Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1869-02-03
War Upon Pennsylvania.

The infamous design of the Radicals on
the rights of the States is exemplifed by
Boutwell's bill to give negroes the right to
vote for all Federal officers. The thing
scarcely comes within the range of sane Az
gument We doubt if there is man in
the United States who believes that Con-
gress has the constitutional right to regu-
late suffrage in Pennsylvania. Indeed,
apart from old and universal usage, and the
uniform construction of the Constitution,
we have the following recent and formal
admissions by the Radicals themselves
1st. The amendment Known as the four
teenth, said by Radicals to be now part
of the Constitution of the United States
which we, however, deny, because before
the requisite number of ratifying States
was obtained, two of them fetracted their
assent to it. But the Radicals say that
was Of no avail that three-fourths of the
States have ratified the amendment, and
that it is part of the Constitution. Perhaps
that is the reason why the Radicals now
feel a contempt for it. While it was a party
| GlleTe WIS lO liIlllJ lD Iilttir Zeill
for it. What does it say about suffrage
1t says:
When the right to vote at any election
for the choice of electors for President of
the United States, representatives i'll Con-
gress, the executive and judicial officers of
n State, or the members of the Legislature
thereof, is denied to any of the male inhab-
itants of such State, being twenty-one of
age, and citizens of the United States, or
in any way abridged, except for participa-
ton in rebellion, or other crime, the basis
of representation therein shall be reduced
i'll the proportion which the number of
such male citizens shall bear to the whole
number OF male citizens twenty-One years
of age, in such State.
Now, here is an express recognition of
the right of the State to say who shall vote
for Federal officers, subject to the diminu-
ton of its representation in the Federal
Congresa, if it deny the vote to adult male
negroes. Not only is this now part of
! the Constitution of the United States, ac-
} coruing to the Radicals, but an instrument,
far more sacred III their eyes, admits the
right of Pennsylvania and other States of
themselves.
The Chicago platform of May, 1868, de-
clared expressly:
The guaranty by Congress of equal suf-
frage to all loyal men at the South was de-
manded by every consideration of public
safety, of gratitude, and of justice, and
must be maintained; while the question of
suffrage in all the loyal States properly be-
longs to the people of those States.
This was the platform of the Radical
party, on which they went before the peo-
pie. This clause, unlike the one about the
public debt, is plain and unequivocal
Pshaw! cries some Radical franker than
the rest, We only said that to tide over the
election. Perhapsso; but even now the
Radicals propose an appeal to the people,
to grant to Congress the power to regulate
this very matter of suffrage. But the beau
ty of the thing is, that they also propose
instantly to regulate it to suit themselves,
without wairing for the people to give them
power to- do so. That is the object of Bout
wells bill, now before Congress. We say
We do not believe that there is a single
(sane) Radical, who honestly believes that
Congress has constitutional authority to
pass BoutwelPs bill. 1t is meant and in
tended as another impudent, barefaced vio-
latiOn of the Constitution, to be carried in
to effect by fraud and violence. For while
no court of justice would hold such law
to be valid or constitutional, it would do
for pretext for Radical election officers
1t would serve their purpoaes as well as
John NJ. Reads spurious decision. They
would accept the vote of any fellow with a
blackface, and swear they did it from re-
spect for an act of Congress. Bedford
street would decide our elections for US in
the city, and about election time the State
would bc invaded by a horde-of negroe
from Maryland and Virginia. Before this
condition of things could be remedied, the
Radicals hope a constitutional amendment
would come to their aid and validate their
work.
As barefaced, confessed and undenia-
BILE invasion of the rights of the free States
of the North, this bill of Boutwell, 5 takes the
lead and caps the climax. When this
scheme was up in the House, last year, on
Thaddeus Stevens motion, only one of the
Radicals from Pennsylvania opposed it,
George " Lawrence of the Twenty-fourth
District. Then it was killed by the Radi-
Gals from Ohio, who made common cause
with the Democrats against it. 1t is be-
cause our State is in danger from traitors
who misrepresent her in Congress, that We
call on the people to look closely at this
matter-Age.
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