The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-03

From The Independent.

his every ellort lOr gOOd.
Charles Summers Views.
From the Independent.
SENATE CHAMBER, April 20.-My Dear SIR
You wish to have the North RECONSTRUCTED" !"
so at least that it shall cease to deny the
elective franchise on account of color. But
you postpone the day by insisting on the pre-
liminary of a Constitutional amendment. |
know your vows to the good cause; but | ask
you to make haste. We cannot wait.
OF course, we can always wait for the need
full processes; but there are present reasons
why we should allow no time to be lost. This
question must be settled without delay. In
other words, it must be settled before the Pre-
sidential election which is at hand. Our
colored fellow citizens at the South are already
voters. They will vote at the Presidential
election. But why should they vote at the
South, and not at the North The rule of
justice is the same for both. Their votes are
needed at the North as well as at the South.
There are Northern States where their votes
can make the good cause safe beyond ques-
tiOn. There are other States where their
votes will be like the last preponderant
weight in the nicely balanced scales.
Let our colored fellow-citizens vote
in Maryland, and that State, now so severely
tried, will be fixed for human rights forever.
Let them vote in Pennsylvania and you will
Republican cause. Let them vote in New
York. and the scales, which hang so doubtful,
will incline to the Republican cause. 1t will
be the same in Connecticut. / mention these
by way of example. But everywhere the old
pro-slavery party will kick the beam. Let all
this be done, | say, before the next Presiden-
tial election.
Among the proposed ways of doing it is by
a new Constitutional amendment. But this is
too dilatory 1t cannot become operative till
after the Presidential election. Besides, it is
needless. Instead of amending the Constitu-
tion, read it.
Another way is by moving each State, and
obtaining through local legislation what is
essentially right Of citizenship. But this
again is too dilatory, while it turns each State
into political maelstrom, and submits a ques-
ton of national interest to the chances of local
controversy, and the timidity of local polti-
clans. This will not do. Emancipation was
national act, proceeding from the National
Government, and applicable to all the States.
Enfranchisement, which is the oorollary and
complement of emancipation, must be a ma
tional act also, proceeding from the National
Government, and applicable to all the States.
II it be left to the States individually the
result, besides being tardy, will be uncertain
and fragmentary.
There is another way, which is at once
prompt, energetic and comprehensive. 1t is
| two-thirds in spite of Presidential veto. The
| time has passed when this power can be ques-
! toned. Congress has already exercised it in
the Rebel States. l do not forget its hesita-
! tions. Only year ago, when | insisted that
it must do so, and introduced a bill to this
effect was answered that a Constitutional
| amendment was needed, and | was voted
down. change came, and in a happy
moment Congress exercised the power. What
| patriot questions it now But the power is un-
| questionable in the other States also. 1t con-
Germs the rights of citizenship, and this sub
iect is as essentially national as the army OF
the navy.
Even without either of the recent Consti-
| tutiOnal amendments, l am at loss to under
stand how denial Of the elective franchise
| simply on account of color can be otherwise
than unconstitutional. | cannot see how,
! under a National Constitution which does not
I contain the word ''white" or "black," there
can be any exclusion on account of color.
| There is no such exclusion in the Constitution.
Out of what text is this oligarchical pretension
| derived But, putting aside this question,
| which will be clearer to the jurists of the
| next generation than to u.s. vouch the autho-
.ritative words of the Constitution, max
ing it our duty to guarantee a republican
| form of government in the States. Now the
greatest victory of the war, to which all other
victories, whether in Congress or on the bloody
field, were only tributary, was the definition
of republican government according to the
principles of the Declaration of Independence.
| A government which denies the elective fran
chise ON account Of color or, in other words,
sets up any Qualifications of votes in their
| nature ilSWmOuntab}e, cannot be republican;
for the first principle in republican govern
ment is equality Of rights, according to the
principles of the Declai alton of Independence.
| And this definition, | insist, is the crowning
result of that war which beat down the Rebel
| lion under its feet. 1t only remains for Con-
gress to enforce it by appropriate legislation.
But there are two recent Constitutional
amendments, each of which furnishes ample
and cumulative power
There is, first, the amendment abolishing
slavery with its clause comforting ON Con-
gress the power to enforce it by appropriate
| legislation in pursuance of which Congress
has already passed the Civil Rights act, which
Is applicable to the North as we'll as the
South Clearly, and most obviously beyond
all question, if it can pass Civil Rights act,