The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-09-16


Therich and poor, on land and sea-
Where viii the mighty millions he
a hundred years TO csme;
We all withfa our graves shall sleep
A hundred years to come;
No living soul for us will weep
y hundred pears to come;
But other men our land will till,
And others then our streets will fill,
And other words will sing as gay,
And bright the sun as shines to-day,
A hundred Years to come.
SENATOR MORTON ON NEGRO sUF-
FRAGE.
AT Richmond, Ind, September 20, 1865.
THE REGULATION OF SUFFRAGE LEFT
TO THE STATES.
'I come now 10 speak more proper
ly on the subject Of negro suffrage.
The Constitution of the United States
has referred the question of suffrage
to the several States. This may have
been right, or it may have been wrong
| am merely speaking of the subject
as it stands. and say that the question
of suffrage is referred by the Consti-
tuition to the several States. 1t first
provides that such persons that had a
right to vote, by the laws of the State,
for member of the most numerous
| branch ofthe,State Legislature, should
have right to vote tor member of
Congress. 1t then, in anothei. provi-
sion declares that the States may, in
any manner they may see proper, ap-
point or elect their Presidential elect
ors, SO that the whole question of suf-
frage has, by the Constitution, from
the beginning, been referred 10 the
several States. Now, it has been pro-
posed by some to avoid the operation
of this provision by excluding mem
bers of Congress from the Southern
States until such time as they shall
incorporate negro suffrage i'll their
State ConstitutiOns-to say to them
'We will keep you out of your seats
until such time as the State from
which you come shall amend its Con.
stitution SO as 10 provide for negro
suffrage"
CONQUERED PROVINCES"
That is one way in which to avoid
these Constitutional provisions. There
is another plan, and that is the theory
which regards these States as being
out Of the Union, and holding them
as conquered provinces, subject to the
Jurisdiction Of Congress, like unor.
ganized territories-saying that Con,
gress has the power to provide for the
calling of conventions in these States
Just as in the Territory of Dakota, anC
may prescribe the right of suffrage
and determine who shall vote for del
egates to the conventions just as il
the Territory of Dakota; that it may
then determine whether they will ac,
cept the Constitution offered, as might
be determined in the case of any 9th
er territory.
l will not stop to argue this ques
ton at length, but will say this: tina
from the beginning of the war up tC
this time, every message of the Presi
dent, eveay proclamation, every Stat,
paper, and every act of Congress havl
proceeded upon the hypothesis tina
no State could secede from the Union
that once in the Union, always in tn,
Union. Mr.. Lincoln, in every proc
lamation, went on the principle tina
this war was an insurrection, rebel
ton against the Constitution and law
of the United States; not rebellion
of States, buta rebellion of individ
uals-the people Of the several South
ern States-and that every man VIII,
went into it was personally and indi
vidually liable for his acts, and coult
: not shield himself under the action O
authority of his State. He went o.
the principle that every ordinance O
Secession, every act of the legislature
= of the rebel States in that directio
was null1ty, unconstitutional, an
void, having no legal force whatever
and that, as these States were acco1
: ding to law, in the Union, their stand
ing could not be affected by the actio
of the people. That the people {
these States were personally respons:
\ BILE for their conduct, just as a ma
J who violates the statute in regard
the commission of murder, and to b
treated as criminals, just as the author
tiles thought proper; that the peopl
of a State can forfeit their rights, br
, that so far as their action is aoncerne
in a legal point of view, they had IL
power to effect the condition of til
State in this Uuion. Every procl'
nation and every act of Congre!
have proceeded upon this hypothesi
Mr.. Buchanan started out with IL
proposition that this was rebellio
of States. He said he could not C,
es cree State. Our reply was, w
have nothing whatever to do with IL
States we will coerce the people
Id states, holding every man responsib
for his conduct, and the states cam,
lose their vitality, in legal point
view, by going over to the policy
). secession" This was our answer
Mr.. Buchanan. Upon this hvpothes
= :; we have just put down the srebellio
SC But it is now proposed by some tn
Il we shall practically admit that Il
e southern states did secede: that til,
b. did go out of the Union that the wol
of secession was perfect-was accoT
n, plished; ; that the states are out of t
Union that government de fac
was established, and that we now no
these states as conquered province
just as we should hold Canada if '
N were to invade it and take possessi,
aP of it. AS consequence of this dc
sc trine, JEFF Davis can not be tried f
treason-nOt because he is not trait
nd not violator of the laws, but the he
1t, of the Government dc .facto-the I
rs, rs, ler of conquered province; and I'll
co, we have no more power to try hi
all for treason than we would to try t
Governor of Canada for such an
fense, in case he should fall into O
on hands during hostile invasion of
territory. That is what this doctri
leads to. 1t leads to thousand otf
evils and pernicious things never &C
rt- templated in the nature of our &c
All ernment.
me 1re NEGROES UNFIT TO VOTE.
I believe that in case of four n
lions of slaves, just freed from boz
age, there should be period of p
re, baton and preparation before I'll
a' are brought to the exercise ofpoliti
power. + = What is their con
4 an a ton? Perhaps not one in five hi
mt, dred-I might say one in thousa
I@lr per can read, and perhaps not one in f
eat hundred is worth five dollars in pr
ae- erty of any kind. x
ods Can you conceive that BODY