting suf.
frage to all colored men, wherever the Con-
stitution gives him the power to do it, who
can read and write, or who served honorably
in the Union army, or who own property to
the extent of two hundred and fifty dollars
and upwards.
The only difference between The PREsI-
DENT and Congress is, that the former be-
lieves that, under the Constitution, each
State has the right to settle the question of
suffrage for itself. Congress assumes the
right TO impose it upon the States, constitu-
tion or no constitution.
Now, the writer of this article aided in se-
curing qualified suffrage in Massachusetts,
Neither CHARLES SUMNER nor HENRY WILSON
would have received a suggestion on the sub
ject from any other State, nor would the
people Of Massachusetts have submitted to
dictatiOn on the subject from the General
Government. HENRY WILSON would have
headed q revolution, as he encouraged resist
anCc TO the laws in the fugitive slave cases.
Now let HENRY WILSON exercise the religion
which he recently experienced" and in his
future Senatorial career do unto others as he
would have others do unto him
HENRY WILSON knows that he and other
stump speakers have misrepresented and
abused The president before the people in
the recent canvass. WILSON knows, as We
know, that he took advantage of the prcju
dices Of the people and the presses that were
influenced by such people, Henry WILSON
knew this so well and became so ashamed Of
the infamous sin he was committing before
high Heaven and the American people that
he was frightened and repentcd, and got
religion The worst wish We can entertain
for him is that he will keep enough of it to
enable him hereafter to tell the truth. An.
DREW JOHNSON has been the best abused man
during the late political canvass, in this
country Henry WILSON las been one o
the mcancst Of the abuscrs. If ANDREW
JOHNSON had been represented in the press
and upon the stump, in the late canvass, witt
the same zeal and ability by his professeC
friends that has characterized the msrepre
scntations Of his enemies, he would stant
to-day the peerless among the most faithful
in the Republic