Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1868-07-11
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.

Mr.. Daniel w. voorhees, fcCcnliy We
Ilivered speech at New Albany, lnd.'
in which he expressed his views on the
suffrage question, as follows:
~ am one of these persons that hold,
first, upon the question of suffrage,
that it is not "a question OF Federal pol.
tics at all. take it that no man OF
common intelligence believes. that Com
gress has the right to force a code OF
Suffrage on the State of Indiana. Has
Congress the right to enforce negro
suffrage everywhere? will read the
Chicago platform-that transparent
fraud up on the question-directly
They say they have the power to en-
force it over ten States, but not power
to enforce it over the rest. 1t is a
question for the States and the States
alone. If the people of any State desire
TO incorporate the negro race into their
voting population, that is their business,
not mine. But | should never do it, and
will give you my reasons why. II
the people of State desire to do 1t
they have the power to do it, however
unwisc that act may be; but the power
of Congress does not extend to that
No question is palmer; and the Demo
cratic party stands upon that doctrine.
| But WE go further. We hold that the
attempt to mingle and commingle two
separate and distinct races III the CON
troll Of one government has, according
TO history, resulted fatally 10 the gov
eminent that attempted IT. | have no
lpreiudicc against the black men. |
have no prejudice against anything that
God has made. What right have / a.!
The hunblcst and lowest thing Of ami
mated creation has my sympathy and
my respect, because God made it,
IL is not because | would tramplc
upon the black man that would de-
tprivc him Of the right Of suffrage IN this
country; but because the right Of sui
fragc in his hand is an element Of his
own destruction as we'll as yours.
would give the black man every civil
. right known 10 the Law. Suffrage Is
not a right; il il IA social arrangement
would give the negro the right In hold
property. the right IL make contracts
aud enforce them, collect his wages
sue and be sued, testify III courts-iui
. would illustrate truth from any source
. and weigh the character 81 the witness
-. and let their evidence 10 tJr what
il Is worth-but when yuu ask me Il
take that race into political partnership
. with the great white, conqucrlng race
+ L. whose hands alone, your father CAV,
the government # this nation. then.
/ SAY, q sacrilegc is attempted, and r.
coil from it, applause
- But If ii Is tive right If the ne
, gro 10 vote it Is inalicuablc; and VIII,
+. hasn't he the rig I 10 vote IN Indiana
and Ohio rs we'll as in Georgia. Yet
last fall the question of negro suffrage
= was submitted To- the people Of Ohio
, and they voted it down by nearly fifty
thousand majority. 1t was submitted
to the people of Michigan. aud i; was
, voted down by forty thousand majority
bnt they dare DOT submit the question
to the people of Indiana, and they dar,
not do it at thu South but they euforc,
it South by Legislative proceedings in
: Congress, supported by the bayonct
, Tor which you pay out If your hard
, earned taxes. Negro suffrage there j.
; good thing. What ii this uut a par.
r ~ trick? What is this but spottcd
I and picbald platform; II IT is right for
. a negro to vote there, it is right fol
: him to vote here. Why d. this party
: not stand up like men and advocate tht
, doctrine logically! No mcancr, nc
more cowardly, no more pitiiul. III
! more cvasive dodge, was ever placed
!, before the American people III politi
5 cal platform than that second pitifu
+ blank. white North and black South
+ Cheers"