The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1868-12-11
THE People TO BE CHEATED.

Congress assembled on Monday last.
This is the same old rump which un-
dertook to inpeach and remove Presi-
dent johnson, which invented recon-
struction and which is the parent of all
the deviltries foisted upon the country
since the fourth of March, 1867. Its
existence is fast drawing TO a close.
Three months more will finish its ca
reer of infamy. What it may be ca
pable of in its hours of doting senility,
remains to be seen. It is given out
that it will attempt to "amend" the
Constitution by proposing to the legis-
latures of the States the insertion in
that instrument Of clause comforting
suffrage upon all "men," irrespective
of race or color. Sumner is ready with
a proposition of this character, as is al
50 Kelley, of Philadelphia, and, doubt
less, there are other radical thinkers
who are anxious to be the first to put
this black patch upon the Constitution.
We have no doubt that this will be at
tempted, and we, therefore, call upon
the people to prepare to resist, by ev-
cry legal means, this threatened inva-
sion of their reserved rights.
The right to regulate the suffrage is
one which neither people nor States
delegated to the federal government
in the Constitution. 1t is one of the
rights which was reserved to them.
No one can dispute this truth. Even
the Chicago Platform, upon which
Grant was elected, acknowledges this
fact, by declaring that The people Of
the ''loyai states'' must be permitted
TO settle the question of suffrage for
themselves. But, now, a Congress,
elected without reference to this mat
ter, and upon the special denial of the
radical party that it was its intention
to establish negro suffrage, is about to
introduce a scheme by which the peo-
pie are to be defrauded of this sacred
right The amendment regulating
the suffrage, is to be proposed to the
legislatures already elected, the mem
bers of which were chosen without a
thought on the part Of the voters that
the persons whom they were selecting
to represent them would be called up
on to decide question Of this charac-
ter. These Legislatures are to cote |
a,edy forecer this dear and cherished pop |
uJar right, and the people themselves are |
not to be consulted in regard 10 ii at all. |
Such is the present programme Of the .
radical leaders.
In our judgment the member of the
legislature who votes for the ratifca-
tion of this amendment, is no better /
than highway robber and ought to
be summarily dealt with by his con-
stituents. He deliberately robs the |
people of their undelegated right to /
settle the question ofsuffrage for them |
selves. If he be radical, he know
ingly violates his pledges to his own
party, made in his endorsement Of the /
Chicago Platform. Neither statute |
nor common law provides for the pun
ishment of such q criminal, because |
his offence is against a natural right,
reserved by the people, and uncon-
trolled by any written law. a coat of |
tar-and-fea would, however, an
swer the ends Of Justice
Meanwhile, let men of all parties, |
who would not sell their birth-right /
for q mess of pottage, demand Of their /
representatives IN the State Legislature, !
that they submit this suffrage ques-
tion to the people for settlement. If
suffrage is to be conferred upon the |
Negro, or the Chinaman, or the Indi-
an, let the people, and not the politi-
clans, do il. Who will dare to advo-
cate the contrary?
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