The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-06-23
Negro Suffrage in Ohio.

A most glaring violation OF the re-
served rights of the States, aud one n
reference to which the people of the
States are naturally and justly sensi-
tive, has been attempted in bin re
Gently introduced in Congress by Mr..
SHELLABARGER, of Ohio. 1t bears the
ominoas and insulting title of "a Bill
to alter the Laws of Ohio" and has
been read twice and is likely to pass the
House of Representatives. The idea of
the National Congress passing bill
"to alter the laws of Ohio" or of any
other State, is a startling reminder Of
the progress that has been made, under
radical guidance, towards the establish
ment of a ceRtral despotism and the
obliteration of State lines and State
rights.
Under the Constitu ton of the
State of Ohie, persons of African de-
scent, having prependerance of white
blood and possessing the other eualiti-
cations of electors. are allowed to vote
for members of the Assembly and ror-
resentatives in Congress. Ssme diff
Guilty having arisen in determining ex-
actly what constituted preponderance
of white blood, the legislature of Ohio re-
en- acted last April what has been called
"the visible admixture law" which had
formerly been upon the statute books of
the State but had been repealed by a
radical legislature. Itprovides that, in
cases of doubt, where there was not
visible prepoAderance of white blood,
persons Of African descent should be
examined under oath touching their
right to vote. This law has recently
been pronounced unconstitutional by
the Supreme Court of Ohio, and the ques-
tion now stands as before, subject to the
Interpretation the election officers may
give to the constitutional provision.
Mr.. SHELLABARGER now proposes to
have Congress interfere and alter Eot
only the laws bat the Constitution OF
the State of Ohio, by the passage of a
bill defining the qualifications OF voters
for representatives in Congress from
that State. His bill provides that the
votes of ELECTORS having African
blood" shall be received and counted; II
they are not received ut the regular
polling place, such persons are author
lied to open polls of their own, and the
votes received by inspectors and judges
of election appointed by and among
themselves are to be counted in the
general return. Another sectien inl-
poses the penalty of Imprisonment for
one year and a fine of $4,000 upon any
person who shall be guilty of the "high
icrime and misdemeanor" of enforcing
"the visible admixture law"
Throughout the whole of Mr.. SHELLA-
BARGER's bill it is carefully provided
that the ballots, of electors having
African blood" shall be received. Moth
ing is said as to the preponderance of
white blood required by the Constitu-
ton, and there is nothing whatever in
the proposed law to authorize the re-
lection, of a full-blooded negre's vote.
In fact, it would seem that the greater
proportion of African blood possessed
by the individual, the greater is his
right to vote. The bill is plainly in
tended to establish unlimited negro suf-
frage in all congressional elections in
Ohio-it can mean nothiHg else.
Thus early is exposed the insincerity
of that plank Of the Chicago platform
which comedies to "loyal States" the
right to regulate the question of suffrage
lin their own wsy-s right guaranteed
to all by the Constitution. Certainly
Ohio is "loyal State"-unless the fifty
thousand majority against negro suf-
frage last fall has placed her in the cate
CORY Of the rebellious-but here Is
a direct and shameless attempt
to force negro suffrage mp
on the people in defiance of their
empbatically spoken desire. If this
thing may be done in Ohio, it may be
done in any and every other State in the
Union and, not only the South but the
North also, will fall under tke supreme,
central and despotic authority Of Con.
gress. We trust that the people OF
Ohio, and those Of every other State
who love liberty and hate oppression
will resent this crowning insult and
"crush the tyrants while they rend the
chain"