The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-12-15
surrnAen.ia rnn sTATns.

Ftt s
Whether or not Congressional action con>
earning the Constitutional Amendneos win
bsmodifed or changed entirely By the per-
sistant Reputation Of that Amendment by
the Southern States remains to be seen. 1t
has shown disposition to adhere to that
Amendment and insist upon its adoption.
ANDREW JoxxsoSin his message exhausts his
consideration of National politics in an elab-
crate argument against that Amendment in
his pertinacious representation Of "My Poll
cyn The Legislatures of the rebel States
steadily refuse to adopt the Congressional
plan. The Southern press support them
therein The Register takes from the Charles.
ton Courier which friend sends it, an edi.
torial on suffrage, from which these extracts
are taken. That Southern organ says:
All hope of the constitutional Amendment
being adopted by the States of the South,
must by this time have passed away. The
States whose Legislatures have convened have
rejected it with scarcely dissenting vote
On this point the South is a unit. The action
of Georgia is but the indication of the views
of the other States, and of the course they
will pursue.
The Radical party sought to force the
South from its hold upon the Constitution,
and through its fears to induce it to ratify an
amendment excluding large number OF their
people from Office as unworthy of trust, brand.
ing them with dIshonor and subiecting them
to penalties. This has failed of accomplish
ment.
Ii is now asserted that Congress will be app
pealed to with view to regulate the ques-
ZION of suffrage in the States, and to place
the political power in these Commonwealth
and in the District of Columbia, in the hands
Of the lately emancipated serfs.
This issue the President will not and can
not yield. In reference 10 the District of
Columbia, he has already avowed he will not
give his assent to any bill on the part of Con-
gress on this subject, without the consent ex-
pressed at the ballot box of the present legal
voters in the District, under the terms of the
Constitution. He has denied any legitimate
right in Congress, even with regard to the
District, to legislate upon interfere with
the question OF suffrage, except in accord
ance with the views and wishes OF the quail
fed voters.
But when we come to the States, this posi>
ton is impreguable. The subject of suffrage
is entirely within their control. 1t has been
so from the organization of the Government
Each State determines for itself who alone
franchise. And hence we find the rule varies
IN each Commonwealth. Not one of them
has adopted universal suffrage. In all, fes
males and minors are excluded In some,
foreigners are allowed to vote. In others
the parties must be citizens of the United
States. Again, in some of the States prop
erty qualification is required. In others,
there is no such condition affixed. In near
" all persons of African descent are exclu-
ded. so that from the foundation of our re-
publican institutions to the present time, in
each State under the Constitution, was vested
alone the right of determining aud declaring
the character and qualification Of its voters
The President, however he might vote as n
citizen of one Of the States where the ques.
ton was pending, it is clear that Congress
capnot legislate upon the question of suf
rage in the respective States. They have no
jurisdiction over the subject. 1t is beyond
the pale OF the authority. 1t is not matter
committed to their decision or supervision by
the Constitution. 1t is exclusively reserved
to the States.
As Leo orr well informed Washington
correspondent states, q The President has
set his face firmly as ever against the plan for
any compromise which will invoke interior.
enee by Congress in the laws Of the State.
respecting the qualification of its citizens fol-
the exercise of the right of suffrage.
Party may agitate and politicians may plot
but we may as well now, as hereafter, adop
the only plan of restoration and peace. Il
must come TO this, sooner or later. The
country will never be reconciled on any other
basis. 1t is simply to let the Constitution
have free course. 1t is to recognize each
State as bound by its obligations and as like
wise entitled to its protection and benefits,
and the work is accomplished. Peace will
not only ensue, but remain. There will be a
common bond of right, and, while the PROS
perity OF this Government will be secured.
the Liberties and welfare of all will be main
tanned.
Thus Souther n journals indulge in vapor.
inss and hne>spun distractions, deludins
themselves and the masses. Meantime there
IS rebel mal-treatment Of loyal white men
and negroes III the South; maltreatmeut
unredressed by courts, unheeded by the ex,
ecutiye, and which rebel society takes nc
measures to prevent. There will not be found
in the loyal American people the same i'm.
mobility and the same moral obtuseness. il
the presence Of these facts, that character
ize the Southern rebel and the Northern
Copperhead Democracy.
To these latter it seems utterly impossible
to see any guilt in treason or that people
should try to gather wisdom from experiences
like those of this nation in recent years.
Traitors who strove so long and fercely to
destroy the Constitution, will become the
special champions of that Constitution "as
it Isl" or rather, Gas it was," if thereby
they can defeat the will Of loyal people and
disfranchise and do violence to loyal men un.
der the shield of State Rights. This nation
does not see the situation in that light They
intend to have loyalty protected They in>
tend to preserve in the Constitution the gains
of genuine Republicansm in its triumph over
the treason of the slaveocracy; they will do
that by Constitutional amendment. and they
will not be thwarted in this purpose by the
assumption of official bodies guilty of at
tempted overthrow Of the Federal Govern
hat how cd