The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-06-09
President Johnson's Views on Negro
C11 ffrauA


The majority of the State Executive Commit
tee at the meeting on the LIST of May adopted the
following resolutions
Resolved, As a consequence Of these principles,
that we cordially endorse the restoration policy OF
President johnson as avise patriotic constitution
al, and in harnoney soith the loyal sentiment and
purpose Of the people IN the suppression Of me re-
belliOn, Nth the platform upon which ne sods elected
nth the declared policy Of the late President Lin
coin, and the action of Congress in its pledges
given during the war.
1t seems from this that they adopt the Presi-
dents policy " withoutany qualification or ex-
ception whatever. Below we give Che Pres
idents own constructionof it by which it seems
as though they ought to be bound:
EXECUTIVE MANSION
WASHINGTON D. c., August Is, 1865. (
Governor WSlliam Il. Sharkey, Jackson, Mss:
am gratified to see that you have organized
your Convention. hope that without delay
your Convention will amend your State Constitu-
tion aboishing slavery, and denying to all flu
ture legislatures the power to legslate that there
is property in man. Also that they will adopt
the amendment to the Constitutional of the Uni
ted States abolishing slavery. Tyou could entend
the electiae franchise TO all persons Of color scho can
read the Constitution Of the u s. and acrite their
names and to all persons soho real estate cal
ned at not less than $3.50, and pay taxes thereon,
YOU would completely disarm the adversary and
set an example the other States a0ould follo This
you can do a0sth perfect safety, and thus place the
Southern States on the same basis with Free
States Ihope and trust your Convention aOiU do
this, and, as a consequence, the Radicals, who
are wild upon negro franchise, will be complete
ly foiled in their attempts to keep the Southern
States from renewing their relations to the Union
by not accepting their Senators and Representa-
tives. ANDREW JOHNSON.
President of the United States
This is full and explicit enough, The Presi-
dent comes out clearly and emphaticaly in favor
of qualified negro suffrage. 1t is well known TO
all that he has repeatedly urged the Union men
of Tennessee to adopt it.
Two months latter in the same year President
johnson, in his conversation with George F..
Stearns, on the Sd of October, 1865, also said
nMy position here is different from what it
g would be If I was in Tennessee. There l
q should try to introduce negro suffrage gradu-
" ally first, those who had served in the army :;
C those who could read and write and perhaps
g property qualification for others-say 5000
Tor $3.50"
bsdtion was endorsed by President johnson iu the
following emphatic manner g 10 is substantially
''scoryect-I haze made some verbal alterations.'
Now what do the majority Of the Executive
Committee say upon this question? At their
injecting on the LIST ofMay they adopted the fqF
lowing preamble and resolution, as expressing
their views
4 Whereas, 1t is the opinion Of the Executive
Commttee of the State Central Committee that
the introduction of negro suffrage at this time in
/ to the State of Maryland would be, revolving to
our people, especially our mechanical and work
ing class, by the introduction of the negro to all
rights, social civil and political, thus bringing
him into recognized competition with the white
race invading the workshops of the mechanic as
we'll other avenues of labor and industry by an
unnatural and forced amalgamation OF the two
| races and
Whereas, Those have the means may flee from
the results which such a.system OF reliance except
| the labor of his hands, would be compelled to
submit without remedy to the degradation thus
| sought to be imposed therefore.
| BE NreSoLUed, That we earnestly recommend to
| the people of the State to vote for no candidate
| in the approaching fall elections who shall, an
der ana circumstances, advocate negro suffrage and
negro equal aoithin the limits Of the State Of Ma
| rylaaad, or .fraternize NTH those aoho do.
| Here is beautiful specimen of consistency
In one resolution they adopt " the Presidents
policy" negro suffrage and all, and declare
that it was the policy of the party who elected
him, and of the lamented Lincoln, and then in
the next.they declare that they will not vote for
any one who advocates negro suffrage, or even
fraternizes with one who advocates it. Presi-
dent Johnson declares that the elective franchise
can be e1tended TO negroes Nth perfect safety; they
declare that it will bring upon US unnumbered
evils. What perfect harmony there is between
them and their chieftain The President must
have felt peculiarly pleased when he saw the
clause about determination The Presidents let
ter and their resolutions, taken together, show
why it was that they introduced the question
of negro suffrage at a time when it is not even
agitated in this Slate. The man they pretend to
follow, sed loago inteTDdllo, is committed to the
principle, and hence, without some resolution of
this kind, the presumption would be that they
advocated it. If the President was, however, to
seriously insist upon it, they would, we suppose,
wiggle-waggle just as Simon says. How potent
Federal patronage is. There seems to be magic
in it, that can, somehow or other, make black
white and white black -Baltinaore american.