Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-02
Debate ON 1lAe Negro Suffrage HiI
-. i'm the Ranunsn -

SLh6Rev Negr0s Suffrage bili:F HFea "
The vote on the joint resolution to amend
the Constitution, SO as to strike out the
word "white'' from the Constitution, stood
c7yeasp38, nays So To carry the spropnsi-
tion it required sixty-three votes, that be-
ing twO-tfthS. of the Ri5nbers elected.
Thirty y-eight Republicans voted for it,
twenty-three against it, and two-Barrett,
WHO ran out OF the House as tine vote was
the afternoon, making in all Just the num-
ber required TO- pass it.ss Thus has this
great question, which has become leading
one with the Republican party, been de-
feated in the house of its friends, when they
haEl full power to pass it. = -
The debate OF. yesterday was, opened by
Mr.. Hehricks, of Perry, in speech of
some length-his master effort-in which
hestoOk bold ground, not only against the
giving of negroes the right to vote, but
against any mixtnre of tile races in gene
raj or in social life.
Mr.. Rhodes followed him lin Radical
speech. and then the war became fierce and
furious, yet conducted with good temper.
AS specimen of the animus of the debate,
send you sketches Of three of the main
Speeches.. During the delivery of that Of
Mr.. Hill, of Defiance, Governor Cox was
present. which fact. as is was unknown to
NJ Ne Hih ADDS lnqep maeh pOintlte his remarks
-dItseems tome, Mr. Speaker, that nlem+
bers had as we'll throw off all disguise in
this matter and come to a square vote on
theresOlution at once. Our Hamilton county
friends across the way complain OF the
Democratic members on this floor for join
ing hands with the friends of the resolu-
tiOn so as to force this House to action upon
It. Upon what authority do they make
such wholesale charge? When the mo-
tiOn was made to take the resolution from
the table the yeas and nays were not de-
nnabded, and the voices which clamored
loudest for bringing this matter before the
House, came from the Republican members.
The Democratic members of this House,
and the Democratic party of Ohio, are op-
posed to this amendment to the Eonstitu-
ton, and will oppose from beginning to
the end, any and all efforts to change the
organic law of our State as this resolution
pftspOses. Bit why; do our friends on the
other side ask for delay? This resolution
was offered by the gentleman from Lorain
at the beginning of last session, was
printed aud laid ON the desks of the MEM
dsMf. Piatt4Will the gentleman from Def
ance allow me to make suggestion
Mr.. Hill-Oh! yes; yolt are always max
ing suggestions; suppose you had as well
make one to me. -...i1sgr8--s1l li.5d i.f4 =
MIR. Piatt-T only wanted to make little
suggestion to the grntipman. ~, -
Mr.. HILL supposed it would be little
.one.rei, eft % Iis ..-1stAaei.l tea79 =
.iaMr. Piatt--I was only going to suggest to
the gentleman that he aud his friends
would come out f1at-foOted on this ques-
tion, and vote with us TO bring it to an
Mr.. Hill-WeIl, Mr.. Speaker, will come
out fiat footed for the gentleman. s3ss9yf
Sir, am opposed to the adoption of the
resoIution by this House, and am opposed
to this amendment becoming = part of the
Constellation of this State; hence I shall
vote against all efforts that are made here
to force this issue upon the people at this
time. J. am opposed tn it because believe
the people of Ohio, influenced by the pas
sion that peryades the country, would ratify
the amendment at the polls. A people
who would blindly indorse the present
Radical Congress of the United States.
composed as it. of 5ealOts and fanatics on
every subject, would indOrse almost any
thing. j. believe thev would iHdOrse negro
suffrage in Ohio t0-moFFeWif if their poliBi-
cal leaders would force the issue upon
themsz j am, therefore, utterly aStonished
at the timidiGy of the gentleman from
FaYette, and his Hamilt0af county friends
In their efforts to stave OF a vote on this
resolution. ,s-sssz-e.sT --,s-e
why, sir, have they not already indorsed
negro suffragesin almost every conceivable
way It was but a-feW days ago that you
adopted joint resolution indorsing the
Radical delegation in Congress from Ohio
for erammihg negro suffrage down the
throats of the people OF the District Of Co.
lumbia. You indorse your representation
in Congress in forcing it on an unwilling
people, and at the same time are afraid Ito
let the people of Ohio say whether they
want it or not. This same Congress, whom
you SO cordially Endorsed buttile other day,
makes negro suffrage aao1dition,p dent
tosthe admission of Nebraska into this
Union as a State, and that, too, after the
people of Nebraska. through their chosen
Representatives in convention assembled,
had declared against 1t. AFhe people OF
Nebraska did what the gentleman from
Fayette- proposes tordo-waited1tose what
Congress did, and then accepted the condi-
tions.
Gentlemen are asking delay to see what
Congress is going lOdo. d. they not know
wiIat Congress has done? And did they not
know it last fall when they indorsed this
Congress by q re- election Ifitis right fol
the black man to vote in the District of Co!
lumbia, in Nebraska, and in all the South
ern States, why is it not right in Ohio
You have advocated the right of the negro
TO vote everywhere else except at heine.-
And here you are afraid to submit the ques-
ton to thepeople, for fear. it win damage
the success of your party. 1t is right an0
just but right and justice must succumb tt
the interest OF party. Every Republican
paper of prominence in the State has come
pIH boldly ius favor of universal suffrag &c
and there is no ltsein Trying to dOdgetht
t.
fight next fallsOn the living issueS,Of the
day. When Governor Cox was put In
nomination two Years ago. for Governor
his party friends eXtOrted his Oberlin lette
out of himsonsthis nPgrosuffrage business
Governor (then GeneraD Cox expresseI
his views at length on the inequality o
races, and the Cincinnati Commercial (thel
opposed tosBegFo voting, now in favor o
it, published, this letter with an air of tri
umph, as q complete. refutation of tn
charge OF Democrats that Governor Coz
was a negro suffrage man, while in othe
parts of the State he4was claimed. as a-warn
advocate of the right Of the negro to vote
Now, gentlemen, You have played goo(
Lord and good devil long enough. Dom
have one platform for the northern an
one for the southern portion of tn
State. Let us know where you are. B.
representing Governor .(GeneraD~ Cox a
occupying one platform in some counties
the State. and another in others, you sue
ceeded in making him Governor, and nov
public rumer has itlthat his official head
tocome of because he is, not with you o
this subject. The axe of prescription ha
been prepared for him, and he, disguste
with the whole of you, declines renomi
nation in advance, .. oe-o .,
nor we have had for six years, he has to b
thrust aside because he is not sound enoug
onsthe negro, while others are rlamed 10
his pl zee who hardly possess the qualifica
tions for a Justice of the Peace. 8. ss
Mr.. Piatt-E hope the gentleman froI
Defiance will not damn our Governor b
eulOgfzing him.
mfr. rHiilLThe gentleman from Loga
netd not talk to me about damhing an
BODY. Governor Cox has already bee
damned by his friends. / have no dout
he feels like exclaiming now, as John
Bingham did in Congress the other day