The Richmond palladium., 1866-03-01
PUBLIC MEETING IN NEW YORK
Speech of Secretary Seward.
NV YoRk. Feb. %


Cooper Institute was thronged to-
night by the people of New York All
the streets in the immediate neighhor-
hood were also filed with thousands of
the supporters of the President Hon.
Francis Cutting presided, assisted by
large number of the most prominent
citizens as Vice Presidents. The meet
ing was very enthusiastic David Dud-
ley Field presented an address TO the
people Of New York, and resolutions =
The address is to the effect that the first
question before the people is the great
one of pacifcation. What the country
needs is repose. The conflict of arms
has ceased The conflict of passions
which led to arms should cease also
Our heroic soldiers cherish no enmities
/ toward those tnev have overcome The
only element of disturbance is the polit-
ical condition of the Freedmen. There
is no substantial disagreement among
! men respecting their civil rights. We
all agree that they must have the civil
rights of any other class OF citizens-ths
rights of person and of property, to sue
and to testlfy-in short, equality before
the law
But whether they also shall have the
suffrage is dividing the question. There,
however. can be no question whether un-
der the Constitution the power of deter
mining who shall or shall not enjoy the
elective franchise, belongs exclusively
to the respective States. New \ ork has
no more right to say who shall or shall
not vote in Virginia than Virginia has TO
say who shall or shall not vote in New
, York The elective franchise is no.
natural RIGHT, but political trust. Ii 1t
is true that every person who Is subject
to the laws is entitled to q part in max
ing them, then every sojourner among
us, every foreigner the moment he lands
is entitled TO vote. Because the blacks
have fought for the country, that does
not necessarily give them the right to
govern it, or participate In It's govern
ment Ii it were otherwise, every boy
from I6 TO II who fought in the Union
ranks, should have a vote without wait
ing for years to participate in the gov
ernment to which he is subjected The
blacks fought for a country, and they
have it. We should welcome our eman-
cipated brethern to rights of manhood,
hut when we are asked to give all men
of his race, at the moment of their
emancipation, The right to participate in
the Government we must answer the
words OF one of their number, more in
teligent than many others, white or
black, ''the able bodied only bear arms,
the able minded only should vote"
The address comments the Presidents
veto. and expresses the conviction that
the exclusion as Representatives from
eleven States, now unrepresented IN Con
gress, of loyal men, who were fairly
elected, and can take the oath, is mani
fest usurpation. 1t concludes hy ex
pressing confidence in the integrity and
fidelity to the principles. in reference to
which he was elected, of Andrew John
son. hearty comm endation Of the gener-
nj doctrine OF his two messages, and
readiness to support him in all constitu-
tional measures for the public welfare.
The resolutions are to the same effect,
and in addition, approve the action of
Senator Morgan and Representatives
Raymond and Darling in sustaining the
PYeSident's veto