The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-09-26
Especial Correspondence Of the picayn,e

Especial Correspondence Of the picayune.,
WASHINGTON, SEPT. II, 1865
+ There is one more fact in relation 10 II.
recent negro suffrage Convention at phll,
delphia, which deserves to be mentioned
The managers of the affair, the leaders ~
the Radical Republican party in the North
had an Interior object in view, which was
not suffered to appear ON the surface Of M
proceedings. They managed the ent;,o
proceedings with the success of that IL.
ject in view; and SO far as the action -
the Convention could assist them il, seen.
ring their object it has been successful
Their object was to make the proceedings !
OF the Convention subservient to the afro,
cious designs which they have in view
namely, to permanently exclude from Con-
gress the Representatives. from the South. :
ern States, so as to perpetuate, their own
power in Congress; to impeach or deposs
President johnson, and to reyolutiopize
the Government.
This object can only be attained by car
rying the elections in the Northern States
for the Radical candidates; and this, in its
turn, could only be done by the convention
abstaining from an Endorsement of negro
suffrage. This is the key to the whole &C.
ton OF the Convention. They admitted
Fred. Douglass, Rev. Highland Ganett,
and Mr.. Downing the FISHERMAN, all Of
New York, and DR.. Randolph of Louisiana.
all negroes; and to that extent indorsed
the doctrine Of negro equality. But the
convention utterly ignored negro suffrage,
and split upon that question. This was
the master stroke Of policy Of the whole
convention. If they had not done this, 3
they must have abandoned all hope of car
rying the elections in a single Northern
State. Therefore, the question of negro
suffrage was ignored for the present. But
it was perfectly understood by every dele
gate in the convention who was let into
the secret, that when once successful in
these elections, when once they are secure
in the continuance of their power in Com
gress. the mask is to be thrown off, Then
the Republican party is to come out open
~ in favor of NEGRO suffrage; and more
than this, measures are to be adopted by
Congress to enforce it upon all the South.
ern States.
There is now on hand here, in the vaults
of the Treasury, the goodly sum Of &c.
100000 of gold, of which $62,00o,0Oa is in (
gold coin; and this will be increased, by
the end of September, to sl00,CO0,0OO. Tho
question u.s. what is to be done with it2 It
seems that the price of gold has fallen
within few days, in consequence of this
fact being made known; aud financiers
say that the price of gold will continue to
fall, If the coin continues to accumulate
here. 1t is urged by those who are anxious
that this gold should remain in the Treas.
ury, that it is not needed for the purposes
of trade or commerce; that the flood Of
currency with which the country is Dell
uged is sufficient for that; that if it were
thrown upon the market, it would be at
once bought up by combinations of gold
gamblers, kept out of the market, and be-
ing neither in the Treasury nor available
for purposes Of commerce, the price of gold
would largely advance, and our paper cur
rency would be deprecated in value. 1t.
is further urged that if this gold is kept in
the vaults Of the Treasury, it will inspire
confidence in the Government, and the, pa
per money based upon this large reserve of
gold, will rise in value The premium on
gold, it is said, will decline, and the pllr-s
chasing power Of the paper dollar will in
crease. Its probable that this theory will
be tested in the present instance.
Your readers will remember that two-
thirds Of the citizens of Maryland and
Missouri are disfranchised, prevented from
voting, and of course this state of things
will not be submitted to. In Maryland 1T
was brought about by registry law which
the Hon. Reverday Johnson pronounces to
be unconstitutional, and which viii UNI:
doubtedly be 80 declared by the Supreme
Court, as the test oath Of Missouri has all.
ready been decided to be. This registry
law was passed by Legislature the mem
bers of which were elected by the bayo.;
nets of a foreign soldiery. / state This fact
from my own personal knowledge, for re-
sided in Maryland at the time. The State
was in The, full occupancy ofalarge army
Of troops, composed chiefly Of New Eng.
land regiments, commanded by the infa-
nous schenck. This registry law waspre-
pared beforehand by the Radical Republi.
can leaders. It was so framed as to dis.
franchise every Democrat in the State.
When the election for members Of the Leg
islature took place large detachments Of
soldiers were stationed at every voting
place, and the Radical Republicans took
possession Of the polls. Whenever q Dem
ocrat came up to vote he was denounced as
traitor, or disloyal, or rebelssylnpathr
ger, and was hustled off the ground. By
this means Radical Legislature was cleo
ted, who went to work and passed this reg
istry law. Under its provisions no one Is
allowed to vote in Maryland except Rad.
cal Republicans, and these constitute less
than one-third Of the voters of the State
Those citizens who are disfranchised under
it will never submit to be deprived Of their
right to vote. They are now holding large
and enthusiastic meetings on the subject
Nine-tenths of them are the Oldest and
most respected citizens of the State, and
most of these are persons oflarge property