Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1869-03-17

state OF pennsylvania OF 1f9O was silent on
the subject of negro suffrage. A diversity
Of opinion and practice to n limited extent
grew up under that Constitution. In some
sporadic instances colored men were allow
ed to vote but at length the question came
before the highest Judicial tribunal of the
State, and it was decided that the constitu-
ton OF 1890 rightly understood, never per-
mitted negro suffrage.
That decision was based upon this ground,
that the negro race never had become part
of the social compact of this country,
tory of the negro race, and their introduc-
ton into this country as slaves. 1t result.
ed very logically out of the great principle
of the Declaration of Independence, that
all just Governments should be founded in
the. consent of the governed. A subject,
inferior, ignorant, and idolatrous race, in
troduced into country against their will
to be slaves, would be greatly wronged in
being treated as having consented to the
government of that country. The African
race has never consented to the government
of this country. They are exotic, they are
alien, they are strangers to the Common
wealth. They were brought here Ill viola
| ton of the lawsof nature they were thrust
upon us without their consent and without
ours and according to Pennsylvania law
they never became parties to the social com
pact upon which all our political institu-
tons are founded.
The people of Pennsylvania, penetrated
with these truths, which their judiciary
had thus recognized, amended in 1887 their
constitution of 1890, and in defining the
white before the word freeman. This
was not only agreed to in their constitu-
tional convention after great deliberation,
but amendment was submitted, with other
amendments, to vote OF the people OF
Pennsylvania. And, sir it is Il part of the
history of the times that those who were
opposed to the reform of the constitution
were especially opposed to this amendment,
because of the popularity which it gave to
the other amendments. point the House
to the fact that the people of Pennsylvania,
thus through their judicial tribunals and
by their own popular elections decided as
solemnly rs it is possible for freemen to
decide that the negro race was no party to
the social compact and should not be adj
mitted to the suffrage.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, that decree has never
been reversed. On the contrary, all politi-
cal parties have recognized it and submit
ted to it. The republican party, as often
as they have been charged with intending
to take out of the foundations of our State
Government that cornerstone, have assert
ed that they were slandered that they in
tended nothing Of the sort They have
pointed to the Chicago platform in confr-
nation of their assertions In consequence
of this disavowal they enjoyed in the last
election, and in ali the late elections in our
State, very large Welsh vote, which, 1
tell them, they will lose from the day that
they force negro suffrage upon the people.
They have enjoyed that Welsh vote by rea-
son of their persistent and apparently con-
slstent denial that they were for negro suf-
frage. The Welsh do not like the Irish ;
there is a lack of congeniaity between the
two classes on account of religion and other
causes. The republican party, while they
cannot carry the great body of the Irish
population, can carry large proportion of
Welsh SO long as, and only so long as, they
can persuade that people they are honest in
their professions against negro suffrage
The effect of the proposition now before
us is to change the fundamental law of
Pennsylvania, to reverse the historic and
traditional policy of the State, to introduce
into the politics of that great Common
wealth this alien, foreign, unnatural ele-
ment, which down to the present time the
republican party have told the people new
er was to be part of their policy. L ask
of the gentleman from Massachusetts and
of this House that before this change of
policy be adopted the whole people of
Pennsylvania be allowed to pass upon the
question. What answer does the gentle
man give to this request He has answer
ed, sir, in your hearing that he cannot al
low the offering of an amendment looking
to that end because the Constitution for
bids him. / stand here asking the gentle
man from Massachusetts to do an uncon-
stitutional thing, when l beg him TO sub
nit his amendment to vote of the peo-
pie Well, sir, if the gentleman from
Massachusetts had never done any uncon-
stitutional thing it would undoubtedly be
Il very great sin in me to tempt him into
transgresSion. But, Mr.. Speaker, let me
tell the gentleman from Massachusetts, that
/ asked him to violate no constitutional
provisions when 1 asked him to submit this
amendment to the people of Pennsylvania.
And, sir, within five minutes after he re-
fused to entertain my proposition, he stood
in his place and declared, as the report in
the Globe will show tomorrow, that this
constitutional amendment was to be sub.