The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-13
Nhe movement for Impartial SufRrag ge In
the Border states.


From The ". y Times.
The Republican State Convention of Mary
land, at its meeting in May, issued call
for Border State Impartial Suffrage Conven-
tion, which met yesterday. The call was ad-
dressed to Republicans in Maryland, Delaware
West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mis-
souri,, and the object of the meeting is to urge
Congress to abolish all legal distinctions on
account of color, and to give the suffrage of
the Sumner-Wilson Bill at the earliest pos
sible moment. In connection with this pro-
posed appeal to Congress will be presented
the results of the Investigations by Congress
slonal Committees regarding Maryland and
Kentucky. Within a few weeks a sub Com
mittee of the Judiciary Committee meets in
Baltimore to inquire into the Constitution and
form of government of Maryland. About the
same time another sub Committee meets at
Louisville, Kentucky, to inquire into the con-
tested elections from that State. The reports
OF these Committees aided by strong appeal
from the Baltimore Convention, are relied upon
to strengthen the movement for forcing
universal suffrage upon the whole country
by act of Congress.
The condition of the States participating in
the Baltimore Convention is not satisfactory
to either political party. Republicans are as
much dissatisfied with Kentucky and Mary
land as Democrats are with Tennessee. Though
North and South have settled down to peace,
and though the name ''Slave States' has dis
appeared from our maps, the border States
still retain most of the peculiarities which
distinguished them before and during the
war. They are still debatable ground over
which contending principles wage fercest
war. On the one side are men like Governor
BrownlOw, who seem never to weary in the
work of denOuncing Rebels. On the other
side are Kentucky and Maryland politicians,
who are no less bitter and venomous in their
attacks upon the so-called radicals. The
Democratic journals of these two States may
be taken as fair exponents of the sentiments
of The class they address, and they are
rgingiPresident Johnson to disperse Congress,
if it attempts to impeach or remove him, at
the point of the bayonet. Kentucky Demo
cratic journals talk of ian army with banners
and not little squad of radical Congressman"
being needed in case of disturbance or seri-
Gus outbreak in that State. Maryland Demo-
Gratis promise to raise 'a million OF men,
strong minded men," who will, in case Con-
gress undertakes to overthrow their new State
Constitution, ''rally to its rescue with Will
that will make such rotten traitors and tyrants
as stevens, Butler, Schenck, Sumner q Co.
quake and fear" The men who indulge in
this style of infammatory language evidently
nS6Q 10 De r6COuSJTuCl6u III SOlue way AhOA
belligerent tone is not in harmony with the
moderate and peaceful style common in North
ern and Southern journals.
But the warlike tone of Border state poll
ticians and journals is only an indication OF
the social and political diseases which exist IN
that section of the country. A few Gays ago
we called attention to some of these as ex-
hibited in the State of Maryland. The black
laws of that State are too we'll known to be
concealed; and their injustice is too gross to
be explained away or apologized for The
Baltimore Sun, in reply to the statement OF
facts on this subject given in these columns,
is compelled to admit in detail the correct
ness of the statements which it attacks IN
mass. It is plain, undeniable truth that the
black laws of Maryland are worse than the
black laws of South Carolina. The appren-
tloe and vagrant laws of both Maryland
and Kentucky are more oppressive than
similar laws in Mississippi and Alabama;
In short, the Border States can ana
do pursue with safety policy OF oP,,
preston towards the colOred race which would
be dangerous in the Gulf States. In the latter
the negroes have enjoyed for considerable
time past the right OF public meeting and OF
free speech. But in Maryland these rights