The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-10
Democratic Inconsistency on the Suffrage
Oupsfiou

Democratic Inconsistency on the Suffrage
Question.
IT is very strange that our Democratic con-
temporaries, who can never tire OF denouncing
the Union Republicans as III favor OF negro
suffrage, are themselves the most strenuous
advocates of allowing the Rebels TO oOte for
the negroes. for that is what it really amounts
to. Unless the amendment to the Con-
stitution proposed by Congress at its last
session shall be adopted, the entire negro
population ofthe South will be represented In
Congress-o only, instead of being allowed to
cast the vote themselves, their late masters
Will vote for them. Thus, these Democrats,
who denounce negro suffrage so much, are
laboring to give the Rebels of Alabama thee
members of Congress based on negroes; the
Rebels of Georgia three; the Rebels of Loui-
siana two; the Rebels of Mississippi three the
Rebels OF North Carolina three; the Rebels
OF South Carolina three; the Rebels of Ten
nessee two; the Rebels of Virginia three; !;
and of Texas one. Taking the whole South
together, the Democrats are trying to give
the Rebels twenty-fOur members of Congress,
Just the number of our own Pennsylvania
delegation, based solely and exclusively on
the negro population.
That is equivalent to balancing Pennsyl-
vania's power in the House Of Representa-
tives by members of Congress based upon
Southern negroes and elected by Southern
traitOrsl Yet in the face of such facts as
these, we hear a continual Democratic clamor
about negro suffrage. If the Democrats do
not believe Ill negro suffrage, why do they
insist upon giving the Rebels twenty-four
members of Congress based upon negroesP
If negroes ought not to vote, ought they to
be represented, so as to balance white votesP
Why do Democrats insist upon letting South
ern Rebels vote for negroes, so that South
Carolina traitors vote shall count for two
and one half times as much as loyal Penn
sylvanian's vote? Why do they propose, in
effect, to disfranchise our whole state by
giving twenty-four members of Congress- to
Southern Rebels based exclusively on negro
constituency?
Tie question of negro suffrage in our
State is not in issue. The matter is fixed in
our state Constitution and the result of the
election this fall will not change it in the
least But the question OF allowing ourselves
to be virtually dsfranchised by negro repre-
sentation, welded by Southern traitors, is
at issue. And it is ore which affects all
parties. 1t is to the interest of neither Demo
crat nor Republican that such a gross and
unjust distinction should be made against
himself Even If man conceives that the
Rebels should be received back again into
the Government, he cannot be anxious that
they shall have unequal and unjust power.
Equal power, voter Tor voter, is certainly all
that the most forgiving would be willing to
give to the South.
Hence, we charge upon the Democrats
gross inconsistency and dishonesty in regard
to this negro-suffrage business. Where it does
not exist as an issue, they strive to deceive
the people by pretending that it is an issue ;
and where it is an issue, and very impor-
tant one, there they shirk it. Pretending to
be opposed to negro suffrage, they would
still give to Southern traitors power in Con-
gress for every one of their four millions of
late slaves. they denounce the negro as an
and yet they would make him the basis of
power in Congress, to be welded by Rebels
and traitors. sufficient to neutralize the entire
voice of the State of Pennsylvania. Could
anything be more inconsistent or more
glaringly unjust?