The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1869-03-19
NO. s.
Negro Suffrage.

Negro Suffrage.
In the debate on this question, Senator
Buckalew, of Pennsylvsois. srgued with
cogency that the negro suffrage sme ndme ut
is bey ond the legitimate. sphere of Federal
power. and for lhst reason ought not 10 be-
proposed and ough, not 10 be adopted
From the remarks OF Mr.. BucksIew W we ex.
tract The following:
"a mother point of more import apce: IL
's my opinion. and l lake this occs sion 10
express il. .hat the ame ndment mower Of
The ConsliUlo does not authorize this
chang. |; is my idea ,hst The anne ndme NJ
clause has some limitations, the leacing and
'nncipai ore Of which being that en- amend.
men, musl be within the scope and purpose
Of The original instrument. 1t must b, in
pursuance OF ihe OH j-cls for which the Con.
istilulion wss formed; within the general
scope and purpose Tor which j, was made.
Now, sir. consdsr; if provision looking
TO iha, object he'd been put i'no The .Consti.
tulion originally no one can doubt thai the
Constitution would have been rejected: il
would not have been raufed by nine States:
II would not have gone into oper1 ion; il
would never have had legal existence Is The
fundamental law OF the laud. For the
S!ates with the ideas that then obtained
would not have sure ndered I'D TO this Gov.
Iernmeut which they we're forming control
over Their local institutions. Above oil ,bev
would not have permitted this Government.
or 'hree.fourths of their CO. States, 10 hsvs
regulated State suffrage in any way what.
ever, 20 hive prescribed The Qualifications
which should obtain for an exercise of thai
right.
II by virtue Of this power OF amendment
which is 10 the Constitution, you can propose
and adopt an amendment " hich shall have
The effect OF prescribing the rule Of sufftsge
Tor State purposes, what have you doue!-
You put the institutions Of the Safe, their 4
home institutions, their domestic policy
their local frames Of government, their sov.
ereignty. and their powers sltogether within
The csntro Of three fourlhs Of the o,h,r
Ssaies. stf tt-
M. Madison, 10 cerisio numbers OF The
oppespsisd y nssssstt epaS8sr !.
q poesrsy 6uf conpopnd system ef Ss.s}a.
'nsni. lie stssed. and hs s,s,ed sruiy, tbss
our sys'em was compounded Of two gfess
elements. the one national and the other
State; that the Two principles the one Of
State power and the other OF State sover-
''guty for certain purposes and the other OF
rational power for common purposes, both
II defense and internal poily enter Into the
Of this. Fedsrsl Government,
md were recognized by H. He rreaed st
eng'h and with great power. tha,the main.
ensnce of both these principles wss abso-
utely Decessary 10 the existence of free
cd successful government, in this county,
out aliude 10 those essays of his os con.
aiming in more full tud ample manner
han it is convenient Tor me 10 stats the
lea upon which this opinion which have
xpressad is founded. .ha, no Siate ever
nrfendered up 10 three fourth of lis co.
'sles power BY way Of amending The
ons'iiuiiont 10 revoluiionizs and change
'e State irsme Of governments in the vital.
ie most important particular possihle--tbc
eht Of suffrage. 10 other words, never
'ndered up 10 iis co-States the power to
~ who should constitute the State. That
The point struck at By this amendment.
80 - - = .e
Now. What is The principle which under.
IS this amendment before you, II l.. thu,
ree.fcutihs Of the States. rs distinct %.
ical conmunilies, acting upon il,is ques.
% OF amendment may reach into o CO.
ate az change that s aie; may d d,cree
q. those who hold i,s sovereign powe
all hold them no longer, or they shall par.
ipale in the snj ,yment Of those sovereign
wefs with Others against their will. in.
I that this is SO clearly sdepar,ure from
y OF the general principles on which Iho
institution for formed; and the Federal
verrmen mt established. that il does not
Gun not iail within the sme uncut pow.
Of that Constitution, In taking ihis
'und, | do not argue against Federal pow.