Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1866-02-14
NEGRO SUFFRAGE IN THE DIS
TRlCT OF COLUMBIA.

Inc iiVusc oI Representative at W ASH
ingtOn has passed a bill! giving negroes in
the District Of Columbia the right of suf-
frage. Before we refer to the merits Of
the bill, it may be interesting to give q
brief history Of the District of Columbia.
1t is a District len miles square, and was
coded to the United States by the States
@: Maryland and Virginia for the seat of
Government. The District, therefore, is
in no State, anG is governed by such laws
Us Congress may see proper to enact for
its benefits. 1t contains cities and also a
rural population. Congress makes annu-
ally large appropriations out Of the Treas
ury for the use Of the District. 1t is 10
fact the property of the United States
Government. Its citizens look to Con-
grcss alone for laws or any relief desired.
They have no Member, however, but Con-
gress has a Standing Committee on the
District of Columbia, whose duty it is to
attend to the wants of the District. Its
citizens have no vote for President, Con-
gress or any State Office, aud only for mu-
nicipal officers. They are political eunuchs.
Congress has as much right to legislatc
for them as they have to pass laws for the
government of a fort, or arsenal, or man
Of war. The Distric: was slave holding
before The war, aud was as much a hot
bed of treason as Charleston. The ne
groes were nearly all the loyal citizens
there before .he war aud at its outbreak.
Slavery wac abolished there by Con-
gress during the war; aud he owners
paid for their slaves SO much per head
4 large majority Of the citizens of the
District went into the rebel armies, and
now since the close of the war, taking ad-
vantage of the generosity Of the Govern
ment, they have returned to the District
ana have made it a rebel den again, a re.
proach to the nation and Notifying to
every tru patriot. They persecute the
negro and FL their municipal Offices with
none but rebels. Congress, in order to
punish them, have passed through tue
House a bill to give the negroes the right
to vote. While it is a matter of little
consequence whether it passes the Senate,
yet We regret this action of the House
and trust it may not pass the Senate
Because it is done there the enemies of
The Union party might charge that party
Nth being in favor Of such a measure in
the States, and thus attempt to mislead
the unsuspectiug. Now, the Union party
is opposed to such a measure and deny
the power Of Congress to pass such a law
for the States. This IL the position of
President johnson and the Union major.
ity in Congress and Of the great national
Union party. That party saved the Union
for loyal white men, and is able and will
ling TO protect loyal black men in their
rights against white rebels, without bind
ing itself to elevate them to an equality at
the ballot box. The negroes do not ask
and we do ssi intend to confer it, bu. at
the same time we will protect them in
their person and property. If any States
see proper to extend the right of suffrage,
it is their own business, and 10 one has a
right to interfere. This is the policy of
the President toward the Southern States,
and is sound and just, and is accepted 2c
such by the National Union party. Even
if Congress should pass the present bill
for the District it is merely a local meas.
ure ard has no national signiicance.-
We vonld sag it would be better not to
.ssa L, txt would adv isc the passage of a
III ais 'se ristt % -o'. from Al b"