Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-02-07

3 Report of the Minority of the Committee
on Suffrage, in Convention. January
so. 1868.
The undersigned a minority of the com.
mittee on Suffrage and Eligibility 70 OF
fee" regretting that they have been una
BILE to agree with a majority of the commit
tee, beg leave to submit the following re,
port:
We cannot view, without serious arpre-
hension, the admission to all the highest
rights and privileges of citizenship, of a
race, consisting almost entirely iof those
recently emerged from slavery and untitled
by previous education and habits of thought
and self-reliance, for the intelligent dis
charge Of the duties and responsibilities
which would devolve upon them. We do
not regard the right to vote as natural or
inherent, but conventional merely-to be
regulated in such way as will best promote
the welfare of the whole community
Upon this principle women and minors
have been excluded Is there any reason
why the negro should be advanced to a
higher position.
While we do not deny that there are in
dlvlduals of that class who might be eX-
Ipected to express their own convictions at
the ballot box, still the great mass OF them
arc SO ignorant and prejudiced, thai they
easily become the dupes Of designing adj
venturers and demagogues, and, through
secret leagues and associations, introduced
from Northern States, merely follow the
instructions and reflect the views of those
who control them.
We believe that the blessings we have
derived from our government have been
due to the virtue, intelligence and indie
lpendence of those invested with the right
of suffrage, and we trenble for the safety
of Republican Institutions when 1t shau be
| determined to confer this trust upon those
who, mentally and morally, are unit to
administer ito "confde the power of
making laws to those who have no prop
erty to protect, and to bestow the right
to levy taxes on those who have no taxes to
pay"
| But it is said that the proposed altera-
! ton is demanded by Congress and is neces-
| sary to restore our State to Constitutional
relations with the Federal Government. 1t
is certainly singular demand that we
should extend the elective franchise to
those who are SO inexperienced and little
prepared for the ordinary business Of life,
that the government deems it necessary,
through the Freedmen's Bureau, to exercise
supervision and tutelage over them. But
we deny the power of Congress to prescribe
to North Carolina who shall or who shall
not vote.
This has always been recognized as one
of those great rights reserved to the States,
and in fact it is their privilege 10 prescribe
who shall vote for members OF Congress-
as the Constitution of the y. S., Art. l
Sec. IL, provides
1.-The House of Representatives, shall be
composed of members chosen every second
year 10y the people of the several States );
and tie electors IN each State shall hare the
qualifications requisite for electors Of tie most
numerous branch Of the State Legislature. "
Congress certainly recognized North Car
DINA as q State in proper constitutional
relations, when the ratification of the XIII
amendment by our Legislature af 1866
was accepted, and also when the proposed
XIV amendment was submitted to our
Legislature of 1867 for ratification.
We can, then, only regard the present
measures as a punishment for our conduct
on the latter occasion. Such legislation
strikes us as e.c post fdctO, tyrannlcal and
an lust. We cannot consent that our State
should be degraded to an inferior position
to her sisters-that she shall expunge from
her Constitution clauses, excluding the ne
gro from voting or holding office, which
other States have Indignantly refused to
strike from their own. We refer, especially,
to the Constitutions Of Ohio, Pennsy lvania,
Indiana, New York and Illinois. We do
think that the requirement would come
with much better grace, if these and other
States had altered their Constitutions, or If
it was proposed to SO amend the Constltu-
ton of the United States as to smake the
application universal.
Viewing the matter in every Light that
presents itself, and willing to extend to the
lott iOh hot
ultimately result from the late war, or that
is necessary to their security and happiness
we yet think the welfare of both races is
best promoted by retaining our present
Constitution.
We consider the whole scheme as intend
ed to advance party purposes, on to Sc
cure the next Presidential election--ln the
expectation that the States of the South,
being Africanized and Radicalizetl. may
more than counterbalance the loss Of cleo
toral votes that will occur in other sections
of the Union. We advise that North Car
DINA shall refuse to alter her Constitution
under dictation from a Congress imposed
of members who have ceased to repre- sent
their constituents, and who, in defiance Of
the voice of the people as expressed IN re-
cent elections, still harden their hearts and
devise new tasks for us. Let us rather
trust to returning sense of justice on the
part of the Northern people, and that spir-
it of magnanimity which will revolt at the
idea Of - forcing the South to accept in a
huge mass that which the North rejects in
minute quantities.
Let us act upon our own conscientious
convictions of what is best for North Car
DINA, and, while submitting patiently to
the present military rule, not forget that
freedom Of opinion which is our birthright.
If, then, negro suffrage and negro equality
are forced upon US, We will not have CON-
sented to our own humiliation, and will at
least have preserved our honor and self
respect.
JOHN W. GRAHAM,
| p. DURHAM
General Heade Orders the Arrest of Cover
| nor Jenkins-Jenkins goes to Washing
| tom, and Meade Makes a RequIsition for
bis BODY.