The New York herald., 1869-02-13
TEE SUFFRAGE AMENDMENT.



The Senate renamed In session through the whole
Of Monday night, and until nearly noon on Tuesday.
endeavoring TO finish the debate on the suffrage
amendment 10 the constitution. The extraordinary
development was made during the discussion that
measure on the ground that the fourteenth amend
ment which was ratified last year. establishes uni
versal suffrage. This win be q surprise TO the
people Of Illinois, who have thus far denied TO the
handful OF coored men IN their midst the
right OF voting. Perhaps Mr.. sumner and Dir. Ed
munds mean 10 express the opinion that the Four
teenfh amendment authorizes and enables Congress
10 establish universal suffrage by law. We think
Mr.. Sumner could bring majority OF the Senate TO
mis- way OF thinking on this question.
Mr.. Drake OF Missouri, another impractcabe
genius, wanted 10 amend the amendment so as 10
enable negroes to hold office as well as vote. >
The time viii come when Illinois Will accept both,
amendment would be literally killing two birds with
one stone-that is, 1t would kill itself and destroy
the suffrage clause by the same blow.
lFrom the Chicago Republican,
This is the most sweeping proposition to
amend the national constitution which has ever
passed either House OF Congress- IL s so radical IN
Its provisions, particularly that regarding nativity,
that We doubt II II can secure ratincaiOn OF three
fourths OF the States. " submitted to them in the
present stage OF popular opinion. Tennessee, Mis-
souri, and Maryland may be set down against ii 10
a moral certainty, WITH perhaps, several OF tue re-
ballot box at once not only the negroes, bul
the whole body OF the exreoeis OF lawful Then
tnat the Governor shall be native born citizen. IL
may be assumed that in each such case the pro-
posed amendment would meet with violent oppo-
siu0n. ana would be unlikely 10 carry. Besides,
there are some states III which the question OF
colored suffrage has been submitted 10 the people
and defeated. fhc egslatures.of such states might
refuse TO endorse proposition that had been
expressly rejected by their constituents
recently. IL would require, Il must be recol-
lecled, negative vote on the part Of oniy ten
States TO prevent ratification. In this light
the "natlvtyr stipulation might have been left out
with advantage. The amendment ~ not iatended
for buncolnbe, Out for carest work. Even with the
pToyidemcnts OF race color and creed n would have
all the weights could carry. The right OF natural
lied cltlzens 10 vote Is not We believe, invaded or
attempted be invaded ia any section OF the Union.
The same may be SAID Of the right OF religious belief.
No one has yet offered TO make creed test OF the
Qualification hold oce or TO exercise the elective
should not be undertaken at once. it cannot be
pushed ahead OF the current demands OF enlightened
pubic opinion.
fFrom the Chicago Evening Post.l
n il morally certain tnit n this amendment IL
concurred In Ivy the House it viii moi be ratlled.
Texas, Mississippi and Virginia are not YET In the
Union. oregon and California at best doubtful re-
publican STATES nave yet to elect their Legislatures.
IL requires no gift OF prophecy 10 predict that they
viii be Overwhelmingly opposed to ratification.
Connecticut and Ohio. both doubtful. have also 70
elect their Legislatures. The recent fate OF the
negro suffrage amendments In them does not give
much encouragement that a propagation considered
more obnoxious win meet VITA n better fate. : ~ Is
not certain that even Rhode Island can bo carried
over the heads OF her TWO senators. Besides these,
there are other weak points, wAich We need not nov
mention.