The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-01-08

Il
sought q local legislature-that which has gen
orally been willingly conceded by the CONGRESS- OF
! the nation. AS general rule, sound policy re-
quires that the legislature should yield to the
wishes of o people when not inconsistent with
! the Constitution and the laws. The measures
suited to community might not be well adapted
to the condition of another, and the persons best
qualified to determine such questions are those
whose interests are to be directly affected by any
! proposed law. In Massachusetts,. for instance,
male persons allowed to vote without regard to
1 color, provided they possess certain degree OF
intelligence In population In that State OF
902 persons of color and of the males over twenty
years of age there wero 999 Os6 white to 1902 col
ored. BY the same official enumeration there
were in the District of Columbia 60, 764 whites to
however the population of the District has largely
increased, and it is estimated that, at the present
time, there are nearlya hundred thousand whitos
1 TO thirty thousand negroes.
The cause Of the augmented numbers OF tne
latter c,ass needs no explanation. Contiguous to
/ MARYLAND and Virginia, the District, during the
war, became place Of refuge for those who es-
capped from serHtude and it is yet the abiding place
Of q considerable portion Of those who sought
within its limits shelter from bondage. Until thon
held in slavery and denied all opportunities for
mental culture, their first knowledge of the Gov
ernment was acquired when, BY conferring npon
/ them freedom, it became the belefactor OF their
race. The testof their capabilhy for improvement
began when, for the. FIRST time, the career OF free
| industry and tho avenues to intelligence were
opened to them.. Possessing these advantages but
limited tinieEE the greater number, perhaps,
having entered the District Of Columbia during the
Halter year Of the war; or since its terminatlon-we
may well pause to inquire whether, after SO brief
probation they q class, capable OF an intel
fgent exercise Of the right Of suffrage md qunll-
| fed to discharge the duties Of official position.
The people who are daily witnesses of their mode
Of living, and who have become familiar with Their
| habits Of thought, have expressed the conVicnon
that they are not yot competent to sorve as elec-
tors, and thus become eligible o. Tor oihco IN inc
Clothed with the elective franchise, their num- m
bers already largely in excess Of the demand FOR
labor, would bo 800 increased by m influx from
employment is abundant, they would in vain seek
| it here and 30 add to the embarTassments already
experienced from the large class of idle persons con-
gregated in the District Hardly yot capable OF
forming correct Judgment upon the important
questions that often make the issues Of political
contest they could readily be made subservlent to
the purposes Of designing persons. While 1n Mrs
sachusetts, under the census OF 1850, the proper
ton of white to colored males, over twenty years
of. age, was one hundred and thirty to one, here
the black race constitutes nearly third OF the
entire population; whilst the same class surrounds
the District on all sides, ready to change their
residence at q moments notice, and with all the
facility Of nomadic people, in order to enjoy here,
after short residence, q privilege they find no
where else II is within their power, in one year,
to come into the District in such numbers as 20
have the supreme control Of the white race, and to
govern them by their own officers; and by the ex-
ercise Of oil the municipal authority, among the
Erest; Of the power Of taxation over property IN
which they have no interest. In Massachusetts,
educational system; qualification Of intelligence
is requred while her Q, suffrage is extended to all
without discrimination-as veil to the most inca.
pable who can prove residence in the District OF
one year. as to those persons OF color VINO, com com
paratively few in number, are permanent lnhabl-
tants, and having given evidence Of merit and
qualification. are recognized as useful and respon-
sible members Of the community.
Imposed on an unwilling people, placed bT the
Congress- tbis measure would be received as an
arbitrary exercise of power, and as IN INDICATION
by tho country Of the purpose OF Congress to com
Del the acceptance Of Negro Suffrage by tho States
it would engender. a feeling of opposition and
hatred between the two races, which, becoming
deep-rooted and ineradicable, would prevent them
from living together in state Of mutual friendll-
ness. Carefully avoiding every measure tnat mighs en-
clear and wel-ascertained popular Will, we SHOULD
assiduously endeavor to promote kindly relations
between them; and thus, when that popular will
leads the way 81 GF tne nto
the political power Of the country.
It cannot be urgel that the proposed extension
of Suffrage in the District Of Columbia is noces-
sary to enable persons OF color to protect elther
precisely as they stand in Pennsylyania, Ohio and
Indiana. Here, as elsewhere, in all that pertains
to civil rights there is nothing to distinguish this
class of persons from other citizens OF the United.
States@for they possess the full and equal benefit
of all laws and proceedings for the security OF per-
sorl and property a5 is enjoyed by white cItlzons,
and are made subject to Like punishment, pains
and penalties, and none other-any law, statute,
Notwithstanding. Nor rs has been assumed are
their suffrages necessary to aid loyal sentiment
here for local government already exlsts OF mn
doubted Sealty to the Government, and ls sustain,
ed by communities, which were among the first
to testify their devotion to the Union and which.
during the struggle furnished their full quota OF
men to the military service Of the country.
Tho exercise Of the elective franchise Ii the
when guided BIZ yirtue intelligence, patriotism,
and proper appreciation Of our institutions, con,
stitutes tho true basis Of q democratic form of
government, in which the sovereign power ls
lodged in tho body of the people Its influence for
good necessarily depends upon tho elevated
Character and patriotism Of tho olcctor Tor it cxe
cisod by persons who do not justly estimate its
valuo, and who are indifferent as to its results 1t
viii only prove means Of PaG1bi power and ~ muat
ovcntunte in the complete destruction OF that
Iiborty Of which it should be tho most powerful
conseyvator. Great danger il, therefore, TO ne ap
pretended from an untimely extension OF the iran
chise to any new GLASS in our country, ospeclaIy
when large majority OF that GLASS, in welding tho
power thus placed in their hands, cannot be ex-
pected correctly to comprehend the duties aud
responsibilities which pertain TO sanrages e. raon,
were held ia condition Of slavery that had existed
for generations; to-day they are Yreemen, and arc
assumed by law to be citizens. 1t cannot be pre-
sumed from their previous condition OF =, a
! nature Of our Government as the Intelligent tor-
eigner who makes our land the home OF h!s
choice. In the case Of tho latter, neither q rcsi-
dence Of five years and the knowledge Oh our insLo
tutions which it gives, nor ths attachment to the
principles Of the Constitution, are the only cond-
| tions upon which he can be admitted to cltlzen-
| ship he must prove, in addition, good moral
character, and thus give reasonable gronnds 1or
the belief that he will bo faithful to the obligations
which he assumes as citizen OF the Republic.
Where people, the source OF all political poWor,
speak by their suffrages Though tho instrumental
ity of the baot-box, it must be carefully guarded
against the control of these who are corrupt in
psinciple and enemies Of free institutions; for
| It can only become to our political and seclal sys
tenn safe conductor of healthy, popular senti-
ment when kept FREQ from domorahzlng influences.
Controlled through fraud and usurpation by tho
designing, anarchy and despotism must inevitably
| follow. In the hands Of the patriotic and worthy,
our Government will be preserved upon the prlncl-
ples of the Constitution inherited from cur fathers
# follows therefore that in admitting to the bal
lot-box new class Of voters not qualified for tho
exercise Of tho elective franchise, we weaken our
system OF government, instead OF adding to It's
strength or durability.
In returning this Bill to the Senate, deeply re-
gret that thore should be any conflict of opinion
Between the Legislative AID Executive Depart.
m.nts ofthe Government in regard to measures that
yitely affect the prosperity and peace of tho coun-
try Sincerely desiring to reconcile the States with
one another, and the whole people to tho Govern.
ment Of the United States, it has been my earnest
wish to cooperate with Congress IN all measures
having for their object proper and complete ad-
iustment Of the questions resulting from our late
civil war. Harmony between the coordinate
branches Of the Government, always necessary for
the public welfare, was never more demanded than
Of the present time; and it will therefore DO my
cert of action between them. The differences OF
nnininn that haye already occurred have rendered