The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-12-30
Letter from Csunt De Gasparin on UNI
verssl Amnesty And Impartial Sat-
fragc.

Letter from Ceunt De Gasparin on Unt.
versaI Annesty AAd Impartial SuE-
frage.
To the Editor of the n. Y. Tribune.
SIR: Permit me TO talk little with you.
You know that have never been . warm
partisan Of the Constitutional Amendment,
which was drawn up in the last session or
Congress. 1t has always appeared to me
that, for the first time to sanction by an arti-
Gle of the Constitution distinction founded
on color, is to give . strange conclusion to
the victory OF the North / doubt, more,
over, whether the South, supposing it should
adopt the amendment would be tempted to
entrus, the negro with the right of suffrage
by the increased representation which it
would thus gain in Congress. Having, wbat-
ever might happen, two Senators for each
State, and knowing, on the other hand, that
the negro vote would be cast for the Lincoln
ian candidates, it would have no motive to
triumph over, what is most of all difficult for
it to overcome, the prejudices Of race and
the traditions Of Slavery. The net result Of
the amendment would be, therefore, to pro-
claim eonditionally new right, BY virtue Of
which a race could be excluded from politi-
cal life and class of incomplete citizens
created.
II 10 true that, thanks to the Democratic
party and TO Mr.. Johnson, you run no risk of
seeing the Constitutional Amendment adopt
ed blythe South As compromise 10 10
question, the North will take care not to in
sist on this amendment Consequently,
Congress is about to resume its full liberty OF
action, and hope that it will have the wis
dom to make > COED use Of il. The point
now in question, land it is time,) is to have q
Nationa party, with plain and simple plat.
form, which will become popular, aud which
viii serve Us the symbol of its whole policy.
Universal Sgfrage- Unirersat Amnestv-
such must evidently soon be your watch.
word.
Unirersas suffrage, that is to say, the sup
pressior Of all distinctions based on color,
the completion of the great work of eman>
cipation, and the inscription of eternal jus.
tice in The body of your Constitution. 1.-the
States should see ht-and l can understand
that this may be the case-to subject The ex>
ercise Of the right of suffrage to certain con-
ditions, these conditions should be imposed
at once on the blacks and the whites.
Uniuersdi Ananesty that 10 to say, the i'm
mediate admission to Congress Of the States
which shaIl have adopted the new amend
ment, and of all the States when this aihend,
ment, having become part Of the Cobstitu.
ton, shall have established universal suf-
frage everywhere; the pardon Of all the Reb.
els, greht and small; the remuneration Of all
plans of conquering the South, of reducing
the Southern States to the position Of terri
tories; OF confscation aud punishment.
dislike, confess everything that tends
70 perpetuate the consequences and remem.
brances Of the civil war. II Is important
that peace should be peace, and that pardon
should be pardon. If you only establish the
equality OF the races, you need have no fear
OF the former hebeis Instead Of the policy
Of exclusion, adopt boldly the policy Of ad-
mission. Il 10 better to admit the blacks
who love You, than to exclude the whites Who
hate you. Have faith in your Consultation.
have faith in liberty, and, above III. have
faith in that God who has never ceadsd "a
bless you when you{have walked in the path
ofjnstice.
How glorious will be that moment when
you will no longer have either slaves. o.
hciots, or semi citizens, or proscripts, OF per-
sons excluded from any privileges vhstever
that moment when your noble Consultation
wlh have resumed its sway from one end Of
your country to the other, when IL s6ox
gigantic rebellion Of modern timea hy;n~
been conquered By forcs, will IS cooeusred
BY kindness, equity, and generosityi
tits important that you should hasten Il, A.
rsve q this conclusion. Exceptional systaua
hsve their dangers, and you viii uot ~
ended your task until there i neither = err
claded State nor ~ excluded Yace within
| your borders.
Thus. everything brings n back = our
notfo: Eqnakty ofcitixens. equality Of0aatea:
ef, - said moment sinee, Uaicera( IN.
Jtegs, Cnirersai AnAeu(k.
Nothing y 0oee na1afa1 - thak =.
.nosad conPlses tbs - E1nstiastiss ~