The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-17
Negro Suffrage and the Democratic
Party.

Negro Suffrage ana the Democratic
From the World
Chemists distinguish between the two states
of matter called crystalloid and colloid. The
crystalloids tend to assume definite, SYM
metrical, crystelline forms; the colloids do
nothing of the kind. They are the jellies and
gums and gelatine of creation. These facts
analogue in the political world. There are
crystalloids in politics as there are colloids.
With all possible respect, we must be permit
ted to say that the Times will never, in this
world or the next, get itself classified among
the crystalloids. There are no principles in
accordance with which it arranges itself. Top
might as well be bottom, or hind side might
come before, and to this colloid it would be all
the same. At one time its soft, gelatinOus
nature adjusts itself among the most pro-
nounced opponents Of the radical revolution.
At another time, it has moulded itself into
perfect harmony with the revolution, its
leaders and its results. Yesterday, apart by
the whole diameter of its being at least, from
military despotism; to-day it is albuminously
surrounding, embracing, and defending that
despotism. But a few months ago denouncing
the wholesale imposition of negro suffrage by
Congress upon the country, with such vehe-
mence as if all the tender jelly of its nature
would burst and scatter to the ends of the
earth in sheer revulsion; this month the yield
Ing mass has slipped and swayed, and we wake
to find the Times denouncing the Democracy
for its blind insensate hostility to negro SUI
frage, as party.
Now, the colloid Times may thaw, dissolve,
slip, sway, and flow as it chooses, but it shall
not misrepresent the relation of the Demo-
cratic party to negro suffrage.
L. 4l0ak4 Ill No.
cratic party is for or against negro suffrage.
In its opinion the subject is not lawfully a
national one; and as the Democratic party is a
| national party and law-abiding party, it has
| not as party formed or expressed any deci
| sion on the enlargement Of the voting fran.
chise. Democrats believe it to be question
| by law in State control and they can no more
be deemed against negro suffrage than for it,
or than the Republican party can be deemed
against woman suffrage-stiI an unmooted
question in Congress.
In the last National Democratic Conven.
tion, as in the last Republican Convention,
neither negro suffrage nor woman suffrage
was q plank in the party platform. 1t is,
indeed, a mark Of the m0nstrous change which
has been effected in the political situation,
that question which no man broached then
has now become so prominent. 1t is a mark,
moreover, of the utter nconstitutionalizing
of the Republican party, that this question,
which but two or three years ago was not
dreamed of by either of the two great politi-
cal parties as one which could possibly come
within the sphere either of national, or OF
national party, action, has now become both
party tenet to which the colloid Times has
at last moulded itself into conformity, and
also matter which the party has agreed to
withdraw unconstitutionally from the State
control, where it now lawfully and 1eEfiti-
mately resides, and to subject to Federai
authority.
The columns of the Times, in past days,
are full of able and conclusive arguments
against this nconstitutionalizing process,
which it now submits to, and consents to, and
applauds. The World recognizes quite as
clearly as the Times recognizes, the facts and
the logic of facts. And with the whole Demo-
cratic party it submits to them because it is
pOwerless to prevent them. 1t does not con-
sent to them. 1t scorns to defend, apologize
for or applaud them. Least of all does it
surrender the stronghold because its outposts
have been captured.
The World and the Democratic party have
held but one opinion regarding negro suffrage.
That opinion is neither for negro suffrage nor
against negro suffrage as a party, for the
simple reason that in their view negro suffrage
cannot lawfully become a national, or a
steadfastly to the imposition of negro suffrage
upon any Southern or any Northern St2te by
Federal legislation and power. For If any
hing in the constitutional law and history of
our Government is established and clear, II is
that each State has supreme control Of the
distribution of the elective franchise among its
own citizens. We should mock the intelli-
gence of our readers to cite those clauses in |
The Constitution, those passages in the de-
,isions of our highest court, and those facts in
.he history of the country, which prove that
The present position of the Democratic party |
has always been the position of all intelligent
men of all political parties until the Republi- |
can party entered upon its unconstitutional
ziDg process.
Quite superfuous and unnecessary is it now |
deemed by that party to make changes in the
Constitution according to the mode therein pre-
3cribed. Now it hesitates no longer at over
riding the Constitution by party majorities
through Federal legislation. But this the De-
mocratio party has never consented to do and |
never will consent TO do. The Democratic !
party would oppose just as strenuOusly the