Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-02-21

~ Landoa's resolutions gpproring the
action Of those members Of Congress
' from Pennsylvania ,cho uoted in ia
vor Of the District Of Columbia Negro
Suffrage Bill, and instructing the
M Pennsylvania Y. S. Senators to sup
port the same in that body.
Mr.. WALLACE said: Mr.. Speaker,
! approach this subject seriously, feel
ing deeply the responsibilities that
rest upon me as Senator upon this
Goor, and that seriousness Of feeling
De impressed upon me by the earnest
-'ess with which this measure is urged
by Senators. desire to meet the
Responsibility which we are asked to
meet, calmly, dispassionately and fear
|essly, as did the Senator, Mr.. Low
ny, } who proceeded me.
SEEK THE RIGHT AND FOLLOW 1T.
Fl The Senator from Bradford, (Mr:
a Landon,) takes the position that we
should seek the right, and fearlessly
\ follow it. / desire to do SO. l desire
TO use the feeble intellect that God
n Almighty has given me, in discerning
the right; and, when | discern it,
obeying the instincts of my nature
and Of my blood-obeying not these
alone but the experience that all his
tory points out to me-obeying the
teachings Of the past, | desire to fol-
low that path fearlcssly and faithfully.
do not desire, sir, to set up my fee
BILE Judgment, my finite ideas, as the
will Of Him who sits above and rules
the heavens and the earth. Far be it
from me, an erring human creature,
thus TO elevate myself But, sir, by
the teachings of the past, by the ex-
perienco of the present, by those
things that are implanted deep in the
hearts and minds Of my race, / desire
10 test this question and to determine
my line of duty. Sir, | seek no new
path but as practical, earnest, hon.
est citizen of this republic, desire to
be guided by all the lights that histo-
ry throws around me. / desire to be
guided by all the characteristics and
circumstances that unite to make up
our present glorious record.
THE PEOPLE THE ARBITERs.
This question of suffrage is one of
the most important that has ever been
approached or ever can be approached
by the people of this country. 1t is
peculiarly question to be decided by
the people themselves, and not by
their representatives, and / desire to
impress it upon Senators, that when
ever and wherever in all the States of
this country it has been attempted to
decide the question Of the right of suf
frage, it has invariably been referred
by the Representative authorities to
the source of all power, the people
You seek new path and are about to
initiate the right of exercising this
great privilege without the action Of
the people, and against their known
will.
is 1T A RIGHT
Now, sir, is the right of suffrage A
ural sense? / affirm that it is not
1t has ever been treated, on the con
trary, as a conventional right. Why
sir, the Englishman or the French
man, possessed of all tho education
the refinement and the culture that
he may have acquired in the highest
schools Of his native country, wher
he comes TO this continent, does moi
here at once obtain at our hands the
right to this priceless boon, this tes
timonial of sovereignty; but he i!
compelled to endure period OF pro
baton before he is clothed with thai
right. Sir, Massachusetts,, from which
you get your ideas, to whose statute
.booksyou look for cxamples-she who
as now governing this country through
tho men whom you follow-she, too
requires fitness Her constitution
places upon it's pages the requirement
ola capacity to read and write, befor,
this privilege is granted. New York
too, requires qualification in tn,
shape of property. Now, these in
stances, it would appear to me, ar,
sufficient to satisfy any reasonable
mind that this is not a natural right
as understood in this country, bu
that it IS = conventional right. Th'
men whose teachings and leading
my friend from Erie, (Mr. Lowry,
and the Senator from Bradford, Mr.
Iandon,) are following-the Englisl
Abolitionists-who freed the negroes
of Jamsics, then and there placed ,
qualification upon the right of suffrag,
they required that before the freed
man shonld have the right 10 vote HI
should be possessed in his own right
OF 1ve acres Of land. So that The