The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-02-06
ss'heelins geeister
saturday,. February u.
The Constitutional Amendment.

The Constiiutional Amendment.
The negro suffrage amendment to tH
Federal Constitution, passed by tn
House of Representatives and now un
der consideration in the Senate, IS no
unanimously endorsed by the Repuoh
can press. The Morgantown PoSt thu'
speaks of Messrs. BINGHAM, BAKER
PoIsLEY and HAWKINS, the four Re
publican Representatives who opposed
the measure:
Only four men in the United State
House of Representatives have any sci
respect. Only four who have any desire
for the prosperity of our country. Only
four respect their oath to support the
Constitution of the United States. Theil
names should be written in letters o.
gold aud placed upon every pillar of the
Capitol, and encirclcd with wreath ol
diamonds.
The Wellsburg Herald, also Rcpubli.
can, in commenting on the amendment
says:
Better that every separate State
sheuld have a separate system and
bodies OF voters as diverse as are the
States than that uniformity be pur-
chased at the cost of such danger.
ons precedent Mr.. Bingham, of Ohie,
Radical Republican as he is reputed
and original abolitionist as he is and as
he don't deny, understands the situa-
tion much better, and voted against a
proposition that makes the States but
tools for he central government Mr..
Polsley, of West Virginia, understood
aud exactly represented the sentiment
Of his state in voting against 1T and de-
serve to be held in remembrance for it.
We have had enough of Congressional
usurpatiOn Of doubtful powers justified,
and acuuiesced in, on the plea of mill
tary necessity this addition is not JUS
tilted even on that plea.
The We, or no on the question of ne
gro suffrage in a State is matter OF
very minor Importance compared to the
question as to whether the States may
manage their internal affairs subject to
the supervision of CongTeSsmen-crea-
lures of their own making, or whether
they may manage them independently
of the National Government. The two
questions should be entirely distincr.
If the State of West Virginis sees tit TO
leCalize negro suffrage, well and good,
let her do so, il is her sovereign PRIV
ilege; if she sees tit to refuse IL, let her
that is also privilege incident to her
independence.
If n State refuses to enact negro sut-
frage how can the National Government
compel it, without practically taking
the entire control of the State and abol-
ishing al! independence, not only rs to
suffrage, but IS to everything else that
is wisely ordained to act as reciprocal
check upon the State and National Gov
ernmentS.
We hope that the Legislature of West
Virginia and the Legislatures of every
State that pever fOrsOOk the National
Union, will in this matter stand by the
wholesome guarantees of the old Con-
stitution and vote against the ratitica-
ton of this amendment.
These papers seem to adhere to the
doctrine of the Chicago platform, that
"in the loyal States the question of Suf-
frag. belongs to the people of those
STAGES" This was certainly accepted
as the position oftEe Republican party
in the late canvass Upon such an issue
as that involved in the pending amend
meut, General GRANT could hardly have
carried half dozen States. The defeat
of the Republican party in this State
woHld have been overwhelming, and
the result would have beeu the same
all through the West.
In West Virginia there was not pa
per or a speaker to be found advocating
this negro suffrage idea. The argument
was that Congress had the right to re-
construct the Southern States upon
such basis as would secure justice to
the blacks and safety to the nation, but
that in the remaining States the suf-
frage question belonged to the people.
Upon this platform the Republicans car
rird West Virginia, as they carried
the country. But no sooner Is
the election over, than the House of
Representatives kicks the platform TO
the dogs, aud attempts to fasten upon
the people doctrine that is at once
dangerous aud monstrous, and which,
whenever opportunity has been afford
ed, has been emphatically repudiated by
the people. Notwithstanding all this,
we have no reason to doubt that if the
Senate approves this odious PROPOSE
tion, it will be ratified BY Republican
Legislatures and become part Of the
Constitution.