The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-01-21
Another Blow at the Constitution.

The radicals still continue their work OF
undermining the Constitution, which the
fathers Of the country established as the
GROWING glory of the revolution, and which
conducted the country III its career of pros
perity, so long as it was unchanged and re-
spected Fooled in the purpose Of comforting
the precious boon of the elective franchise
upon all the degraded and ignorant races,
tar down in the scale of intellect, by the
steady determination Of some of the north
ern States, they are seeking TO effect a
change in the provisions of the Constitution
of the United States, SO as to allow law
|of Congress of universal application. The
Washington correspondent Of the New
Times, radical, says
The House judiciary committee have agreed
to report Dill enacting MicefS0 negro say
trage IN all the States, to this extent, namely
For Presidential electors, representatives in
Congress-, and members of the State Legisa-
lures. A majority of the committee hold that
the exercise Of this power to this extent is
8 entirely constitutional specially ,ntdey the
g l4M amendments"
The bill will contain provisions for its en-
torcement by penalties for its violation. The
committee are understood to agree that they
cannot prescribe by statute the qualifications
for electors for purely State officers. Jegsla-
lures are included, because they elect United
States Senators. They have also agreed to re-
port Constitutional amendment embodying
the whole question OF universal suffrage, to be
submitted TO the States for ratification.
.,HfI far cin,r hat tha
Dill and the amendment, are, that at present,
with more than % States that will ratify it :;
but with negro suffrage for President, and
members OF Congress exalted By lar = and
once exercised, the prejudice to it will gre aeay
and 1t Will act as an iCl2lcenaet for the ratfca-
ton OF the amendment. The matter will be
ably discussed in both Houses.
This is an assault upon another of those
great compromises effected by the trainers
of the Constitution, and which have so
well stood the test of time and experience
A little thought will convince any candid
man Of the absurd tangle Of con tradictions
and absurdities into which this would lead.
If this plan does not die Of its own most
apparent folly, but is permitted to 90 into
effect, we shall behold two separate and
distinct class Of voters at the same polls,
with two class Of ballots, one for Congress
sional aud Legislative officers aud another
for State, county and town officers. The
plan actually proposes, by the action Of a
portion of the States, to change the Con-
stltutiOns Of other States in respect to the
rule Of suffrage for their own citizens.
And if they may enfranchise non-voters.
why may they not disfranchise present
voters! Who can tell where this absurlity
will stop: 1t is just as wrong for the rep
resentatves in Congress of Pennsylvania,
Ohio and Wisconsin to undertake to regu-
late the right Of voting in Connecticut--to
say whom of her citizens shall vote-as it
would be to send thther certain of their
own citizens, with the right to vote.
This scneme will meet with the most de-
cided opl osition in California, Oregon and
all the Pacific region, or it would admit to
the polls the Chinese caricatures Oh mau-
kind, and all the hideous types of humanity
that there abound A law cannot be franz
ed so as to admit negroes universally, and
not admit these, and ought not to be. We
believe that the good sense of the people
of the States, when this change comes to be
an element i'll our political contests, will
overturn the scheme and the party that I'D
vocates it.
Election Of HamIn.
The long agony is over. The adhercnts of
| DO. H. III, .i...,.t