The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-11-24
Straining the Camel's Back.

The ultra Radical journals have for some
time been advocating the proposition 70
amend the Federal Constitution so as TO al
low Congress to regulate the right OF SUI
frare in the States. Some of them would
limit this interference to elections of Pres'-
dent and members of Congress, leaving 10
the States the regulation Of suffrage for Gil
State elections. And we find that the New
York Times, paper which, in its prosl.
tuition at least, affects q mawkish sind OF
virtue. comes to the aid Of these advocates
of excess and outrage.
We hail this movement with satisfaction.
1t is bold stride in the march OF consoil-
dstion in which this nstion has been steadi-
" advancing for some years. 1t Is the
measure which, perhaps, will bring most
elaringly before the eyes of the people the
abyss which yawns to engulf all States
rights, and personal liberty along with
them. Seeing this, the people may recoil
in horror of the fate which threatens them,
and they may make successful effort to
stop the rapid course of the Government to
consolidation and Imperialism. This they
will do if they are yet possessed of sutti-
cient public virtue to appreciate the system
of Government bequeathed them by the
fathers of the republic, and enough sa-
gacity to perceive the fate to which the
country has been for some time tending.
II Congress ever gets control OF the
question of suffrage as to federal elections,
il will be master Of the whole question.
The rule of Congress will inevitably be the
general rule, and the States, having lost the
authority over this important subject, Will
become mere agencies of the Federal Govern
ment-reversing the original theory of the
trainers of the Constitution, that the Fede-
raj Government was the agent Of the States.
We honor the consistency of these Radi-
cal papers in proposing to make all the
States submit to Congress on the question
of suffrage. They are more conscientious
than the unprincipled Chicago Convention
which claimed that Congress was right to
force any sort of suffrage they deemed
proper upon the South, but that the north
ern people should be allowed to control that
question for themselves. 1t has been plain
reasonable and intelligent men that |
to al.. unjust could not prevail in
distinction ~ '"s held together by
confederacy OF st~'> ~ or later the
common government. S"oi'-- "verted
same supremacy that had been ~
over the helpless South must be extended
n the northern States, which, by concurring
in the prostration of their sister States, had
hit placed in the hands of Federal power
weapon for their own destruction. Their
people must feel sense of remorse
aroused by this proposition for the com
mendips the poisoned chalice they prepared
for us to their own lips.
We repeat, it is very acceptable time
for the origination of this proposition. we
hope it will be pressed. 1t will be capt.
tai test of the sense of /" the people of the
States "-of their readiness to surren-
der everything to the insatiate appetite
of the monster of consolidation, or OF the
existence in their breasts of SOBER
second thought" that may arouse their
energies and resolution to grand and sue
cessful effort to obstruct, at least for period,
the headlong course of the Republic towards