New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-18
TIE NEBRASKA DEBATE.

Prom Oar Special Correspondent
wAsHSGToS, Jan. 49, 1851.
There is great war of debate, or tempest Of
tongues laundering demonstration OF the lawyers,
over the admission of Nebraska and Colorado. An
immense amount Of talk is uttered where there N
little to De said. The very feryent Mr. Bingham OF
the House has driven more directly to the point on
the subject than anybody in either branch 1t is a
short horse Nebraska says in her Constitution, I'M
der which she wants to come in, that the suffrage
shall be confined To trhtS. This is little disageca-
bio and n good deal incOnvcricnt, just at this mo-
ment we having some uncoDstructed communities
down in Dixie who may want readmisson under just
such condition. number Of distinguished and
undistnguishcd members OF Congress hold that mat
body had the power to dictate terms this question
of white and black voting when il TO the adj
mission of State, or, TO please the lawyers and be
very particular, when Congress clothes n territory
with state robes, between which two propositions
the reader will mark distinction acknowledge
himself incapable of approaching the lawyers. And
that having this power TO dictate terms they very
inconsistent if they don't do 1t, abolition having
taken place everywhere, and enfranchisement having
been Just bestowed on the cOl0red population Of the
District of Columbia without any restriction whaso-
ever.
This seems to be pretty good reasoning from their
point Of view Now to expungc this white" clause
in the Nebraska Constitution. Senator Edmunds Of
Vermont upon whose shoulders has fallen the mantle
Of the wary and wise COllamer may he prove worthy
to wear il y has drawn ont of his apparently well
stuffed green bag a seal with superscTption upon 1t
which the Senate has affixed To the aforesaid Const-
tuition and which this astute lawyer holds land his
brother lawyers in the Senate also hold We may sup
pose since they have Endorsed its yrtues suppresses
the meaning of the term white" aforesaid The in
scrpton referred TO is nothing less than the
declaration by the Senate that they accept the word
white" in the Nebraska Constitution on the distinct
understanding that il means black" On this con-
diton, the Senate has passed this Nebraska bill
There is good deal Oh Dogbeuy talk. and some not
80 DOgbeuy, on the amazing virtues of this seal and
superscrpton. In it is not exactly seen
through, while in others it is clear as mud
We withhold any expression Of opinion on the sub
ect from dffdence. If anybody will 90 through the
forty or more or less columns of The Globe which
roans under tho Senatorial discussion Of it, that eX-
cepional person will know just much about il as
those who discussed it.
An illuminated edition Of this discussion is being
issued in the House. Mr. Bingham has very clearly
vndicaed the position set up in the Senatorial dls-
CUSTOM that under the specific provision OF the Con-
stituton, Congress has nothing to do with suffrage
in the States and this is the kernel OF the whole dis
cussion. This, however cannot be held to be any
answer TO the doctrines that Congress which las
lately granted universal suffrage in the District, may
rightfully require that when new State comes into
the Union her first step shall not be upon the political
cons of the body that admits her. IL is not improper
at least that Congress shall insist upon its own rights
in saying what terms are satisfactory in the Conhtl-
tntion of applying nchoate State although its de-
mand may possibly go beyond tho verge OF its en-
| forcing power.
The lesson from all this is not discovery of who s
| who in the votes, or who is straight and who IL
crooked; but If propose TO all the obstruc-
tions 10 Congressional control over the suffrage ques
ton we have got TO amend the Constitution on that
J spbeet LsE