Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-02-28

Ias The resolution to strike the word White |
from the Constitution Of the State, and to
bpFohiblt all who engaged in the late rebel
/; Hen. the right otsEoting, being under COM
? eideratton. 5s .-s.F rslI.fs ~: :s55
..sa Mr.. HENRICKs said :: tste 3!
.s] This resolution provides that every male
citizenaof the United States (who has not
sengaged ia insuFrection ofFebellion against
the same), of the age of twenty-one years., /
who shall have been a resident of the State
one year next 1preee edipg the election, and
of the county, township or ward in which /
he resides, such time as may be provided
;bvI law, shall have the qualifications OF: an /
BleetoF and be entitled TO vote at all elec+
tions. .s,r~., ~
a candid consideration should be had, at /
least on resolution of such moment as the
Tone pending now before this Honse-a |
proposition to amend the Constitution of
the EState, and thereby effect a radical /
change in one of the most important pro-
visions of that Instrument; a provision /
(which protects directly the purity of the I
ballot-box, and one held most sacred by |
every citizen of the State of Ohio. This
resolution, though singularly wOrded, has |
but one object, that is to strike the word |
white from the Constitution of Ohio and to |
extend the electivefranchis to the cOlOred |
Population of this State. 1t is nevertheless |
characterized as other resolutions and
propositions Of political nature coming |
Efhom the otherside Of the House, are and
have been for the last three or tour years, |
The same old curtain which has heretofore
been successf fully drawn for such purpose,
and behind which they have always screen
ed themselves when they wished to accom-
plish anything real deVilish, when neces-
saFy will again be dropped, and instead of
the real object of those cunning actors
fpegFoes,yeting at the pollsls will exhibit
{ only vast armies of Ohio rebel soldiers,
n
nocent Union women and children.
Now, sir, while l am not the enemy of
the colored man, and would not impede his
progress as a race of people, in the exercise
0f charity and good will toward mankind,
profess to be not the less humane when
holding any Office in the State Of
Ohio. The design of the trainers of our
Government was, that it should be conduct
ed and remain in the haEds of the white
citizens OF the United States and of the
--Stat+s, not that the negro should share in
and become q part of the Government of
this country. Their design was that In the
future the white man should be the gov
erning element of the nation; that in the
future the white man should be the Presi-
dent of the United States and the Govern
or of the State of Ohio; that he should fill
I the seats IN the legislative halls in Congress
and in our State Legislature; that he
should sit as Judge upon the Supreme
beIch Of the State and in the Courts OF
Common Pleas in ouFdistricts and counties.
This resolution proposes aIieentire change
hof programme. Its proposition is, that the
negro shall enjoy the right of franchise and
political equality with the white man; that
sometime ia the future the negro should
become the President of the United States
zor the Governor of the State of Ohio, and
there execute the laws of the country and
:, of the State that the negro shall fill the
seats in the Legislative halls in Congress
9 and 10 the State Legislature, and there en-
:, act laws by which the white citizens of the
United States and the proud State of Ohio
shall be governed; that. he should sit as
Judge upon the Supreme bench of the
State, and IN the Courts of Common Pleas
iiiF our districts and counties, and there hear
trials, determine causes, and pass sentence
eliipOB the white eitfZehs of the State and
county Evidently this course of pol
lev had been determined upon for some time
past by the leaders of the Republican party.
Iney Olu not come out with it boldly and
manfully in their party platforms, because
they knew that the great mass of the voters
of Ohio were opposed to it; but through
their Journals, and in their speeches, on the
stump and in the national councils Ito ed
ucate the public mind), they indirectly and
T1ifeetiv asserted the policy, and, through
legislation. they stealthily force this meas1
ure upon the people, and coming out opent
: ~ with q resolution disclosing the real
features of the party. Gentlemen deserve
credit for the honesty pursued in this, and
will hereafter not deny its being an open
measure otos the party. Therefore. it is
PROPER to consider the merits of the policy.
And i object to negroes voting and his POI
lltical equality with the white man, first,
on the grounds of his inferiority as a race.
Impartial observations satisfies my mind
that in point Of dignity. as race of people,
the negro isaih the scale of creation mem
tally the inferior of the white man. This
inferiority isso generally admitted, that il
Ven ask the soldier, who In the last three
: or -four years had some means to form an
soT3iniori, you ask him, if in his opinion the
NEGRO is mentally capacitated to vote, and
sshouId be admitted politically as the white
in1a1's leanal, and he will tell you it is an
error in Judgment for any one to form this