The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-01-22
EQUAL SUFFRAGE MEETING.

Oy nov. u. -. Cheevers Kew. Henry Garnet
and Othcrs-The Constitutional Amend-
menf. &c.
The Equal Suffrage meeting, which was announced
for last Thursday, held last evening Cooper In
sute for the purpose OF celebrating the occasion which
gave TO the colored citizens Of the District OF Columbia
che right 70 vote The attendance was rather small.
hut among the audience . considerable number OF
colored people, who testified BY their and the
interest ney manifested to keen sense Of what they
lation, to secure their rights citizens
The meeting called 70 order at eight O'Clock by the
Rev George B. Cheeyer, who presided.
REMARKS BY REV. GEORGE cHEEvER
Mr.. CHEEvER, assuming the chair. remarked that,
tude due TO God for bringing about this act Of JUS
tce second praise due TO Congress for carrying out
this measure, especially against the veto Of the Pres
dent; and third, what renamed 10 ascertain what
requisite TO maintain and further these
rights The right to vote belonged TO the coored man.
not az boon but as right Il could not be given The
vote was appointed for man. and men were not
lected for the vote. Applause.) The citizens
make the government and not the government II
came slaves, In which the government would be
encouraged 70 withhold the rights OF the citizen and be
invited to play the despo Tho right Of life could no
more be Withheld than the right OF voting II the
citizens vote winch gave the government its power
No amendment could be made to- the constitution which
took away q right Of this kind No Congress- Legs-
lature or portion OF . people could take away this
right which belonged equally TO another portion The
high banded measures against the colored people had
rebels were DISTINGUISHED. but only temporarily, and
the law DISTINGUISHING them repealablc hut the dis
Reimbursement of the blacks would be irrepeaabe The
government, by the constitutional amendment, again
gave the rebels the power over the black man. The
o"e s 1ae the Clans. with
70 the representation OF free persons Every thirty
thousand free persons entitled representation
and the vote and again Representatives shall be
appointed according to the number Of free persons
But the amendment declared that "represept aon shall
be reduced according to the number Of free colored
vrh 0ndN tiCo
mot according 10 the whole number Of free persons but
according TO the number Of free white persons and the
basis Of representation hal be reduced by excluding
from II all persons who nos white, many per-
the rebels chose exclude from VOTE which
ton also foil on the persons outraged. instead Of
those who committed crime treason, nc, according
to the constitutional amendment Tho basis Of repre-
sentaiion was reduced by striking from it the whole
multitude whom the ruling rebel party agreed ostra
cize. The Committee OF Fifteen had that idea in view
when they prepared section. They had said was
done because OF the extreme nsuperabe reluctance of
the rebels TO come back into the Union equality
with persons whom they he'd always been accus-
with thrcs hundred and fifty Thousand blacks and four
hundred thousand whites, or seven hundred and dfty
ean ci;izsnsSp and reprssenist,cn. bv sSe nronosed
Amendments there would be only fonr hundred thou
sand OF these enumerated In the basis OF
representation and the three hundred and nifty thousand
blacks could be swept aside It the pleasure OF the four
hundred thousand whites In S0uth Carolina three
hundred and ffty thousand whites night sweep aside
four bandred thousand loyal blacks this basis This
direct outrageous violation OF the constitution.
II contemplated BY the fames Of that Instrument
Madison Hamilton declared In tho Ftderdsia that
when the negroes were emancpated they could not be
refused equal share Of representation with all the
other inhassa e. App.suse THIS section TO- was
York HERALD was quoted which commented on the
results flowing out Of ratification OF the constitutional
amendment after which the lecturer remarked that peril
In the prescription OF the negro aud this point every
c0lored man and every white man ought to examine.
how singular II would be IL in the end Providence
ghoulA mt Fs,lAal auciae
and determination Of the supreme Court asserting
that the ratification or such amendment by three
fourths OF the Northern Sates-the only repre-
scented in Congress-was unconstitutional He trusted
in God that the amendment would be sent TO the tomb
Of the Cspulets-oeyond resurnecton-and that would
free Congressional representatives from all impedmenia
and lead 70 such stringent measures Against the rebel
States would compel them 70 give equal suffrage 70
every inhabtant Of those States black or white Jap
plause.)
Letters were then read by Mr. Gilbert from Meuten-
ant Governor s l. Woodford and Hon. VIM r Dodge
expressing sympathy with the objects OF the meeting
and rcgrestng their inability to attend.
Mr.. GILBERT then made q few remarks, saying that Il
was originally intended BY the trainers Of the consttu
except South Carolina. In New York all free persons
voted by the nrst State constitution; but when the
established The RICH, Of representation, too, was
inscparablo from the right or taxation, and men
willingly pay the taxes they vote upon themselves
elsea the clauses In the United States constitution.
II is going INTO the courts and plead that the
United States guarantees republican form Of govern
mcns Every court win sustain that and say that the
States, which in their constitutions attempt it. their
constr ptions are mil and void you exclude nero
from the suffrage, uniess he ID worth $3.50 IN property,
why the States 60 on excluding on the same prin-
cipie I'LL the State governments have become despotic
and lose al the forms and principles Of rspnbionn gov
enmsutA He did not belsevs that ths American people
would adopt Tho amendment; n they ID iby deserved
20 10 struck with hghtninG IL wa neoouryeO hevs
public sentiment tonight 70 beer azauss THIS hing; but
II failed their only tus IVES IN tbs pssnacty Of the
rebels
RxnARKs o. NV. N eARxErz
Rev Mr. GARxxTr tcoloFed) was the nexs speaker He
was not surprised the rmarks OF che previous speak
era There two sides 70 the great question Of
human liberty and progress He was disposed to look
on the bright side Of the question Much progress had
been made towards freedom. He ala not believe the
constitutional amendment would BE- ratified BY the
people he thanked God that the rebels did mot Ike i
and there were many people North who would do
nothing the rebels did not Ike. God did not like
i, and be thought The devil did mot admire
the country ON the abeon OF slavery In the United
States, and nov they were here 70 rejoice over tho
finishing stroke Of Congressional legislation that made
the peope Of the national capital FREQ and bestowed