Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1868-10-30

tain sections Of our State Constitution
"And, my friends, this same radical par.
y propose TO strike out the word white
from the Constitution Of this State. They
are in favor Of negro equality. They pro-
pose 10 wipe out all distinctions between the
two races, and TO allow the "nigger" oil the
rights aud privileges which YOU now enjoy
Can madness aud fana,icism goany farther !
DO you, my friends, wish that the negro
should be made your eqaal? Do YOU desire
,Lx, be should be made tie equal aud asso.
ciaie Of YOUR wife and children DO you
wish that the niger should come into
your parlors to sing with your daughters, to
play upon the piano, to converse with your
sons--in short, to be your social equaly Do
you wish to have the 'nigger" Representa-
,ivcs aud Senators! Do YOU wish to have
"nigger" mayors, and "nigger" common
councils, and nigger" officers generally 1.
IL you do no, desire such things, vv,e down
the accursed amendment aud support Sey,
mour and Blair"
As we have intimaaed, the above is fair
sample Of the way in which ,he Copperhead
speech makers discuss the question. Nov,
when these Copperhead spouten Of sophis>
try, ribaldiy and epitLets, and the editors Of
the Democratic press generally, hurl their
denunciations in relation to "negro equali.
ty," "negro fraternity and all such stuff,
what particular amendment do tey refer 10
in this question Of striking out the word
"whi,e" from our Constitution. Let us
zee.
Chapter 6s Of the laws of last session pro-
vided for the sumission to the people at the
next general ele, ton, the following propo.
sed amendments to our Constitution
First, to strike out the word white" from
Section one, Article two, which now reads !:
"SrcrIoS |. Every white male citizen
Of the United States of the age Of twenty.
one years. who shall have been resident of
this State six months next preceding the
election. and of the county in which he
claims his vote sixty days, shall be entitled
to vote at al elections which are now or
hereafter may be authorized BY law
BY striking out the word . white in this
section, the negro and mula,to can vote,
provided they have the other qualifications
enumerated aud this is the "nigger social
equality" with which the Republican party
are charged. ANY one would think, from
the reading Of the Democratic news, apers
and speakers, that to admit q aan to th.
right Of suffrage, was 20 admit him TO the
right to occupy your house, to the right to
enjoy with you all the pro- Terty and prisi>
leges which you possessed, and the society
in which you moved. If the speakers be-
lieve this, then ali the voters of New York
CITY, because they have the right Of suffrage
by the laws of New York, are the social
equals and associates Of Belmont, Seymour,
O'Connor. Hoffman, Brooks, &c. Then we
should expect, when we visited New York
City, and should happen to meet any of the
aristocratic Democracy, 70 find that the
wealthy aad refined aud educated members
Of the Democracy associated with the dregs
aud scum Of New York on equal terms; met
them At their respective residences. and en-
ioyea all the advantages ~ Of each others
eociety.
But let US examine these proposed amend
ments still further. The second amendment
proposes to strike out the word "whiie'
from section thirtv>three in article three Of
our Constitution. That section now reads
thus:
SECTION 81. The General Assembly
shall in the yesr one thousand eight hans
dred and fi,y>nine, one thousand eight hun
drcd and ,ix,y-three, one tkousa I'D eight
hundred and six,y>6ve, one thousand eish,
hundred and sixly>ssven, one thousand eight
hundred and sixty>niae, and one thousand
eigh, hunoled and seveutv>fve, aud every
ten years thereafter, cause an enumeration
to be made of all the white inhabitants Of
the State"
Here is more Of the niger equality"
and abolition Of social distinctions between
tie white and back" la taking the eau>
meraaion referred to, no distinction Of color
is to be made, This amendment should
furnish such indignant patriots as II. Clay
Dean, Fennett. Clsgest, and McHeury, and
all Of that species, with basis for speech
an hour long. But let US read on and see
what is further proposed.
Tie third amendment proposes to strike
ont The word .'whae" from section thirty
four IN article third. which now reads:
"SEcrioy 81. The number Of Senator'S
shall at the next session following each Pc
r ON OF making such enumeration, and the
next session following each United States
census, be fixed by Law, and apportioaed
among the several counties according to the
number Of white inha abitants in each.'
Here is none Of the social equality Of
which the Democrats stand in such dread.
Such amendments will inevitably reduce
people TO an equality o. the question Of
arithmetic Or enumeration, and what . sad
thing that viii be in . free republic! We
shall have more to say on this question here
after.
But there is still another amendment pro-
posed. 1t is proposed TO strike out the word
white" in the thirty firth section Of article
third, and although this section is somewhat
lengthy, ~e will give il entire, g that all can
fully understand the matter:
"SEcTIox Is. The Senate shall not con-
sist of more than fifty members, nor the
House OF Representatives Of more than one
hundred aud they shah be apportionel
among the several counties and representa-
tive districts OF the State according to the
number OF white inhabi,ants in each, upon
ratios fixed by law, bu, no representative
district shall contain more than four organs
ized counties, aud esch district shall be ems
titled TO at least one representative. Every
county and district which shall have q NUNS
Der Of inhabitants equal to one.half the ra>
ito fixed by Law shall be entitled to one reps
resentatiye, aud any one county containing
ia addition to the ratio fixed ly Law, one
half Of that number OF more, shall be enti>
tied to one additional representative. No
floating districts shah hereafter be formed
There is the whole section, aud any read.
er can sec where the awful "social eeuali.
~" comes i'm and where the great dan.
gers are that threaten TO destroy the peace
Of the Copperhead leaders, speakers, and
their beloved families, BY such proposed
amendment in relation TO arpor,ionnen Mt.
&c., for the Senators aud representatives.
But there is another amendment, and il is
the last proposed. 1t is proposed to strike
out the word :. whites' from section one in
article six Of the Constitution! This Sec
ton reads as telow quoted. Read and tre,n.
bic!
"Sncrlox I. (Article S.) The militia
Of this State shall Be composed of all able>
bodied white male citizens between the ages
Of eighteen and fory~6ve years, except such
rs are or NAV hereafter be exempt by the
laws Of the United States or Of this State,
and shall be armed, equipped aud trained
as the General Assembly may provide by
law
Why the Copperheads should be SO fears
full Of The effects Of striking out the word
"whi,e' in this section Ne cannot conceive.
They were very willing that . regiment Of
infantry to be composed Of men Of African
descent, should be raised in this Sto,e du>
ring the late war in order to save draft on
the white man, and If thev were fit for good
fighting soldiers. as they proved to be, We