The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-17

cided gain on the part OF more moderate Re-
publicans. The right OF Congress, by mere
legislative act, to establish uniformity Of suf-
frsge throughout the Union has, until re-
Gently, been affirmed by those who demanded
its exercise in behalf of colored citizens every
where. That this pretension is now tacitly
surrendered, and that those who urged it join
in the proposition to seek the end desired by
an amendment to the Constitution, is a cir
cumstanoe that augurs we'll for the final settle
ment of the subject. AT least, 1t proves that
a vexatous agitation is to be avoided, aud
that the proprety Of providing for the relin-
auishment of cherished States right, and its
transfer to the National Government, is mat
ter to be discussed on its merits, and to be
effected, if at all, in the constitutional way.
Nationality OF suffrage would seem to be the
logical corollary of nationalized citizenship. If
the citizen Of one State is, under the Constitu-
tion, citizen Of all the States, should not his
relation to the franchise be everywhere the
same If be is eligible to vote in South Caro-
lima, ought he not also to be igible--subject
TO be qualifications as to duration Of residence
in New York And if in New York, why
not in Missouri? To declare otherwise is
practically to ourtail citizenship, and to allow
States to raise obstacles to the harmonious
working OF the principle implied in the fret
section of the Fourteenth amendment. Yet this
discrepancy does now exist. There are many
thousands of citizens voting in South Carolina
who would be disfranohised by the law of New
York; and thousands in New York who, living
in Missouri, would by local statute be- de-
pTived of the franchise. If for no other pur-
pose than to establish uniformity as to the
conditions of voting, much may be said in be-
half of Congressional action which shall bring
the question under the consideration of the
State Legislatures.
p,,tN te ,nf. .srIN -
come up in the same connection. The nation
has thrown the gates of citizenship wide open
to the colored race. 1t has, in effect, declared
that distinctions based on color, in their opera
tions affecting political rights and privileges,
are unjust and inexpedient. On this ground
it has forced negro suffrage on the South; and
in at least ten of the Southern States those
who most loudly protested against it IN the
first instance now announce their acceptance
of it and their readiness to work under it..
If the Democrats of Georgia and South Caro-
lima are not afraid of enfranchised colored
citizens, though they are there politically
powerful, can Northern Republicans object to
their enfranchisement in States where they
form but fraction of the population? Their
| citizenship being conceded, is it proper to
| brand them as unfit to vote solely because OF
the color of their skin? And if it is both safe
and desirable to blot out the distinction ori-
| ginatipg in slavery and maintained by an
Irrational prejudice, does not a constitutional
amendment afford the best means of accom-
plishing the object
A liberal policy dictates the change in the
interest of disfranchised whites as we'll as oi
disfranchised blacks. In the reconstructed
| States the number of the former is incensider-
able, and even these are limited to one or two
of the States recently restored. Bat in Mis-
souri, and Tennessee the class is very large
By transferring the suffrage question from the
States TO the General Government, therefore
irritating remnants of the Rebellion may bt
removed, and the foundations of representa-
tive power laid as broadly as the most exact
ing demands of justice could require. The
Republican party is pledged to this policy, sc
far as it applies to disabilities imposed OF
whites on account of the Rebellion, and tht
propriety Of carrying it out without unneces
sary delay is a question that cannst escap
the attention of Congress. This particuls
form of disability, however, can be reached
only by the proposed amendment of the Con
stitutlop, which may thus commend itself t.
the. friendly attention of the Legislatures, boil
North and South.