The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-11-21
The Sli1rane Oncstio,l.

bellion lately suppressed, and the colortd people
In the southern States the negro IL allowed TO
vote. IN the North he is denied that privilege
in the South the rebel Is disfranehised, IN the
North b. votes. This state Of affairs, viewed In
the light Of recent events, 10 certainly paradoxi-
cal, and calls for a remedy how is Il to he APP
piled? 1t seems unfair that negroes should vote
In the South aud not ia the North, or that the
Aiders Of the rebellion should he enfranchisrd
North and not In the South The public riad
sse'Hs 'e'iiiHg doTn 10 he eonrietion that hsrs 10
tHi one uayt rSoTm these dLHsss in tie fraaeAis,.
and that is-uSlyRRsAL srTFRAGR--fo he rebel
South aud he negro NORTH That this is the ten.
dency Of public opinion ls proved, in the one
case, by tho late vote Of the proplc Of Wisconsin,
drctrcing universal suffrage, after twice reject.
Ing H. and In the other by the fact that Governor
Browulow, OF Tennessee, bitter and unrc!enting
~ he 10 towards all who favored rebellion, in
his late message to tho Legislature, recommend
ed the extension Of the suffrage to all classes.
IL IL understood that early In the coming SEA.
sion Of Congress an amendment to the Cons,itu.
ton, providing for universal suffrage, will hc
proposed, aud will doubtless be- passed. TIE
Legislatures Of thrcc.iourhs OF the States ARE Re.
publican in politics, and rs they will nearly all
he In session this Winter, there /, - probability
that before many months II will become par,
Of the organic Law Of the land. We in Maryland
will have but little say in the adoption or rvjrc.
ton OF this amendment Il will doubtless be
understood that the influence Of our Legislature
will bs thrown In the scale against IL, aud its
support will not be expected or counted on. The
advocates Of impartial suffrage are unques,ion.
ably In large minority 10 our State, and their
attempts 10 further IT, IL they made any. would
result, perhaps, in good. Hut still, il is well
enough to think upon the subject, to agiia,c II.
aud TO be prepared for the coming event" the
shadow Of which is So plainly to be seen
petition Is now in circulation understood
TO be from the pan uf Hon Francis Thomas Rep.
r'senHiyc in Congress from the Fourth District
asking the dirci interference of Consrrssin the
affairs Of our State We have no comments to
"iirf at this time, upon the document. but give
u hrlo~, 30 that our readers may clearly under
stand why 1t is maintained that the present gov.
rrniueni Oi Maryland il not Republican in form
There art certainly many errors IN our existing
laws-efrors which call for redress from some
quarter The late laws Of the State bear upon
their face the evidence that they were made TO "a
vor sections, and no, to operate upon all alike
] isiinc,ions ARE made, undue influence given TO
soiGe communities. How far party spirit has
been Instrumental in bringing this about the
public know full well. and the portion Of the ad
dress published below given to iha, subject mus,
be acknowledged TO be truth, and as such, eni.
tied to great weigh, and grave considerations.
Whether 1t is in the power Of Congress TO give
any relief to the oppressed Unonis,s OF Maryland.
or 10 reform any Of the gross errors which exis,
In our aiiairs, We are not lawyer or statesman
enough TO determine hut the introduction Of
this petition, numerousy signed rs Il will be-
into Congress will doubtless have the efIec, Of
Fastening the passage Of the measure We first al.
luded TO, viz: the euiranchisement Of all ci,i.
gems. Our Representatives will see how intol.
Grant democracy is here-how il discrminates
in favor OF sections that were welded to the doc
irines Of secession-how It gives undue influence
and power 10 the late slavcholding counties
how il would keep the loyalty Of the State sub.
jecI 10 the disoyal element, We doubt, howev-
or, whether any special interference will be made
ia the affairs of our State, but incline 10 the
opinion that the measure giving universal sui.
irage will be passed, and that We will be LEI, 70
stand or fall by the decision o, majority Of all
our people. Whether the condition Of affairs
would be better or not IL negroes voted ia our
State Is riddle which can be solved only By the
tee, OF practical experience but we incline TO the
opinion that nogreat change would be effected
We believe that the negro vote would be divided,
as is the white vote, aud that even IL this was
not true, IN fact, means would be employed Ly
the dominant party 10 make this vote, in the
lower eouh'i@s particularly, subservient TO its
wishes. II is an experiment, however, which
We would gladly see tried, because We cannot
lose by its operations. We are hopefully waiting
for u time when Maryland will be recognized as
loyal State, aud as n means TO this end le, Us
have the votes Of all who are loyal to the princi-
pies of Union. We do no, argue the right Of the
negro to the ballot, but adopt the opinions Of
the ablest men OF the land that as soon a. the
colored man was declared a cIiissn, that right
was conferred upon him. and that legislative &C.
ton alone Is needed 10 enfranchise him, as /,
now regulates Il In the case Of foreigners and
those reaching the age of iwenty-one years
The petition mentioned 10 given below. We
ask for /, an attentive pernsAl, aud those who
favor irs introduction TO Congress are invited to
sign aud forward II to Mr.. Thomas. Il was
originally published In the Cumberland CSrilian.
Mr. Thomas home organ, which paper states
tina, it is being extensively signed in Western
Maryland, aud requests its general circulation
by the papers of the State
~ TIE Ssnais and Hoss, ~ R,prsssnid,,r,, eC n.
inif,d States,
Your petitioners, citizen. of III. state Of Maryland
respectfully represent that the Consultation Of their
s,Ais sAs Formed aud adopted In isaI. and that the
manner 10 vheh the consrnIon uAs chosen, the Con
"a. adopted, were each and al anti republican
The Convention ~as chosen ~ a favored class. the
Constitution dscrninass In favor % class and In thr
tntsrrst % particular SECTIONS aud adopted by
favored class 10 whose suffrage only Il subniisd
Your festianss believe that The fourth section ofths
fourth article 81 The Consultation % the United States
uas parIasey adopted To the people, Of each
ths establishment In any slAe of,he linton % form Of
government which receEnisgs elAss distinction, and
presentation iArge masses u her eltisens
iaar Ir.itloncFs i-lsse, With Madison, that H..
which derives all u. pouer fsom the great body u
the people.
q 70 which .. essential thu, 9, he derived FROM no
favored class % society.
The Consultation ef Maryland. whilst declaring by
Article q the Declaration u Rlshts
That AL government Of light originates from the
People 10 founded In compact oly aud nsI,u,rd salsIT
for the good ofthe shos risatss these ssaisais 10
republican form IN that u provides for
I A favored class.
, An excluded class.
.. The great boiy 81 the people "a. not cansui,.d
either IN ~ formation or adoption.
There we're IN this STATE bt the CENSUS u Isa sis
slk white and III .iJlraioFed Inhabitants
/ - af glrN
the state 20 0OD eoar-d male adult cltissns
ny the Fourteenth aineudns t. the Constitution Of
the Inied states they ARE eitrrns ofthe United States
aud ~ the STATE shercin they reside" And mo STATE
shAll make or enforce any las which shall Abrdxe the
privileges OF immnniiies ~ eiuasns Of the tniied
Slsies"
Mthese forty thousand male adult citizens. thouvh
giving every 1pssihs evidence % permanent common
interest w the eumHuhty aud attachment is vel
af", not one was Permitted 10 have q voice In voting
hr OF against Convention, In selecting the memlssrs
% The sane, OF ~ participating 9TH those uho favored