Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-05-24
Gle gepublifaa.
NORTHERN AECONSTRUC.
TIOy.
Enfranchisenlent or Negroes
by Act OF COMPENSATION.
Charles Summers Views.
SENATE CHAMBER,
Ill IN r0a-

SENATE CHAMBER,
April 20, 1851
Ny DEAR SIR: You wish to have the
North reconstructed" so as at least that
ii shall cease to deny the elective franchise
on accoun; of color. But you postpone
the day by insisting on the preliminary OF
Constitutional amendment. l know
your vows to the good cause; but ask you
to make haste. We cannot wait.
OF course, we can always wait for the
needful processes; but there are present
reasons why we should allow no time to be
lost This question must be settled with
out DELAY In other words il must be set
tied before the Presidential 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 question.
There are other States where their votes
will be like the last preponderent weight
in the nicely balanced scales. Let our col
ored 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 give
more than twenty thousand votes to the
Republican cause Let them vote in New
York, and the scales which hang so doubt
fui, will incline to the Republican cause.
1t will be the same in Connecticut. linen
ton these by way of example. But ev-
erywhere the old pro-slavery party will
kick the beam. Let all this be done, say,
before next Presidential election.
Among the proposed ways of doing 1t is
by new Constitutional amendment. But
this is too dilatory. 1t cannot become OPP
erative until after the Presidential election.
Besides ii is needless. Instead of amend
ing the Constitution, 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 m9lsirOm,
and submits question of national interest
TO the chances of a local controversy,
and the timidity of local politicians. This
will not do. Emancipation was national
act. proceeding from the national Govern
mcnt, and applicable to all the States
Enfranchisement, which is the corrOllary
and complement of Emancipation, must be
a national act also, proceeding from the ma
tional Government and applicable to all
the States. If il be left to the States indi-
vidually the result besides being tardy, will
be uncertain and fragmentary.
There is another way, which is at once
prompt, energetic and comprehensive
II is By act Of Congress, odoptedty majority
of t,co thirds in spite Of Presidential rsto The
time has passed trhen this po,ccr can be ques-
tened. Congress has already exercised it
in the rebel States. do not forge. its hes
itations. Only year ago, when insisted
that it must do so, and introduced bill to
this effect, was answered that Constiiu-
tionai amendment was needed, and | was
voted down. A change came, and in a
happy moment Congress exercised the
power. What patriot questions it now?-
But the power is unquestionablc in other
States also. 1t concerns the rights of eli i
zenship, and this subject is as essential V
national as the army or navy.
Even without either of the recent Con.
stitutional amendments / am at loss to
understand how denial of the elective
franchise simply on account of color can
be otherwise than unconstitutional. / can
not see how, under National Constitution
which does not contain the word "white"
or ''black, there can be any exclusion on
account of color There Is no such ex-
clusion i'm the Constitution. Out Of ,rhaf
tert is this oligdrehicdl Dretcnsion derired' But
putting aside This question tch ich ual be clearer
TO the jurists Of the nerf generation than 10 us
rouch the aathoruire ic0rds of the Constitution,
making II our duty 10 guarantee 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 a Republican government
according to the principles of the Declare
ton of Independence. \ government
which denies the elective franchise on ac-
count of color, or in other words, sets UP
any qualifications of voters in their ma
turc insurmountable, can not be Republi-
can; for the first principle i'm a Republican
government is Equality of Rights, accord
ing to the principles of the Declaration oil
Independence. And this definition, in
sist, is the browning result of that wal
which beat down the rebelliong under il.
feet. II only remains for Congress to en-
force ii by appropriate legislation.
/ But there are two recent Constitutions
amendments, each of which furnishes am
pie and cumulative power.
| There is, first, the amendment
abolishlng slavery, with its clause confer
ring on Congress the power to enforce i
by appropriate legislation In pursuance o.
which Congress has already passed the civ
il rights act, which is applicable to the
North as well as the South. Clearly, and
most obviously beyond all question, il can
also pass political rights act, for each il
appropriate 10 enforce the abolition oil
slavery and to complete this work. With
out it the work is only about half done.
There is yet another amendment re-
Gently adopted by three-fourths of theiloy-
al States, which is itself an abundant
source of power. After declaring that all
persons born or naturalized in the United
States and subject to the jurisdiction there
of are ''citizens," this amendment proceeds
to provide that mo State shall make OIL
enforce any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of citizens Of the
United States; and Congress is empower
ed to enforce this provision by appropriate
legislation. Nothing can be palmer than
this.
Here, then, are three different fountains
of power in the Constitution itself, each
sufficient; the three together three times
sufficient; each exuberant and overlooking
How, in the face of these provisions, any
person can doubt the power of Congress,
cannot understand. But alas. there are
doubters always.
have already sent you a copy of my
bill to settle this question by what | cal
THE short cut" Give us your vote. Oh
course you will
Believe me, my dear sir, very faithfully
yours,
CHARLES SUMNER.
|
WalrusSia.