The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-19


except through the agency of the Constitution.
But, sir, viii he 20 before his constituents and
| advocate proposition to strike out the word
"whitep from the Constitution of Pennsylvania?
l appeal to the history of the party in Pennsyl.
| yania to which the majority here belong. The
| distinguished gentleman at the head ofthe Com
| mittee on Appropriations (Mr. Stevens) reported
| the Republican platform for Pennsylvania, and
! ask whether negro suffrage formed any part OF
| that platform
Mr.. Kelley-The gentleman says am willing
to impose negro suffrage upon people here IN the
| District whom have no rioht TO represent.
Mr.. Randall said, Except through the
| agency OF the Constitutions
Mr.. Kelley-That eXcepts the whole case. l
for have supposed that under the Constitution
II was made the duty of Congress to legislate,
and not only to legislate, but that 1t should
exclusively legislate for the District.
MIR. Randall-I admit all that. And yet IN the
lace OF the expression of opinion such as we
have had here in the District, almost unanimous,
and with vote larger, except in few instances,
than has ever before been poled in this city,
we find the gentleman voting to force negro
suffrage upon the people OF this District, and
failing to take any steps TO give the same right
to the people whom he directly represents, the
colored portion of the people OF Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Kclley-I would like to ask my colleague
(Mr RandalD whether any steps can now be
taken on that subject, or whether the Constitu-
ton of Pennsylvania does not provide that it
shall be amended only once in five years? And
whether il was not amended so as tJ let our
soldiers vote two years ago, to the great disgust
OF the Democratic party?
MIR. Randall - Yes, sir the Constitution of
Pennsylvania provides that the step towards
procuring an amendment to that constitution
shall be taken at q certain period; and that is
the step which wish to see my colleague have
the boldness to take in reference to this question
of neglo suffrage.
MIR. Kelley-Which step the gentleman viii
find me ready to take as soon as time opens the
door which, is now barred against the movement
Mr.. Randal-Let me ask the gentleman
whether, when the Republican party adopted
its platform at Harrisburg last ia H. that was not
the time to declare the true intent of that party
on TINS question OF negro suffrage. / know that,
when it was affirmed, during that campaign by
the Democratic orators that the true intention
OF the Republican party was to introduce negro
That cunning politician, Mr.. Cessna, the Chair
man Of the Republican State Central Committee,
went so far as to issue an address denying that
the right OF suffrage was question in the can
yass. My colleague fought under the banner Of
that gentleman, endorsing, l believe, everything
that he said.
desire only that the true history of Pennsyl-
vanla and the true history of the now dominant
party IN that State, In reference to this subject,
shall be fairly and fully known. When my col
league attirms that the negroes had the right to
vote In Pennsylvania up to the period of the
adoption of the Constitution OF 1885, and that
the Democratic party were alone responsible for
depr1vng them of that right, desire that he
shall exhibit all the facts, so that this House
may understand the whole case, not merely a
Mr.. Kelley-Does the gentleman mean to init
mate that / did not advocate colored suffrage
during the last canvass in Pennsylvania?
Mr. Randall did not hear every speech that
the gentleman made; but rea the reports of
very many of them, and never heard or saw
anything in his speeches in reference to that.
MIR. Kelley-lt may be that the gentleman did
not read 1t in the newspapers; but let him in
qure in all the counties in which l spoke, from
the Delaware to Lake Erie land it was in a
majority OF the counties on that long line) and
he Will not ind man, woman, or child who
heard me, who will not tell him that advocated
colored suffrage.
Mr.. Randali-I ask, Mr. Speaker, why the gen.
tleman's party did not put that principle in the
platform? Acting with that party, the gentleman
was talking one Way and looking another, like
the boy in the boat, who looked one way and
rowed another The party with which the gen.
tleman acted wanted to gull the people, their
orators saying in one place that they were In
favor OF negro suffrage, and in another place de-
claring that they were against it. admit that
in northwestern Pennsylvania some of the advo-
Gates OF that party threw down the gauntlet, and
raised the question of negro suffrage directly;
but In every other part OF Pennsylvania they ig-
nored that question.
Mr.. Kelley will only remind the gentleman
that the Twentieth and Twenty-fourth Wards of
Philadelphia are not in northwestern Pennsyl-
vania; and in both of those wards l advocated
colored suffrage, apparently very acceptably to
the people.
Mr.. Randall have given the gentleman an
opportunity to answer my question, and have
answered every question which be has pro-
pounded to me. now desire to ask him Whe-
ther he Is in favor of amending the Constitution
or pennsylvania by striking out the word
white in the clause defining the qualifications
of electors?
MIR. Kelley-I reply to the gentleman that
am IN favor OF striking out that word "Whiter as
soon as the Constitution will permit | have a
high regard for Franklin, Benezet and the men
who with them laid the foundations of our Gov
ernment and gave 10 the English language one
OF the grandest things in its literature the pre-
amble to the act OF 1880, by which Pennsylvania,
in the midst OF the war OF the Revolution, gave
10 the world the first example OF the members of
ruling class, in gratitude to God for blessings
bestowed on them, conferrlng freedom and citi-
zenshlp upon their slaves. had rather sir mass
my life IN humble privacy, surrounded and sus.
tanned by the spirits of those good and great men
than have the multitude shouting applause for
my efforts IN bad cause in the halls OF Congress-
or elsewhere
am for so enforcing the provisions of the
Constitution Of the United States chat its inter.
probation and application shall be in accordance
win What oeleve Washington and Madison to
nave Understood 1t TO express. do not wish to
impose upon South Corolna and Mississippi
what am not ready to adopt in Pennsylvania:
and as the Constitution confdes the election Of
members of CONGRESS- to those who have the
right to vote for the lower House of the Ieeisia
lure, believe it has also the power to decide
who shall vote for the lower House of the Lepis
latuTe. Therefore, sir, hope we will PASS q
law defining who hall vote for the lower House
OF Legislature in each and every State of the
Union. That Will settle all our difficulties and
1hencefort armed rebellion will be impossible
Signs of Cold Weather.
Punch notes the following signs of cold
snap. 1t is probably sharp winter Weather:-
When you think that you don't know whether