The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-07

IL - hhOWh IhaI Tue Governors of severa
Southern states under the johnson regime were
recently for several days in Washington, and
that they, after conference with the President
agreed on plan of reconciliation and restora
ton which is to be first submitted TO their re-
spcctiye Legislatures, prior to a more general
submission. We were seasonably favored with
the result of their deliberations, but under an
injunction of confidence, which seems to have
been partial; since the identical matter which
we were eDjoined not to print until it had been
acted on by one at least of the Legislatures in
question, was on Tuesrday printed without re-
serve by Others
The following is the gist of the project;-
Whereas, etc., BE it further resolved by the
Legislature of ---, that the following article
snail be adopted as an amendment to become
part of the Constitution of the state of -;
sided in the state for year, and in the
county in which he offers to vote six months
Immediately preceding the day or election, and
car read the Declaration of independence and
the Constitution Of the United States in the
English Language and write his name, or who
NAV be the owner OF $3.50 worth of taxable pro-
pc ~, shall be entitled to vote at all elections
for Governor of the state, members of the
Legislature, and all other officers the election
OF whom may be by the people of the state.
"PrOUded, That no person, by reason OF this
article, shall be excluded from voting who has
heretofore exercised the elective franchise under
the Constitution or laws of this State or who,
at the time OF the adoption of this amendment,
may be entitled to vote under the said Constitu-
tiOn and laws"
REMARKS.
The aim of this proposition, it will be seen, Is
TO secure the rlgnt of suffrage to all Southern
whites, uLless it be the newly naturalized and
yet to be naturalzed, and exclude $50 far as
pOssible) the blacks. We cannot see how this
scheme should be expected to give satisfaction.
We stand tor universal amnesty with Impair
tial suffrage. We do not balance one by the
other we commend each on its own merits
because 1t is just, wise, and calculated to benefit
each section and every class. The North needs
nd mil rn6f nv I1YnIxyn mall
the South; Tor neither the country nor part of
1t can truly prosper when another part is un-
easy, apprehensivc, afflicted WretChed. We are
for I'm partial suffrage. because the whole land
needs rest from sterile, dangerous agitation con-
cerning negroes and negro rights. We all know
where this must end tnen why not go at once
to the end and be done with it? The Southern
proposition stops half way, and will settle
nothing. 1t is more likely to intensity agitation
than TO allay it.
But the prop )sed restriction of black suffrage
is radically unjust. Where State provides for
the education of all her people, we have not
WORD to say against requirement of ability to
read as qualification for voting. Men should
know how to read; if they wilfully refuse to
learn, they may plauslblY be disfranchised. So
not so plau,lbly, but with show of reason
the mao who has had fair chance to acquire
property, YET has none, may be debarred from
voting, as thrlttless and irresponsible.
But to say TO men who have been slaves till
now-who have been denied the right to acquire
property, and to teach whom to read has been q
crime by statute-'You shall not vote unless
you have $3.50 worth OF property, or know how
to read and write," is adding insult to injury.
You might as well hang blind man for not
being an accurate judge of colors. 1t is not to
be thought Of
In the county of Logan, Southern Kentucky,
as we'll as in several nelghboring counties of
that State and Tennessee, q number OF negroes,
several OF whom served in the Union armies,
have recently been killed and their property
destroyed or stolen by undetected villains
whose anaaaus is fairly indicated by a handOili
they have posted up, as follows:-
AM COMMITTEE.
/, No man shall squat negroes on his place,
unless they are all under his employ, male and
female.
q Negro women shall be employed by white
persons.
g. Ali children shall be hired out for some-
thing.
4. Negroes found in cabins to themselves shall
suffer the penalty.
s. Negroes shall not be allowed to hire
negroes.
8. Idle men, women, or children shall suffer
the penalty.
Z. All white men found with negroes in secret
places shall be dealt with, and those that hire
negroes must pay promptly, and act with good
faith to the negro. / will make the negro do
his part, and the white must, too,
S. For the first oftense is 100 lashes; the second
is looking up sapltng,
0, This do for the benefit of ALL young or
old, high and tall, black and white. Any one
that may not like these rules may try their
doing my duty.
10. Negroes found stealing from any one, or
taxing from their employers to other negroes
death is the first penalty.
IL. Running about late of nights shall be
strictly dealt with.
H. White men and negroes, 1 am every
where. 1 have friends in every place. DO
your duty and will have but little TO do
The miscreants who post these handbills
would all be voters under the Southern project;
while the Union soldiers, whose property they
have burned, will be disiranchised. 1t won't
answer.
We are heartily glad that the Southern
whites are taking hold OF the subject of Recon-
strUction. They might have started better; but
1t is better to start faulty than not at all. They
viii improve in time.