Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-07-27

SIbWAnA AVA
ISryLLIoEsr SurPRAos.-When the bill
for the regulation Of the elective franchise
in the District Of Columbia was before the
United States Senate, that body had q fine
| chance to declare itself in favor Of intelli-
eent suffrage, and its failure to do so is
the more notifying and aggravating be-
cause the change Of three OF the fifteen
Republican votes cast against 1t to the
affirmative would have secured the adop-
ton Of an amendment providing that vot-
ers should be able to read the Constitution
Of the United States and write their names.
We cannot but express regret that fifteen
Republican Senators, including Messrs.
Sumner and Wilson, of this State, found
it necessary to oppose this measure. 1t is
one which, with lapse Of time, commends
itself with increased force to the judgment
and convictions Of the people, both North
and South, and is very much stronger in
the country now than it was a year ago.
Indeed, the Southern people are likely to
&c, ahead Of the Northerners in their ap-
probation of education as the test for suf-
frage, for already they are moving to Sc
cure the education Of the negro on the
express ground that the negro will before
long be made a voter; and. as ignorant
suffrage has hitherto been the curse OF our
country, the negro must be educated or
his vote will become a curse. That is the
right idea. and it ought to prevail in Con-
gress as it does among the people. Nc
other test or limitation Of suffrage is so
easy Of application, none other so univer-
sally commends itself to popular favor,
and none other would be so readily and
gladly accepted by all the States. The
thinking people, both North and South,
realize that many Of the evils that have
come upon US in the past have had their
origin in the ignorance Of those who made
up the political power Of the country, and
now that we are trying to start in a higher
and purer national life the occasion is
most fitting for the adoption Of the prin-
ciple that education is one Of the first me-
cessities Of a Republic. And this princi-
pie is so vitality right and so manifestly
proper, that it is sure TO prevail sooner or
Congressional opposition may re-
tard il, but it cannot do more; and the
time of victory is constantly growing
surer and nearer.
In the discussion on Wednesday. Mr..
Brown, OF Missouri, opposed the educa-
tional amendment on the ground that
universal suffrage was the only way in
which the rebel votes could be rendered
and the only mode Of recon-
struction that would give US safety here
The vote upon the amendment was as
follows, all the voters in the affirmative
being Republicans, and only three Demo-
Gratis voting in the negative:
Yeas-Messrs. Anthony. Cragin, Ed
munds, F~essenden, Foster, Harris, Kirk
wood, Morrill,. Poland, Pomeroy, Sher-
man, Trumbll. Wade, Wiley and Williams
-l5.
Nays-Messrs. Brown, Buckalew, Con-
ness, DAVIS, Grimes, Guthrie, Hendricks,
Howard Howe, Morton, ME-, Ramsey,
Sprague, STEWART. Sumner, Van Wrinkle,
Wilson and Yates-lS.
An effort was afterwards made to make
the test for suffrage in the District the
ability to read and write, or the fact Of
having served in the Union army. This
amendment was proposed by Mr.. Wiley,
of West Virginia, and was advocated by
him at length.
The District Of Columbia franchise bill
would never have laid so long on the Sem
ate table without action, had it not been
that there was q certainty Of this question
Of intelligence coming up with the bill.
And Republican Senators are not anxious
for opportunities to declare themselves
opposed to intelligence in republics, and
when the principle has become a little
stronger among the people they will fol-
low the popular current and express by
their votes what has long been decided in
fact, that intelligence in the voter is the
chief corner stone Of the stability and
perpetuity of a Republican form Of gov
ernment.-SprinofeA Republican, June 80.