Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-02-26
The Suffrage Amendment.

The Republican Congress has Just
adoDted another Of those great meas
11res which commend it to the coDh-
dence of all thoughtful men, and TO the
Gratitude of posteritV Down to the
year 1860 this country had been subject
for more than a generation to party
whose chief aim was the utter degrada
ton of a seventh Of the population.
The purpose of the party that succeed
ed it has been the elevation of every in
rIividual to a perfect equality of right
and opportunitv. The one sought
nrosperitv and power by the most re-
Voting tyranny: the other aims at
permanence and peaceful progress by
the most enlightened justice
amendment of equal suffrage, well said
that it was a necessary and logical act
for the Republican party. Il gives the
express guarantee of the United States
to the political equality of all its citi-
zens, and secures the principles of the
reconstruction policy, The objection
that it infringes the right of the people
TO settle the suffrage precisely reyerses
the fact; for the amendment provides
that no local law shall deprive any cit
itizen of a fundamental right secured to
him by all the people.
There is, as we believe, no sound
doubt of the authority of Congress to
establish equality of suffrage by law.
But a IaT is repealable by a majority in
Congress q constitutional amendment
can be disturbed only by three-fourths
of the State Legislatures. It is certain
Iy better that a provision of such inn
nortauce should be intrenched in the
fundamental law; and the general feel
ing of the country would undoubtedly
prefer that it should be so. Those who
hold that each State has a final right to
arrange the suffrage exactly as It
| Dleases will be less averse to settle-
ment which requires the separate con-
sent of three quarters of the States /;
while those who believe that as the
| government is required to secure re-
publican system in every State, Il must
necessarily have the power to set aside
| a system which is not republican, will
/ vet gladly see the repu blioan form Sc
| cured in q manner to which no eonsGl-
| tutional exception can be ever formally
| taken. The only practical reason for
| f1a law rather than the amendment is
the Greater delay involved in the adop-
/ ton of the latter, and the possible in
| iurious consequences. But this is a con-
/ federation which under the circum-
| stances is secondary to the desirabiliJy y
/ of the fundamental guarantee. The
| Committee, however, to cover the whole
| case. have recommended the passage OF
/ a law which would serve until the
| amendment is adopted.
| + The amendment is also measure OF
wise consolidation. It touches no right
| of which any State can justly be jealous,
| or which it can reasonably deny to the
the United States. The first essential
condition of popular national govern
ment is the equality ofits citizens equal
Iv secured. Ours, indeed, is not a ma
tional government in the simplest
| form: but on the other hand, it is not
a league or a confederacy of States. II
is a national Union. 1t has national
| substance and necessity, and the at
ter1pt to regulate a national policy upon
the theory of State sovereignty as hlth-
| erto maintained is futile. The adop-
ton of the amendment will be the de-
claration of the people that they per.
ceive the conditions of a truly national
| Union.
It will also tend rapidly to remove al
exciting question from politics. 1t is
plain now that the current OF our politi
cal progress, for more than generation
has been toward the political equality
: Of all the people. The Democratic party
: which is the organized opposition Il
: this result, has been constantly defeat
ed upon every field, but still perpleXei
f and delays il. The Democratic repre-
l septatives in Congress voted in BODY
against the amendment, upon tn,
ground that it was a subject to be LEI
to the States, thus conceding to posi-
Die majority in State the right to de
= prive a citizen of the United States o
: his share in its government, and to es
Q | tablIsh an unrepublican form il ]
. choose. But the Republican party
e | whose watchword is a constantly en-
+: lnrging liberty as the condition of in
= creasimg intelligence, moves with tn
fraternal spirit OF the age, and " WI no nc
/ | have accomplished its work until it ha
placed the government of the Unite
j States in the hands of all the people. =
4 | TaTDeTS' Wee6tu.