The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-02
THE REPUBLICANS OF DELAWARE
JUSTIFIED

From the Wilmington (DeL) Commercial
The Republicans of Delaware have in the
present situation of affairs anew proof of that
which none of them should ever dare to doubt
namely, that just principle, earnestly
advocated, is sure to triumph.
When the Republican Convention of this
State, at Dover, in April 1868, adopted
resolution calling for the amendment of the
National Constitution, by such measure as
would ''secure impartial suffrage throughout
the republic" it was step boldly and reso-
lutely taken, in advance of the general pro-
gress not only of the people at large but
even of the Republican party. 1t was a step
of no ordinary character for "border State"
to take. In SO radical a proposition we
were almost alone, with Maryland. Even
Massachusetts,, at her convention of that year,
sat under the conservative influence of men
like Richard Henry Dana, Jr., and gave
no word of endorsement to the demand
which had been made for a constitutional
amendment. Worse still, at the National
Convention at Chicago the platform framed
placed its heel as if purposey, upon all such
propositions, and declared, with an incon-
sistent absurdlty that stamped the name of
political unfaithfulness on its face, that while
the guarantee of suffrage must be maintained
in the lately rebellious States, in those that
were loyal, the question 'belonged' to the
people of each separately. The representa-
| tive of Delaware the committee that
| framed this resolution (Hon. n. B. Smithers)
raised no voice against this most scandalous
departure from the broad ground of princi-
pie, and the action of our State stood, in the
presence of the National Convention, as
though rebuked and silenced.
But, as we have already said, there can be
no permanent repression to the cause of JUS
| tice. The work commenced in Delaware
scarcely paused by this untimely interruption.
| When Congress met, its first care was to frame
| and propose Just such an amendment as the
''Third Dover Resolution" had plead for, Sc
curing impartial suffrage everywhere in the
| nation. Late in the session it was passed by
| both houses, with the requisite two-thirds
majority, and when the President came to de-
liver his brief but most comprehensive inau-
| gural address, he entertained the hope and
expressed the desire that the suffrage ques-
tion might now be settled, forever, on the
basis of justice, by the ratification of the
| proposed amendment
Thus was The movement made national,
and placed first by Congress, and then by the
| Executive Department of the Government,
within the scope of the declared purposes of
the Republican party. The radical action of
Delaware was not only sanctioned but
adopted and written on the banners under
which three millions of American voters
marched. The seed sown by our Delaware
Convention had sprung so soon, in spite of
the unfriendly storms of Chicago, into so
great a tree that the whole party were will
ing to come beneath its branches This, we
say again, not because of Delawares inf1u-
ence as State, but because the position we
took was the true one. We had stripped the
political situation of that time, and dared to
speak of it as it really was. Our ''Third Re-
solution" was the truth boldly spoken, and
hence it has triumphed
In the light of to-day, with this great
measure of enfranchisement approved by
thirty States of the Union, we have taken
the occasion to thus rejoice. Not only Con
gress and the President, but every Republi-
can Commonwealth, has joined in approval of
the amendment Never were any set of mer
more fully justified by time and the progress
of great events than the Republicans of Della
ware They took the field first; they neoe'
, LETT it,; they find now their early plan OF
, action, then denounced as rash and prema
ture, not only adopted by their party ant
not only accomplished as a fact, but writer
forever on the broad page of the republici
Constitution, and regarded by great nation
with pride and joyful approval. Thus doe
+ the goodness of God sanction and crown
with success the effort in behalf of Jus
tice and Truth, no matter from what sourct
| il comes.