New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-11-13

adjourned the other DAY WITHOUT paSsIHE 'hO
resolution to increase the salary OF the keeper
" of the City Hall to $3.50" This want OF
consideration on the part OF the CITY Fathers
is deplorable How can the poor keeper llNe
on his present beggarly income, with groceries
and coal so high, and hard Winter coming
ON a? Then to think of having to keep
Hoffman, Tweed and Sweeny, and the dens
of the vast Tammany Ring" While they
are about it, they might as well do handsome
thing and make it $4,000.
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NATIONALIZING THE RIGHT OF SUFiRAGE
In the Convention which framed our Federal
Constitution, Alexander Hamilton proposed
clause securing the Right of Suffrage, so far
as regards the choice of Representatives IN
Congress. to every free male adult citizen of
the United States. The proposition was not
adopted. as with many other excellent sugges-
tions from the same and kindred sources Col.
Hamilton was in advance of his age. Hardly
defect which he pointed out in the Constltu-
ton adopted has not since been proved such by
sad experience; hardly peril which he appre-
hended has since failed to he realized; while,
of the provisions actually adopted, large pro-
portion owe their existence or their perfection
to his eminent piesclence.
An effort, we hear is meditatcd to perfect
and adopt n Constitutional Amendment defin-
ing and fixing the conditions of the Right OF
Suffrage throughout the Union. We hope 1t
may be made and may prevail; but we warn
those who engineer it that they will fail If they
make it one-sided and partisan. We ardently
desire the complete Enfranchisement of the
| Blacks but measure looking to this end alone
will encounter resistance too formidable to
be overcome. 1t may and probably will COM
mand in Congress the requisite two-thirds of
each House, but it will not be ratified by the
| Legislatures of three -fourths of the States.
! The following, at least, will De found adverse;
| EEw-JERsEY, ONO,
DELAWARE, MISSOURI.
MARYLAND CALIFORNIA,
GEORGIA. OREGoN-s.
We include Missouri, because that State has
Just voted, 10y large majority, that her own
Blacks shall not be enfranchsed; as Ohio and
Kansas voted last year.
| The Legislatures which must act on this ques-
ton are yet to be chosen in New Hampshire,
| Connecticut and many If not most of the
| Southern States and it is not probable that
all of them can be carried for Acknowledgement.
We must not weight our friends too heavily in
the elections at hand under the exhaustion and
languor which naturally follow a mOmentOus,
desperate struggle. They cannot stand it,
But make your proposition broad and COM
Observation-Disclosures all who are now dis
franchised because of Rebellion as well as
Color-and we may confidently hope that Vir-
ginia, Mississippi, Texas with possibly Maryland
and Kentucky also, will vote to ratify. Not
merely to remove the ban from the Reb
els of West Virginia, Tennessee, &C., but to
enable them to send to Congress the men of
their choice rather than those whom Congress
will accept, they may be induced to give such
a measure hearty support.
We propose no truck and dicker-no com
promise. We urge the Acknowledgement of the
Blacks because it is just beneficent, and wise
we urge the Acknowledgement Of the Rebels
for the same reason. There are men among
them who deserve no favor as there are
Blacks (and Whites, too incapable of exeTcis-
ing intelgcnty the Right OF Sufrage but
we cannot adapt general provisions to individ-
ual cases. If it be deemed essential TO swear
every person thus enfranchised not to use his
restored right to deprive others Of the same,
| Just set your sweareTs at work but we do not
think it necessary. There are Free States that
| long held out against Black Acknowledgement
as, indeed, several still do but we cannot re-
collect single instance Of State enfranchis-
ing her Colored Men after an earnest struggle,
and afterward diSfranchising them. Enfan-
chisement, once fairly carried over organized
resistance, is carried forever
We hope and trust that any adjustment that
may be resolved on may provide efficient safe
guards against the fragrant abuses in Naturali-
cation now common. Our plan would be sub
stantially as follows:
/. Restrict Naturalization to U. S. Courts and
Commissioners.
2. Print official records of the names Of all
persons naturalized, with the date of their Ma
turalization respectively.
8. Allow any foreigner who swears that he is
now All actual resident of the United States,
expects to retnais so, has committed no crime
other than rebellion or treason, and tenders
hearty, exclusive allegiance to our Union and
its Constitution, TO become a citizen at any time
without exacting a preliminary residence or
declaration of intentions.
4. Accord the Right of Suffrage to every
person who has been naturalized not less than
eighteen months and who swears that he has
meantime committed no crime known to our
laws.
5. Punish as felony the manufacture or use
of illegal Certificates of Naturalization and all
voting or attempting to vote by immigrants
not qualified as aforesaid.
Such n Constitutional Amendment we trust