Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-01-26
The Negro Suffrage Question.
srEEcu OF xR. BOUTWELL, OF NAss.


Mr.. Hale, of n y, had moved a
- an amendment to the motion that the bill
be recommitted for amendment, so as to ex
- tend the suffrage in the District to all per
sons coming within either of the following
classes, irrespective Of color, but subject tc
existing provisions and qualifications, to
wit:
FTsi-Those who can read the constitution
Of the United States. Second-Those who are
, assessed for and pay taxes on real or personal
property within the District TEird-Those
who have served in and been honorably dis
charged from the military or naval service Of
the United States; and TO restrict such ! ight Of
suffrage to the classes named, and to include
! proper provisions excluding from the right Of
suffrage those who have borne arms against the
United States during the late rebellion, or given
aid and comfort to said rebellion.
On the question Ex-Gov. Boutwell, spoke
as follows
Mn. SPEAKER l am opposed to
the restrictions moved by the gentleman from
New York, (Air. Hale,) because | see in them
no advantage to anybody, and apprehend from
their adoption much evil TO the country. 1t
should be borne ia mind that when we emanci-
patei the black people We not only relieved our
selves FROM the Institution Of slavery; we not
only conferred upon them freedom, but VIC did
more We recognized their manhood, which, by
the old constitution and the general policy and
usage Of tie country, had been. from the organ
| ization Of the government until the emancipa-
tion proclamation denied to all Of the enslavei
| colored people
| am not personally responsible for the pre-
sence Of this bill at the present time, but | am
responsible for the observation that there never
/ has been day during a session 0: Congress
| since the Emancipation Proclsmation-aye, |
since the negroes Of the District we're emanipat-
| ed-when it Was not the duty Of the Goyorn- |
ment (Which. by the Constitution, is entrusted /
with exclusive jurisdiction IN this District 10 .
confer upon the men Of this District. without .
distinction Of race or coor,t the rights and privil
eyes Il men, and, therefore. there can be moth
ing premature in this measure. ! cannot see
how any one who supports the Proclamation Of .
Emancipation-Which is q recognition Of the
manhood Of the whole oo!or,l people Of this
country-can hesitate az to hi. duty. Anl.frst
We are bound 70 treat the c0lorei people in this
District in regard TO the matter Of voting pre-
cisely as we treat white people; If the question
here to-day were whether any qualification
should be imposed upon white voters in this
u
House would say no. Aye, not ten men upon
this floor would consider whether any qualifca-
tons should be imposed or not
What are the qualifications suggested? They
are tLrcc-hrst, and most attractive, service in
the army aui navy Cf the Unitel States. I
shall have occasion 70 say, il discuss, a. /
hope 90 10, the nature and origin Of the night
Of voting, that there Is not the least possible
connection between service in the army and
navy Of the United States sud the exercise Of
the elective franchise. None whatever These
blac. meu may have performed service, and
sm f0r dealing Justly with them because they
have performed service. But am more anxious
10 deal justly by them because they are men
Aud when Il Is remembered that for months
and almost for years, after the opening Of the
rebellion, we refused 20 accept the services
Of c0lcroi persons in the armios u the country,
it is with an d. grace that We now decline 10
allow the vote Ot any man because be hiss not
p5rfrmel ,hat service.
The second is the property qualification.
hope II is not necessary in this DAY and at this
hour Of the Republic to argue, anywhere, that
property qualification is not only unjust IN it. | p
self, but thar il is odious 70 the people OF this
country 20 a degree which cannot be expressed. !
Everywhere, / believe, FOR half = century, il has
been repuiiatei by the people. Does anybody
contemplate such qualification in the exercise
Of the elective franchise in the case Of black :
people or white ,
And. next, reading AMI writing, or reading,
ss a qualification, j. demanded, and an appeal !
i made TO the example Of Massachusetts,. But I
it is a different proposition in Massachusetts, as
a practical measure When, ten years ago, this d
qualification vas imposed upon the people Of t
Massachusetts, Il excluded no person who was
then voter. For two centuries we have had
in Massachusetts a system Of public instruction,
open 10 the children Of the whole people, with
out money and without price; therefore all the
people there have had opportunities for educa-
ton. Now, why should the example Of such a r
State be quoted to justify refusing education to -,
men who have been denied the privilege Of cd
ucaton, and whom it has been a crime to teach il
Is there no difference, .
| suppose it will happen, even If you pass this
reading amendment, that between any two an
nual elections any negro twenty one years Of age
in this city, or who may come here, may acquire I
the ability 20 read. The requirement will not
exclude many men. My objection is not that in :
this District il will exclude great number b
from the exercise Of the elective franchise, but
object to it as a matter Of principle. The
right to vote Is a higher and better right than r
can De derived from the simple fact that a man '
can read.
The doctrine that the right Of yot- {
ing is a conventional right is not sustained by v
reason or history, History shows only this b
that the limitations upon the exercise Of the
right Of voting are the results Of conventions. z
The natural right is the right Of the family to q
speak on all matters which concern the welfare
Of the family as one family in the great society
aud family Of man. This demonstrates, think, o
that the negro has everywhere the same right =,
to vote as the white man! and 1 maintsin still
further that. when you proceed one step from S
this line, you admit that your government is a l.
failure. What IS the essential quality Of mon =,
archcll and aristocratcal government Simply
that by conventional rule-by arrangements Of ! II
persons have been deprived
of the right Of voting We have attempted to
set up and maintain goyernnen. upon the
doctrine Of the equality OF man-rhe universal L
right Of all men TO participate in the govern
meEt In accordance with that theory We must
accept the ballot upon the principle Of equality. e
If the negroes Of the South-four millions /
been endowed with the elective
franchise. and had united with the white people
Of that region in the work OF rebellion, your
armies would have been powerless to subdue
that rebellion, and you would to-day have seea
your territory limited by the Potomac and the :
Ohio. And if in the North suffrage had been O
limited, as it is in Great Britain, you could not
have commanded two million six hundred thous- I
and volunteers for the defense Of the republic {
The unity of sentiment IN the loyal States was
due 10 the fact that every man felt that the gov
ernmeDt was his own
declare, after the greatest deliberation, and j
the calmest reflection, and say 1t with sorrow, I
looking upon the country rent by opposite opin-
ions this question, that without such a meas '
ure as l suggest for the Southern States, this !
government cannot outlsst those who sre now !
in the vigor Of manhood. 1t will fail and fall
by the fact that, without this all essential guar
anty, We put into the hands Of our enemies in
the South tEo weapons the blows of which we
shall be powerless to parry. One is the assump-
tion by th, Government Of a vast and oyerwhelm
ing weight Of Indebtedness, to be followed by
foreign war. Suppose the powers Of this gov SS
eminent were entrusted to the hands Of the late
slayehOlders-does any man believe that they are
resfnrnd 70 their rirhf mind that they will