The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-12

by him to finish the vessel in the most com
plete manner
Under the authority of the law empower
ing me TO accept the vessel and appoint COM
missioners to take charge Of the interest Of
the State during its construction and pending
its disposal i appointed as commissioners
General Fitz John Porter, of Morris, and
Messrs. Benjamin G. Clarke, and w. w.
Shippen, of Hudson.
There is no longer any doubt but the ves-
sci, when finished, will be the most fornida-
BILE war vessel afoat; and though constructed
at cost little short of two millions of dollars,
will be much better worth the money than
any vessel of similar cost In our own or other
navies.
The vessel is being completed under the
personal superintendence of General George
b. Mcclellan and Captain Newton, which
alone is sufficient to insure to our people not
only every effort that fidelity gives, but every
aid of the highest intelligence.
As the consent of Congress will be neces-
sary to permit the State to lawfully accept the
vessel and dispose of il, recommend the pas
sage of joint resolution requesting our re-
presentatives at Washington to procure such
consent.
The vessel will be completed within 1871,
and can be finished sooner, if required, but
at an increased cost.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
Conforming to my duty submitted to the
last Legislature the proposed addition to the
Federal Constitution, known as the fifteenth
amendment
With view of permitting the people Of
the State, in the exercise of their right, to
express themselves upon the subject through
the election of representatives to the present
Legislature, / recommended that no final action
be taken by your predecessors. To this they
acceded, and their decision, in strong contrast
with that of most Of the States acceding to
the amendment, seemed to be most fitting
considering the Importance and gravity of the
subject involved. 1t is gratifying that legis-
lators, who possessed ample power to defeat
an important political measure, should have
so highly regarded the honor and reputation
of our State and rights of the people, as to
omit its exercise, even under great provoca-
tion 80 to do. The late election gave ample
opportunity to the advocates of universal suf-
frage to press their views.
The result is known, and New Jersey de-
clares against the scheme
The singular anomaly of being State in
authority for a single and partisan purpose,
and territorial dependence in all other re-
spects, has been presented for the criticism of
the enemies of popular government.
The advocates of the proposed amendment
urge its adoption upon the assumption that
suffrage is a right and not privilege be-
slowed by government, and that all men
without distinction as to ''class, color, or pre-
vious condition of servitude, etc., are the
natural inheritors of such right, and this
assumption is sought to be enforced princi-
pally upon the ground that all governments
derive their powers from the consent of the
governed.
To show the fallacy of such doctrine, it
is only necessary to ask why it's application
should be limited to men, and why women,
who are amenable in like degree as men,
under our law, to punishment for crimes to
taxation for the support of the State, and to
most other impositions of government, should
be excluded from the exercise of power
claimed to be a right to those who are gov
erned?
Again, if suffrage be Right, way should
States be permitted to make an arbitrary rule
as to the age which shall be attained before
suffrage shall be exercised, for many persons
are better fitted to vote intelligently at the
age of eighteen than others are at fifty. Or
why should the Congress fix period of years
before naturalized citizen can exercise the
privilege of the ballot, when his adherence
and duty to the Government is Just as fully
had if the necessary oaths be taken upon the
day of his treading our shores, as they are
ever had? .- ,.r-..