Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-01-17
LOCAL NEWS.
The District in Congress.
NEGRO SUFFRAGE.

NEGRO SUFFRAGE.
IN THE SENATE, yesterday. after the eXDira-
ton of the morning hour, the bill 20 regtIat..
tie elective franchise in the District OF Colum-
bia was takenup.
Mr.. morrill, offered an amendment 10 in
clude among those excepted from the right of
suffrage all who may have voluntarily LETT the
District OF Columbia 10 give AID and comfort 10
the rebels.
Mr.. Davis took the floor in opposition Tn the
bill, ana spoke At length on its unconstitution-
alty. He denied the right of Congress under
me second section OF the amendment to confer
the right OF suffrage on the negroes, and main
tanned that even III the right existed it would
not be eXpedient to exercise 1t. the negro being
an inferior race, incapable of self government
and civilization. He held that the Caucasian
was the highest and the negro the lowest of the
races, and all attempts to elevate the race only
ended IN their degradation. Cuvier, the great
naturalist, had described the African, but he
ought TO have added TO his description that a
foul odor exudes from his skin, and his heel
makes hole in the ground.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Davis remarks
Mr. Wilson moved to postpone the bill under
consideration and take up the bill TO enlarge
the powers of he Freedmen's Bureau
Pending which motion the Senate adjourned
In THE HOUSE.
Mr.. Julian, of Indiana, spoke at length on
the bill. lie demanded suffrage for the colored
man on the broad ground of absolute natural
right, and repudiated suffrage as mere con-
Yenuonal form. Without suffrage, no man is
actually free. The real test Of freedom is the
right TO share in the governing power. There
We're now twenty thousand colOred citizens in
the District OF Columbia These people will
remain here, and by giving them suffrage we
make them our allies and friends, instead of re-
tanning them as aliens in a dissatisfied condi-
ION. AS a matter of mere policy, as well as a
matter OF right, he would give them the ballot
he great want OF every poor man was home
and the ballot and homestead should 90 togeth-
er. There were Fifty millions of unsold lands
IN the South, which, unless prevented. will be
opsn 10 rebel spectators. These lands should
be set apart for homesteads for both white and
ii infr
duced by HIM, and which was now before the
Committee on Public Lands, should become a
law: every landless freedmen would become 4
freeholder. II il were objected that all the ne
groes here were too Ignorant 10 vote. he would
reply that they were not all ignorant MANY
or them are educated and quite intelligent.
The larger portion, not so, would not suffer by
Ssfilparlson with many white men who insti-
tute MODS against unOfending c9lored neoplP
And yet nothing was done to disfranchise
mem. Every man cannot give 4 well defined
reason Tor his vote, no more than every man
is ut 10 discharge all the duties of life He
would give the negro the ballot 10 maintain the
liberty already secured A war OF races can
be produced only by denying the negro his
rights. The late events IN Jamaica should
teach us the duty of dealing Justly. Like
causes must produce like effects.
Hatred OF the negro is as universal in the
South as il was before the war. The PROPOSE
ton 10 elevate the negro is everywhere held in
that section in contempt and scorn, and the
disposition is manifested to continue the col
ored race under some form of yassalage or
serfdom- If the military be withdrawn and
the ballot is withheld from the colored man.
the most disastrous consequences might result
The conferrlng Of suffrage, therefore, was a
means OF safety. If the whites in this District
who sympathiZed with the rebellion vote if
would be mean to withhold the ballot from the
loyal negroes. A vote against this bill would
be 4 vote against democratic liberty, and instead
OF securing justice would instil misrule and
mal-adminlstration. Meaner rebels could not
be found elsewhere than in this District and
the halter has been cheated out of their necks.
He appealed to his Democratic friends to say
whether White men did not sometimes vote
wrong, and whether Democratic voting did not
do much 10 warm rebellion into life.
Mr.. Sitgreayes, OF New Jersey, noticed
remark by Mr.. Farnswortb the other day, that
the Democrats of New Jersey refused TO give
the white soldier who went into the field and
periled his life for his country the privilege of
voting, even as 10 who should represent them
in the State and Congress, and that this was
perhaps the reason why there were SO many
men OF that persuasion in the House.
Mr.. Sitgreaves said that when the bill was
pending before the Legislature to authorize
soldiers to vote in camp, many of the Demo-
cratic party conscientously believed they
could not vote for il without violating the Com
stltution. Others thought that no fair vote
could be had in camp, and history showed they
were right. The charge that the Democratic
party OF New Jersey were unfriendly TO SOL
diers, and by inference unfriendly to the cause
for which the soldiers fought, was unjust
The gentleman then proceeded to show what
the Democrats had done to aid the country in
suppressng the rebellion.
Mr.. Randall, of Pa, replied to remarks re-
Gently made by his colleague Mr.. Kelley with
reference TO suffrage in Pennsylvania. He
was glad TO say that the Democratic party
have uniformly been against extending the
right of suffrage TO the negro race: and in this
the Democratic party had the aid of vast num-
bers Of those who were politically opposed to
them. His colleague proposed TO make an is
sue here that he had failed to make at home
Mr.. Kelley said when he was quite a young
man, and acting with the Democratic party, he
lie 10 chap
the constitution, so that every man in Penn
sylyania, who was not a pauper or felon,
should be citizen in full.
After further colloquy, Mr.. Randall asked
his colleague whether he would by process of
the Constitution Of the United States, or amend
ment TO the constitution of Pennsylvania
strike out the word "white' as a qualification
Mr.. Kelley replied that he would, having
high regard for Franklin and others who laid
the foundations Of the Government
Mr.. Randall resumed his remarks, saying he
should uniformly vote in accordance with the
action OF his state, without regard TO party.
He believed the two races are distinct and be-
lieving that, he was unwilling TO take any steps
which would place the negro on an equality
| with the white man.
Mr.. John L. Thomas, OF Maryland, claimed
| to be a member of the great Republican party
| of the Union, which carried in triumph the
| banner of the country through the whole
| Southern territory. Never yet had ne gwen
vote, which, when he saw II recoraea In the
rroted with the Democracy, that he did not feel
as though he needed RECONSTRUCTION. Laugh
| ter He thanked God that slavery was abol-
| ished; yet while he thus relolced. ne could but
cal EQUALITY of the negroes with the whites was
a gross violation OF faith toward the District OF
Columbia and Maryland He had thought that
| with the abolishment Of slavery ali further ag-
| itation would cease. While he conceded that
| many negroes were intelligent, the great mass
OF them were unit to be entrusted as deposl-
Il