The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-02-09
THE FAILURE OF NEGRO SUFFRAGE.

OF suffrage, has, it appears, been denniteiy sc
tied. and the dominant party in Congress Ia
lilly admit that American citizens of3Africa
descent are not fit subjects upon whom to COZ
fer the rights and privileges of electors.
The experiment Of negro suffrage was fir
tried in the District of Columbia, under tn
immediate supervision of the very men VIII
inaugurated the new theory, and the result ha
been Just what Democratic statesmen predict
ed it would be. The municipal elections he'll
in Washington City for several years past hav
been controlled by the horde of worthless an'
lazy negroes who have congregated at the Ma
tional Capital, and corrupt men, whose villain
GUS antecedents rendered them fit associate
for that class of newly enfranchised citizens
have ridden into power and place through TIT
votes of their colored brethren. Ignorant ne
groes have been elected members of the City
Council, and fraud and corruption and whole
sale plundering of the public money followed
as natural consequence.
Matters finally reached such stage that
Congress could no.longer overlook the disgrace
full state of affairs existing in the "city of mag
nifcent distances" and accordingly bill has
passed the House of Representatives taking
away from the people the right of electing mu-
niclpal officers, and, should it become q law,
no popular election will hereafter be held in
the District of Columbia.
The bill, as it passed the House, provides
that the President, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, shall appoint Govern
or, a Superior Council, Of eleven members,
q Lower House of twenty-five members; and
d Secretary and other minor officials. all of
whom are to hold their Offices for four years.
unless sooner removed.
The white people of the District have had
about enough of negro domination, and will no
loubt be glad TO escape the consequences re-
ulting from negro suffrage, even in the man
Ter proposed by the new bill. The right of
uffrage in the District of Columbia is of no
'enefit to the whites, as they are outvoted by
he hOrdes of ignorant blacks, led by few
adventures, and they will doubt
'ss welcome any change as being for the bet
or. But it is very doubtful whether the ne
roes will relish this Congressional inter-
,rence with their exercise of the electoral
'anchse, so lately conferred on them by their
'hite allies, who now, it appears, have con.
uded that Sambo is utterly unfit to be trusted
18th the rights and privileges Of citizenship.
Universal suffrage-or manhood suffrage"
} Sumner terms twas all very nice in the
~, but when reduced to practice is found to ,
3 impracticable. or at least that the results ,
owing from it do not rebound to the public ;
,od.
We believe that should the bill become law, a.,
Notwithstanding it will give the Administration .
'other field for patronage and bring about
me political corruption, the evils under the
w dispensation will DO much less than under >
Q old order Of things.
BY the passage of this bill through the House :
3 Radical majority admit that negro suffrage 4
failure. at least in the District of Colum. ,
/. If the system has proven failure and il
suited disastrously right under the eyes of
'ngress and Of the Administration, how can
be expected to result otherwise any place II
e? The people of the District of Columbia ly
d an avenue of escape through the bill which a
Gently passed the House, but if the Fifteenth c
nendment is valid as part of the Constitu. Of
n what escape is there for the people of OF
lte! The question is one which will have SC
De met, sooner or later, and the solution of g.
problem is one which will be watched by W
people with that interest which attaches to 10
natter pregnant with so much of good or of m
to the people of the whole country. B.
ARMs.-The Germans of Dayen. 80
t, Iowa, and of Chicago, Illinois, have re- al,
tly held meetings and passed resolutions 60
hdrawlng their sympathy from the Admins. g,
ton and denOuncinp the Government c,r