The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-02-18
The Negro Amendment.


suffrage:upon the negroes in all the States,
has passed both Houses of Congress, and will
now be sent to the different State Legisla-
lures for; ratification or rejection. thus is
the stately fabric of our national constitu-
tion, the precious legacy transmitted to us
by the sages and patriots of the revolution.
being steadily undermined, and the rights OF
the States, unchallenged and unassailed for
more than three quarters of q century, slowly
but surely swept away. Our national COW
enant has ceased to he respected, and the
work reared by the genius of Washington,
Madison and Hamilton is now tossed between
the two Houses like shuttlecock by thu
Summers and Wilson's Of the Senate and the
Covodes and Morrells of the House.
Common decency and respect for the pop
ular will required that so vital and import
ant change in the fundamental law should
be submitted to the judgment of Legislatures
to be elected with special reference to the
question involved in the proposed amend
ment. But every motion having that object
in view was promptly voted down by par
tisan majority. If negro suffrage is to be the
great panacea for all the evils that af1;ct the
country, as its advocates maintain, and if it
is to restore peace and harmony throughout
the land. as they aver, then its adoption
ought to be accompanied with all the formal
ity and deliberation be6tting so momentous
a question. But, above all other considera-
tions. it ought not to be engrafted on the
constitution without the clearess popular
sanction. Does the present radical Legisla-
ture of this State represent the voice of the
people Of Pennsylvania on this'subject? No
such fimsy pretence is or can be made, be-
cause under the disclaimer of the Chicago
convention IN it's Pl~tforun of any Intention
to regulate the elective franchise in the North
ern States by Federal interference, and its
distinct declaration that ''Lte question Of sltf-
fi,dge IN the loyal States property belonged to
the people Of those States" the people of this
as well as all the other States did not and
could not pass judgment on the question at
the last election. Besides this, it is a well
known fact that when John Hickman.
leading radical member of the last Legisa-
ture, offered an amendment striking the word
uchite from the constitution, his proposition
received the beggarly number of only ttOelce
votes.
In the States of Michigan, Kansas and
Ohio, in each Of which the question of negro
suffrage has within the past year been sub
mitted to vote of the people, il has been
overwhelmingly defeated. The Legislature
of Ohio will reject the amendment because
the question of negro suffrage in that State
was distinct issue. But in Michigan and
Kansas, in which the members of the Legis-
lature were elected after negro suffrage had
been defeated, the amendment may be rati-
fed, in opposition to the clearly expressed
will of the people of those States. This is
nothing less than a deliberate fraud.
This amendment has been forced through
Congress not so much from any inherent love
of the radicals for the negro as from desire
to get his vote. 1t is party job, and is not
dictated by any higher motive Sumner,
who can stoop as low to conquer and who
can descend to as grovelling depths as any
other demagogue when political success is 10
be achieved, boldly admitted, in his speech
on this amendment, the true object which he
and his party friends had in view. He want
ed the votes of the "man and brother'' in
the Northern States. and in order to secure
them he was prepared to throw philanthropy
to the dogs. Here is what he said
II do not depart from the proprieties of this
occasion when / show how completely the
course now propose harmonizes with the re.
qurements of the political party to which I
belong. Believing most sincerely that the Re-
publican party, in its objects, is identical with
the country and with mankind. so that in sus-
tanning it Sustain those comprehensive chari-
ties, i cannot willingly see this agency lose the
opportunity of confirming its supremacy. You
need votes in Connecticut, do you notf There
are three thousand fellow citizens in that State
ready at the call of Congress to take their
PAGES at the ballot box. You need them also
10 10 tennsyvans, do you not7 There are at
s' teas' niOeeh tho Isand in that great State wait
s iIr your summons. Wherever you most
Iii IN nen 1nsre they are and be assured they
VIII al fOtS Tor those who stand NV ,hana a.,