Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-04-23


Shall ID be Approved by the PeO-
Commercial Says No!
The Cincinnati Commercial is in favor of
Negro Suffrage; was in favor of the sub
mission of an Amendmentto the Constitu
tion striking out of it the word White but
it can't go the Amendment as it was
botched and patched up by the Legisla-
ture. In its issue of Monday it devoted
a lengthy editorial to the question: "The
Constitutional Amendment-Shall it be ap-
proved by the People of Ohio?"
The following is the conclusion it comes
to-:
Regarding that as inevitable, and as only
a Question OF tiTue, there has been during
some months a formidable popular move
ment in favor of the amendment of the
Constitution of the State of Ohio, by strik-
ing from it the clause restricting the ballot
to the white citizens or to those having a
Visible admixture." The time had arrived
when the question should have been
fairly and simply submitted to the people
of the State for decision. There is nothing
more certain than that it will be fruitful
source of political Irritation and agitation
till it is settled, and settled, too, in har-
litical equality of all men.
The Legislature, finding it impossible
any longer to defer action, took up the
question. 1t was challenged to do so, not
only by those who favor, but those who op-
pose impartial suffrage. Irs duty was very
simple and plain, namely: to prepare and
submit to vote of the people of the State,
an amendment striking from the Constitu-
tion the suffrage restriction. That was all
the Legislature was called upon to do. The
people would take care of the rest. But
this was what the Legislature did not do.
Possibly some of the members were appre-
hensive that the simple proposition to en-
franchise the blacks in Ohio would be de-
feated; possibly others, apprehensive that
it would be approved, sought to couple
with it some other condition that would
insure its defeat. We have not been able
to fathom the motives that finally induced
the Legislature to submit the constitutional
amendmenJ in its present shape-tacking
upon it condition which the people did
not ask for, and which they never will ap-
prove. The amendment, as it stands, will
be repudiated. Perhaps this is what ma
jority of those who voted for it desired. If
so, they will have the satisfaction OF seeing
it accomplished.
The further investigation is made the
more Objectionable the amendment be-
comes. Senator Kellogg, of Ashtabula
county, stated, on the authority of the Adj
jutant General, that the names of between
sixteen and twenty thousand Ohio soldiers
were on the muSter-rollS as deserters, and
that most of these men had faithfully re-
mained in the service up to the date of the
surrender of the armies of Lee and john
ston. This has been cOntradicGed, but in
vestigation will show that the Senator was
correct in his statement. Some time ago
the Provost Marshal General at Washing
ton informed Adjutant General COwan that
there were entered on his rolls 27,000 de-
sertions against Ohio troops during the
whole war, and OF these it is not known
that more than $500 or 1900 have been re-
lieved of the charge. The records at Co
lumbus are incomplete. They only give
the condition OF the rolls at the date of the
muster out and discharge, and no reports
were ever returned of those dropped from
the rolls of the regiments during the war.
But these rolls, imperfect as they are, show
an average of from eight to ten desertions
charged to each company at the date of
muster out, making an average of eighty
to one hundred per regiment The total of
regiments exceeded 200, and the rate of de-
sertions per company would give an aggre-
gate offrom 10000 to 10000, which confirms
the record of the Provost MarshaPs Office
at Washington.
How many of these desertioDs occurred
after the surrender OF the rebel armies, it
is impossible to tell. That they were very
numerous, however, there is no room to
doubt. Apprehensive that they were to be
sent to Texas and the Indian frontiers to
serve out the whole of the three years vet
eran enlistment, of which nearly two years
remained, the troops deserted in such num-
bers, and there was such dissatisfaction
among those who remained, that the War
Department changed its policy, and mus
tered the troops out as fast as possible. The
soldiers felt that the spirit OF their contract
justified their discharge. They had the
promise of enlisting officers that they
should be discharged at the end of the war,
and this was the general understanding;
but the Government manifesting disposi-
ton not TO release them, but to send them
upon a service not contemplated
when, they. entered the army, they
deserted by scores and hundreds.
The offense was technical. They believed
to have fulfilled their contract
with the Government, and that it bad no
claim upon them for service, other than in
the war to put down the rebellion. They
did not leave the army while an armed
enemy remained under the Confederate
flag. 80
Without going into further details at
present, or making inquiry whether every
principle of sound policy is not violated by
going back now to visit military Offenses
with punishments which were not threat
ened or contemplated at the time the offense
was committed-and this is a point to be
considered inquire, what will
be the effect of the amendment if adopted.
Are the people of Ohio ready to disfran-
chise five white men for every black en-
!? Taking the census table of
1860 we find that there was then black
of 36,673 persons in Ohio. AL
lowing one-sixth as the population of voters
we have 6172, and deducting from this
number one-third as having a visible ad-
mixture of African blood, and consequent
ly voters now, there remain 4,074 who
would be enfranchised. According to the
Provost Marshal's books there are 24,000
Ohio soldiers still charged with desertiop,
who will be disfranchised under the amend
ment. This thenis is the practical effect of
the amendment tinkered and botched into
its present shape by Legislature either too
timid to meet the suffrage question square
Iy, or insincere in its professions of desire
to enfranchise the few blacks in Ohio.
When the people come to understand the
bearing of the amendment and the injustice
it will work to thousands of men who were
in the army, they will put it under their
feet. The Republican Convention will, we
expect, have to repudiate the blotched job
OF the Legislature. 1t will be political
necessity, as we'll as sound eXpediency. to
declare in favor of the principle of i'm
partial suffrage; and the speedy coming OF
the time provided in the Constitution for
holding a Constitutional Convention, will
relieve timid Legislators of their terrors,
and the people of adventitious embarrass-
ments.
The COnstitutiOnnIity of the Metro
POli1an Police Bill 10 be Tested.
By reference to the third page it will be
seen that B. F. BINGHAM, Esq, the City
has given it as his opinion that