The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-08-18
[From the Ohio statesman. /

ment to the Constitution is, we give
it below: i.- .-
ARTICLE XIV. I. The right of the
citizens of the United States TO vote
and hold office shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States or
any State on ACCOUNT OF RACE
OR COLOR, or previous condition of
servitude. .-
2. The Congress shall have power
to enforce this article by approp riate
legislation.
Seeing it advertised that the Gov
ernor, and now United States Sena-
tor, o. p. Morton, of Indiana, is
about to ''open the canvass in Ohio"
for the Radical ticket and
negro suffrage, the introduction of.
Coolie labor, &c, &C.; and fearing
lest Gov. Morton might forget to take
with him all necessary documents,
Including his Richmond speech, as
well as his message as Governor to
the special session of the General AS
sembly of 1866, the LIawrenceburgh
IRdiana, Register thinks it not anIiss
to publish extracts from the latter
document, with view TO refreshing
the Governors memory, should he
forget to take it with him.
Time was when the Governor was
not so exalted. Time was when he
was poor. Time was when he was
not bOndhoIder, nor ''Opening the
canvass III Ohio" in the interest OF
the bondhoider. Time was when he
was not in favor of an Imperial Gov
eminent, hut was in favor of gov
ernment of the people. Oa the queS-
tiOn of suffrage, he was in favor of
the States controlling that matter,
and was opposed to negro suffrage.
In proof of which, we append the
following extracts from the message
above named. On the subject of re-
organization, he says:
"By some it is uIged that confer
ring suffrage upon him (the negrol
shall be made a condition of reorgan-
ization or in other words, that the
States lately in rebellion shall not be
permitted to resume their practical
relations with the Government, ex-
cept upon the terms OF first conferring
the rights ofsuffrage upon their freed
men
Some are in favor OF persistently ex-
Guiding the members of Congress
from the Southren States until negro
suffrage has been incorporated into
Ll2CIE 6CNGIdA CldlCr
Others assume that the States lately
in rebellion are no longer members
of the Union, but have lost and for
feited their character as States, and
are In TACT held as conquered provin-
ces; and that in their reorganization,
Congress may confer suffrage upon
WhomsoeVer it pleases."
The Governor then SAYS:
HThe question of suffrage, is, by
the National Constitution, expressly
referred to the determination of the
several States. and Il cannot be taken
from them 11iLllOltt q VioLdti011 of the
letter and spiritr Of that instrument.
But without stopping to discuss the
Ories or questions of Constitutional
law, and leaving them out Of view,
it would, in my opinion, be uuWiSe to
make the work OF reconstruction de-
pend upon condition of such doubt
fttL tttititlt as negro suffrage" p ia F.
The Governor goes on to say:
1t as a fact SO manifest that II
should not be called in question by
any, that people who are just
emerging from the barbarism OF
| slavery, are not qualified to BECOME
part of our political system, and
take part not only in the government
of themselves and their neighbors,
but of the whole United States So
TAR from believing that negro suffrage
is remedy from all our national ills,
doubt whether it is a remedy fol
any," &C., &c. .e
Such were the views OF Governor
Morton in 1865. or the subject of ne
gro suffrage. We await his ''opening
| the canvass in Ohio" to see What
they are now. We propose to give
further sketches, from time to time,
as he progresses with and in telling
the people of Ohio how to vote.
Our own Attorney General West,
| like Senator Morton. once had honest
views on this same subject. Perhaps
he has them now. To refresh hi
memory, we give mis-, former views
an airing In our columns, to the end
that, If his political friends should
succeed in Inducing him to train in
the company Of the mem who are
now in the field for the Congression.
al imposition of Negro and Chinese
Coolie suffrage in Ohio, he may dc
so with his eyes open to the fact thai
a change has come over the spirit o.
his views on the rights of the States,
to manage their. own domestic af-
| AI1AAo AZ wv Il ways "lL1AA IhS
last fifteen months.
In March, 1868, Mr.. Attorney Gen
eral West, as the counsel for Jones
claiming to be elected and having
the certificate as Senator from the
Gallia District by the aid of negro
votes, whose seat was contested by
Henry M. Onderdonk, argued the
case before the Senate. In the Sen;
ate proceedings of the I1th of March
as made ont by the Official Reporter
in answer to a question prOPOundeC
to him by Senator Berry, Mr.. Attor
ney General West said that he wa;
"opposed to the Supreme Court, ol
the Congress of the United States
OR ANY POWER OUTSIDE. OF
THE STATE OF OHIO, PREsCRIB
ING WHO SHALL VOTE IN OHIO. III
has 9leUe1' faUOreCI, AND HE NEvEI
WOULD FAVOR, any such iaterferenc
lgith our domestic affairs. -.1.. ..-.
HE (Mr. -WeSt), never would ia
vOr any assumption of power on the
part of the Senate of the United
States to deprive any State of it
Constitutional representation in thaI
body. provided such State was in &
condition to be represented in Con
gress. !" p .s- .5'l. ea- =. ..s-E.
In reply to a direct question By
Senator May, Mr.. West said. ''tha
CONGRESS HAD NO MORF
RIGHT THAN THE MAN IN
THE MOON,l TOSAYTHATC COL
ORED MEN SHOULD VOTE II
! OHIO" .-.-.. ..-.
Efforts are now making to get Mr.
West to take the stump-the effort
made to force him are of the ''Hell
me, Gassius, or 1 sink" order, but a
yet they fail of success. If the in
ducements held out are in the ent
successful, the extracts above give
will be as good reading to West
: friends as those given from Morton
speech will be to the friends of tn
Indiana Senator, who, on the subjec
/ of negro suffrage, as in other mai
! tiers, -... ..-. --. - -.-.-
''Turns about and wheels about, and doe
just SO, -tl.-... -.. H.
And every time he turns about jumps JiI
Crow"
|