Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-11-14
RADICAL


RADICAL
Fer the FreeTan.
Mr.. Woodbridge on the Right of
Suffrage.
Mr.. EDITOR The Hon F. E. Woodbridge,
IN his late speech before the Leg islature upon
the Constitutional Amendment, holds forth
the following language upon which | beg
cave to offer few comments. But the
question that many stumbled on, was what
power has Congress over the night of suf-
/ frage?" He did not believe it had any right
/ 10 interfere with the matter OF suffrage in the
states That right had been conceded to the
states ever since the formation Of the Consti-
luton; it IS right that belongs 10 the states
exclusively. But the adoption OF the amend
was Z step IL the direction Of universal suf-
frage, and that step should be taken-the
amendment should De adoptei, and she state.
would then adopt universal suffrage for the
purpose of securing the right Of universal
representation" In view of the above, we
confess we Ire still among those that are
stumbled We ask for the light that maketh
N anifest.' BY the way, what right has Con
gress 10 take step the direction of univer-
sal suffrage, if it has DO right 20 interfere
in the matter in the states at all /? Can it
OF ought it to 90 indirectly what she mas no
right to do dUectly2
If the right of sufrage inheres in a Repub
publican form Of government las We believe
it demonstraby does), we are puzzled to know
why Congress docs not virtually control that
question among the states. Congress is bound
/ by the Constitution 10 guarantee 70 each
state & Repu bican form of government.
When state presents itself to Congress for
admission into the family IF states. It is Con-
gress' prerogatIve to decide whether the form
Of government Is Republican not and the
only question IS, can q government be Repub-
! iican III form when the right OF suffrage 10
exc.u ded Mr.. " Webster defines Republic as
follows "A common wealth state 10
which the exercise OF sovereign power is
lodged il representatives. elected by the people.
In modern usage, it differs from Democracy
or democratic state, in which the people ex-
ercse the power of sovereignty In person."
In a Democracy, according to Webster.
the 9 people exercise the power of legisla-
ton collectively" ami the only distinction he
makes between Democracy and a Republic
is that 10 the latter the people ''coi lectiyely"
choose their own representatives. According
to the above-by every principle of fair in
depreciation tie right OF unirersaI suffrage
lnheres IN Republican form OF government
il is the peopJe-the a0hole people collectively
that choose their representatives,. But Mr..
oodbridge informs us thas he - right of
suffrage has been conceded TO the Sta tes ever
since the formation Of the Constitution, and
is right that belongs TO the states exclusively"
Suppose we admit this what then Congress
has set good many bad presidents hereto
fore. The trutA is, when this government
entered into compromise with the slave
power, it was struck with a moral para ysis
from which we have not fully recovered
ale Just emerging from our moral obliquity,
and begin to men trees walking
But do the States possess the right to reg
ulate suffrage, exclusively, 'ess they do it
in harmony with the power they delegated to
Congress to determine what the political
status of the States should be. Suppose
South Carolina should exclude her black from
the polls, large majority OF her population
together with her - poor white trash -
and then make propriety test excluding all
from the right Of ouHrago who were not
worth $4,000, and should present herself with
a constitution framed or such basis a. the
doo, 81 Gon,roSS for cd
Congress says, No, we can't take you
What's the matter? havn't you always
conceded the righ5 to regulate the question
of suffr age exclusively in our own way
Well, it is evident you have had your own
froward way too much-but VOC have now
not only excluded the negroes, but large
ma jDrity of your white folks-plainly, your
State government is no5 Republcar-we can
not admit you.
I Don't you remember you delegated to US
the power to determine what your form of
Government should be2
Well,' says California, 50 we will embrace
all but the niggers, then we shall be all right"
Not exactly-things have changed little of
late. Judge fancy is new dead, and Judge
Chase now occupies his seat, and he thinks
" niggers have rights that white men are bound
to respect" You must frame your constitution
| so as to get the consent of sli the governed
then will take you not till then. Re-
member that the ostensibie purpose OF " We,
The People," was "to establish justice and Ia.
sure public tranquility to ourselves and to our
posterity." We tried you with this apple of
discord once, and it cost Us oceans of precious
blood al treasures; you went out unceremo-
niously with letters 10 your hands to forge up
on. the b!acks-you failed in the struggls-the
negroes are free, and you must now recognize
their rights, you can't come in.
! Now this is the step Congress ought to take
la step that would lead her square up to tn
requirements of the Constitution for when
the States delegated the power to Congress to
! nsist upon Republican form of government,