New-York tribune., 1870-01-07
A BLACK RECORD.

The undisguised appeals to party spirit in the
addresses of Lieut.-Gov. Beach and Speaker
Hitchman in taking the chairs respectively of
the Senate and Assembly of our State, are
novelties in our history, but not necessarily
Censurable. Truth is always preferable TO false
hood and, since the legislation and government
of our State are to be nodded and animated by
intense devotion to the interest Of party, 1t
is well that the fact should be so bluntly pro-
claimed. These addresses are but echoes of
the more elaborate and pretentiOus partisan
malgnity of the colossal fraud which usurps
the Governorship of our State. But one pas
sage in Hitchman's harangue is so grossly
untruthful as to render its rebuke and ex-
posure an imperative duty. 1t is that wherein
he says:
1.-THE enfranchisement of an ensaved race which re.
suited from that struggle, they IDemocrats not only
cep but they recognize the obligation or eevatng and
advancing that the highest condition Of which it
is capable"
Thus much for the professions of Speaker
Hitchman: now let us consider them i'll the
light of History:
By the original Constitution of our State
framed by her Revolutionary patriots during
their desperate struggle for Independence, no
difference was made or recognized between
Whites and Blacks. Slavery then existed in
our State, and slaves were conceded no polit-
ical rights; but every Black freeman was al
lowed to vote on precisely the same conditions
with White freemen. So they did without OBJ
lection for over forty years. or until the Con-
sttutional Convention of 1821-a body over
whelmingy DemOcratic-whch at once COM
menced foray on the rights of the poor and
ham NIL nf A itx
of the Democrats would have disfranchised
them altogether but aiminority demurred and,
uniting with the twenty or thirty Federalists,
secured the Right of Suffrage to a fraction of
the Blacks-to all of them who had lived three
years in the State, and owned $3.50 worth of
real estate, free and clear of incumbrance or
debt. And that has ever since been our fund
amental law. Thrice--in 1916, in 1860, and in
1SG9-have decided efforts been made to change
it., so that the invidous discrimination against
Blacks should be wiped out; but the Demo
cratic party has rallied all its forces to defeat
these appeals for Justice and Equality.
The Democrats of this State have just voted
their full strength against Negro Enfranchise
ment after having fought it in our late Con-
stiutional Convention with inhuman per-
propositions were made by them in that Con-
vention, and several weeks wasted, with intent
to insult, defame, and humliate the Blacks so
as to make all possible capital out of the an
tipathy with which they are regarded by the
lowest and basest, most ignorant and pre-
JUDGED, Whites. From the beginning to the
end of that Convention, as also in the canvass
before the People, no chance of houting the
unhappy African race, or heaping odium on
those who stood up for their rights, was left
unimprOved.
Mr.. Hitchman asserts that his fellow partisans
accept the enfranchisement of the Four
Millions of our cOuntrymen who were formerly
slaves. Indeed When did they begin to ac-
cept it Certainly, not while there was
prospect, shadow of hope, that it might be
prevented or defeated. Up to the hour in
which the last shackle fell from their limbs, the
Democratic party denounced Emancipation rs
usurping, outrageous, measure of disunion,
and at least equally uDjustfable with Seces-
sion. " 1t has united tho South and divided
the North" was their steTeotyDed outcry.