Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-08-20

Ii the convention O~uiuueieSal totH'
Legislature the power to make citizens
of men Of a different race from those who
made the Constitution, of those whC
were not a part Of " the people Of the
State" they could only do so by express
words. and not by merely empowering
them to prescribe the qualifications o.
electors, which was a power only tc
limit and diminish the number Of those
already electors, by prescribing for them
particular qualifications. This is not q
mower to make citizens and although
one NAV be a citizen snd still not an
e~Iector, ne cannot be an elector and not
2 citizen. The Constitution provided
who should be electors and the provis-
ion that certain persons Of colour
should be. was an absolute exclusion OF
all others. This could only be changed
by an amendment to the Constitution
and the Convention, s%Upposing it 70
have been really such, and empowered
to amend the Constitution, could not
delegate the power to DO Sd Ia its stead to
the Legislature. Deiegatiis non POtest
deleqaTe, is a universal rule of the law.
A trustee TO sell land cannot delegate to
another the power 20 sell. He must eE-
ercise it himself. Who knows how the
Convention would have voted, on the
direct proposition to confer the right Of
suffrage Unfortunately on the negroes
of the State . Who darss to assert, from
the language Of the schedule, that they
meant to give this power, or would ez-
pressly have given IT, TO the Legislature ?
10 our opinion therefore, there was
no valid law allowing the negroes to
vote. In u opinion they are not now
citizens Of the State. They could
not be 80 without an amendment of the
Constitution making them 50; and that
amendment has never been made. II
Congress could make them or had made
them citizens Of the United States, they
would not by that become citizens Of the
State. Itisonlyth the citizens of a STATE who
are entitled TO the privileges and immu,
mites Of citizens ia other states. There
is no similar provision for citizens Of the
United States and the provision doe:
not include or benefit citizens Of the
United States, DatUralizsd in the Terri.
tories or the District CT Columbia.
To permit the negroes to vote was il
violation Of the supreme law Of the
State. It was to rob the white men o.
the stste Of the right and power of man.
aging its public stairs. It was to cor.
rupt the blood Of the State. il it was
not It's certain ruin, it was at least ez-
ceedingiy 10 jsepsrdize not only jtf
peace and quiet, but its very existence.
No republic can last long with such eiec.
tors. 1t was to make the elective fran.
chise Of the white citizen worthless, an
infinitely worse offence than dsbasing
the coin, for which individuals are in.
generated, and States pilloried by the
perpetual contempt OF the world. II
was TO lower the character Of the
public men Of the stste, aud
to make elections and discussions
revolving and degrading farces. What
thinking man, during the last campaign,
listened 10 en- argument addressed to the
negroes, who neither cared for it nor
comprehended it, without feeling intense
shame aud bitter disgust, aud asking
himself if it was TO this csm-
Ion That r-epublicanism in Tonnes.
see had come at lasto What is there
that Is more uuw0tby Of a gentleman
a man OF cultivated intellect, 2 man AZ
to serve his country, than to get down to
the level or a horde Of negroes, and pan
der % their wilkins and folie, md non
sense, except o. endesvOr to argue TO
them about puUlic afairs7 How long
before all worthy men, entitled to aspire
10 Office, will retire from such a contest,
and leave the field to the blackguards
and the scsvenEers Of party? II this is
republicanism and the final result OF
democracy, give Us some other form OF
government. 1t is impossible that spv
can be worse.
The Conservatives united with the
Radicals to produce these detestable re.
suits. Is it not true? In wast measure
is there q more concentrated R-adicaiisai.
than in negro suffrage? To consent to
1t, then, was an immense wrong, wehad
said an objectionable sin and
therefore it was an immense biunder. H..
TO DO precisely what the Radicals
had done and the purpose sought to be
effected could not excuse the act.
Il was a blunder, also, because II was
absolutely certain to be done In vain.
was not even a ghost Of a hope or
d success 10 compensate for il.
And it was e biHndsr because it was
repel from u Conservative ranks Ell.
those. and they were not few, especially
in East TENNESSEE who. although
men originally, were not fl. favor
Of negro suffrage, and might have come
to the ConseEvati tive party if it bad taken
open and bold ground against that aboDl-
ination; but who, when both parties
alike committed to it. adhered to
that with which they otherwise agreed
What profit was it AZ last, to either the
Wing or Democratic party, that it coca
sionally succeeded in carrying an cleo.
ton in q State by the aid Of the Aboli-
lion vote? Il was by meaDs Of such a Goa
that SUMNER gained an entrance
INTO the Senate, and SEWARD, also. n
are not mistaken. The profit was
The steady growth OF the Abolition fac
ion, until it became at last the master
both parties, and its encroachmsnts
the rights Of the South forced her
into secession.
It is most fortunate for us that we have
been defeated. Success by the aid Of the
negro vote would have fastened The ao-
,urset thing upon the State forever. II
you'd have besn a when the hhh angel
" the Apocalypse sounded his trumpet /
nd the bottomiess pit was opened. and
here arose 3 smoke eut Of it, and there
anne out Of the saaOke locusts upon the
.arth, and unto them was given power
s the scorpions Of the earth have power
II as vixen the first angel poured out his
-ial upon the earth, and there fell a
ioisome and g~rievous sore upon the men
which bad the mark Of the beast, and
pom them which worshipped his image.
10 q very few, the Conservatives
the negroes nothing. Let them no
wear the mark Of the beast, nor
ow the knee to the Baal Of negro suf-
-ags, nor do evil that good may come
fis.
1
The corr crop reports throughout the /
ate continue highly favorable, and its
DIV almost beyond pefadveniure sseer-