Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-12-21
THE FREE NEGRO HisrR,iiSG.rr

THE FREE NEGRO bisTRicT.
AS a matter of some interest. says the Pha-
MIR, we publish below the provisions Of the
bill just passed. by Cong sress for univer-
sal suffrage in the District of Columbia
Successive amendments to extend the right Of
suffrage to females. and to establish a reading
and writing qualification, were sumtnariy re-
jected, and the bill was pasted as reported by
the committee. Itprov:des:
That from and after the pas.nge Of this Act.
each aud every male prrsSn, excepting pauprrs
and persons und"r guardianship of tn. ag. of
twen'y."ne years and upwards, who ha, not
been convicted of any infamous cr,me or Of
fence. and erc"rti"g persons rho ny1y hare roi
"'tarIv left tic District o{ C"iun;Jiu: 20 gi0e aid
and comfort to tie rrb,ks Of Me knie rebellion,
and who is citizen of the United States
anl who shall have resided jn IlIe said District
tof'the period of six montis previous to any
election therein. shall Ie em,iitej to the -lec-
tive franchise. nni shall be deemed .sn electo,,
and entitled to vote ut AMI election in said
District. Without any distinction on account o f
color or race"
The bill also rrovideu for heavy p.naItic. to
be imposed upon any person who sh all refuse to
accept the vote of any such Qualified voter,
or who sbnll. in any way interfere with or in.
terr upt such voters in the exercise of their
franchise. Thisi is q forctaste Of what is in
store for the Southern States. if Thad Stevens
and his party be not overwhelmed by popular
opinion, Or by a mnster-stroke of Executive
policy md wisdom. The Who'll. interests of
the ccuniry, North and South. demand rest ora
ton md rraae, and this can orly be accom-
plished by tile drst, uction of TINT faction
which appears to hnyc no orhe;' o!,leat than the
utter subversion of the Government and the
ohliterntion Of the Constitution. which it's
members swore to 'rmainta ain and defend"
50 -
A MANLY SrEtciI.-In the House Of Repre-
sentatircs. on Wednesday, Mr. Rogers, of New.
Jersey, said
ue>had never feared to state his position, and
he would say now that he deeply 5ympa,h zel
with the down trol,len people OF the South,
that they were governed By L desb5tism. and
that the conduct Of the present CONGRESS To-
ward the South would itself. be sufficien
cause for rebellion. He protected and " ould
always protest against all despotism every
where. lie protested against the despotsm of
this Congress. md he warned the people of the
Whole country that their liberties we're about
being taken away from them By set Of crazy
fanatics. lie wcs for general amnesty st sli
events.
The whole Object of the legislation of Con-
gress seemed 20 be to punish the South. He
had yet to hear uttered in the House, except by
few individuals. the irst word Of magnanim
i:y toward the South. the first principle of
Christ innty cited in their behalf The people
OF the South we're brave people. To be sure.
they had rch.ll-d against the Government. but
in doing 80 they hnl do7e only what thou
sands upon thousands of brave peoPls lad Ion.
bef"re in all ages Of rle world.
Dir. R"gers drew parallel bclweeen the con.
di'ion of Ireland and tina, & tho soutl. duo
ling us applicable to the litter tho ,miiticnl
axiom that taxation Without represent stion j.
tyranny. and said that the whole South wa,
unrePrr'r"tsd in au5 ~aS in CsSgrts., .scep,
the s:agle state of Ten::ess-e. which. however
had not proper representation, and had not q
republican fnrm Of government. but was gov
| erncd by n desPotiem.
-carA