Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-02-25
Colorsd Suffrage Inevitable il Shermaas Bill
Becomes Law.

Becomes Law.
The Reconstruction bill'' is framed with
such ingenious malignancy, that whether We
adont the constitutional amendment or prefer
to con,iuue in our present unrepresented con-
diton, We cannot avoid general suffrage.
The provisional governments, as the
nrrsent State Governments are called, cannot
be continued unless we throw open the ballot
box to every male colored man IN Virginia who
is over the age of twenty-one. No election
can be held in May unless the colored man Is
given all the political privileges OF the white
man. Nothing oan be clearer than that this IS
the intention OF the BILL
The sixth section Of the bill PROVIDES that
"unti the people Of the said rebel States shall
re, By law, admitted to representation IN the
Congress of thc United States, any, civil GOV,
crnmcnt that may exist therein shall be deemed
provisional only, and III all respects subject 10
the paramount authority OF the United States,
at any time to abolish, modify, control Or ST.
pcrSc4c tic same; and in all ELECTIONS to any
Office under such provisional! governments, all
persons shall be entitled to vote under tie NTH
section OF this aet And no person shall DC
eligible to any Office under such pto%l3loHai
government who would be tlis!ranchlscd from
holding Office under the provisions oil the third
article OF said constitutional amendment.
The fifth :cctlom OF the above act extends
the right g! utfragc to the male citizens OF
said State, twcnty-Ouc years old and upward,
Ct whatever race, color, Or previous condition,
who have been resident in said State Tor one
year previous to the day {! such election. except
auuh ;is may be li.trauchiSci for participation
in the rebellion, or for felony at common law y
If this bill becomes Il law, at the Virginia
elections, in May next for Governor, Llcutcn-
ant Governor, Attorney General and members
Of the General Assembly, every male co!orcd
man in Virginia above the age Of twenty onC
cd to allow this election to 80 by default, Tor
the Alexandria Constitution provides that these
clcctious shall take place in May next We
purely military dcspotisln by the abolition OF
this provisional government, for it rests with
the Federal Government, and not with our
selves to determine, whether this State govern
ment shall be continued or abolished.
Whether, therefore, we adopt the ''constltu
tional amendment" with colored suffrage and
| Congressional representation annexed OF
prefer to continue as we are. we cannot, II
| Sherman 5 bill becomes q law, avoid almost
| immediate equality at the ball0t-b0x.
The Alexandria Constitution says we shaI
have certain elections in the spring, aud the
| Sherman bill says that at those elections, al
| male negroes twenty-Onc years OF age shall De
| allowed 10 vote.
We lose no Tine in pointing out to our read
ers the horns Of the dilemma upon which thI:
| bill impalcs us. 1t allows no refuge, and there
is no escape except through the agency Of thu
| Supreme Court.
The monstr0us features Of this bill should a
uncc receive the attention OF the abeal lawyers
Of the General Assembly, and steps should b.
taken TO have it brought under the ire Of ths
Supreme Court, where it will lie thoroughly
demolished 1900 Richnoad T;mes