The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-10
Washington letter TO the Baltimore Gazette


A Washington letter 10 the Baltimore G 4zette
says: s4J<g tt J. .i.s
II has been observed that since the Virginia
election. universal suffrage has become sur
prlslngay less pop olar, with the mass Of radical
not have been surlnised that at SO @ early a % Iay
Q journal known to possess the confidence OF
the extreme portlon Of the present. Cabinet,
" would "go back " upon the very. shlbbdieth Of
elaborate article, evidently written under the
inspiration of authority, and by another hand
than the regular editor, proposes to disfran-
ch1se nlnety-ni1e out OF every hundred negroes
now enti!l.d to vote! quote verbatim from
the Republican qf this CITY;
Tho system Of putting the baliot-box into
the hands OF the ignorant nasses-Ano matter
OF what origin-if continued cannot fail to lead
gress will be remiak in it's duty to,the country
II early action on the subject Is neglected. IL
ls contended by many OF our ablest men, and
VIII great iGfca Of argueot that the best
and write the English language oorrectly.p
With this as universal qualification test in all
Federal and State elections, the ballot-box
would be protected against ignorance, and, to
very large extent, against the possibility of
corruption.
The brazan impudence OF this suggestion
lTom such Q source( cannot be sufficiently ad-
SuDnO60
the author meant the ballot. but his phrase is
literally c0rrectl l-"lnto tha hands Of sth1. ienh-
rant masses? ?" But let that pass. The remedy,
preferred as sufficient to correct the evil is IAN
act OF Congress-" But fearing some little diff
ficulty In that nay, ''sixtesnth amendment"
is proposed as means Of u, doing the mischief
@Sccompasned @ BY the Reconstruction acts at the
ment to the North! The proposition is as fol:
lows: 4 o. ~,
1t is objected that we cannot deprive any
port'on OF our citizens OF the right OF suffrage
already granted to them. There is no Ground
upon which to base such conclusions; but
it even the argument was sound it would afford
no plea against the proposed change in the
laws governing the right OF suffrage. Suppose
Congress. during the next session, enacted
Sixteenth amendment to the constitution, re-
quiring disqualification of liability to read
and write the English language correctly" as
The condition Of right of suffrage, TO take
effect in one, two, or any certain number of
years hence that might be agreed upon. and
called upon the different States to ratlfy their
act. what State or class Of intelligent citizens
W ,uld object to the proposition ? None what
ever. The measure would be universally popu-
lar. as aHording check against that control of
the ballot-box by Ignorance and corruption
now dreaded IN the future by our wisest states
men. t a.
The confession by an organ of TIE admins
tret!on that the fundamental acsion OF the, Rad
ical organization. F'if continued. cannot fail to
is important, and win be hailed as .stho ring Of
true metal" Yet the remedy suggested ibe-
yond looking to the 'dlsfranc chlsement of some
white voters, is mere running around Robin
struction ws-allow the Southern States 10
alter their constitutions, enforced upon them
at the point OF the bayonet, and reject the FIJI.
teenth amendment? These measures, (if cou-
pied with prudent alterations Of our naturali-
zation laws applicable to the Chinese nd other
Pagan immigrants, would effectuaA. -fford
q check against that control Of the bsallot-box
by and has been
terly complained OF by their leading presses.
II VIII ne seen that our government has been
felied IN its attempt underhandedly to buy
to give the precise instructions furnished to
Sickles. At the time OF his departure, and
oven before It, the administration determinei,
tOr reasons then fully stated, to throw cold wa
dence, ,sanlsss annexation and Radicaiism was
sure to follow in its train. Hence, the vigorous
eniorcsnsnt ea q our neutrality laws and the at
f3shion) toed the mark, and given the nsces.
sary assurances OF sloyalty. n Hence, 1t may
Re. that SPAN herself may be made to ex-
our sacred neutral Jaws. There cannot, how
ever. nf course. be any ''recoRnttioah yet,
taough for q very different reason than that
assigned in Northero Dispatches Mr.. Fish
made BY Sumner that such ! conrss ,s nsorid si.s
complicate onr relations with EnglNnd In re-
spsct 10 the Aiabams \ tmbroglio. ;fsl 81
The President: am. told, exhibited sorne
to feel tho cords about his limbs, and 20 dis-
Germ some Of the Vaccinations or the prnfe,sed
politicians who surround him. He was much
ilr'tated III ed at finding that Boutwell, bad attempt-
Southern States, in whose welfare he feels q
personal ana lively interest. elhe impression
is ia now almost universal that he will allow