The Republican journal., 1871-10-26
low Men are Prescribed in Rhode Island.

H6W men are Prescribed in Rhode Island.
The excitement of the western fires and
the greater Importance attached to the
elections in Ohio and Pennsylvania have
drawn attention from the recent election
in Rhode Island-one of soTmuch signifi-
canoe than we cannot torbear the allusion,
even at this late day. Rhode Island is a
State so overwhelmingly Republican says
the Rochester r epublican, that the Demo-
cratic minority there barely keep up an OF
ganlzation for the purpose Of cooperating
with the Democrats of other States in ma
tional affairs In accordance with the
much gloritied principle of equality of all
mcn--ot the equal right of all citizens to
the elective franchise, Rhode Island ratil-
ed the fifteenth amendment, and secured
the ballot to every negro in every State
and Territory of the Union. But at the
very time that Rhode Island thus declar-
ed in favor of free negro suffrage, it had
in its own constitution provision pro-
scribing its own citizens, duly naturaliz-
ed, who had had the misfortune to be born
abroad and white. Nay, more than this
it was fresh from 4 vote by which it re-
fused to repeal that proscriptive provi-
sion, Of which some Of its people had be-
come ashamed, in view of the fact that its
adopted citizens were first and last in the
fight for the Union on its behalf. Toward
the close of the war, in 1864 this pro-
position was submitted to the people:
''To extend the suffrage to naturalizel citi-
zens who have served honorably in the war
during the rebellion, so AS to permit them to
vote on the same terms as native citizens, waiv-
Ing in their favor the property qualification re-
quired Of other naturazed citzens.''
And it was voted down. Rhode Island
then ratified the fifteenth amendment and
placed her negro population above the
white veterans, citizens, who fought her
battles, III the scale Of political right and
power. Again her Legislature was in
duced to submit the proposition Of equal
entranchSement for white citizen, and
again il is voted down-voted down by u
more decisive negative than before. The
election took place on the 10th, and the re-
suit is as follows-the question being
whether the same political privileges and
rights enjoyed by negroes should be given
TO white citizens-not white men merely,
but white citizens of the State Of Rhode
Island and the United States;
In favor ",lli
Against 6,td6
Majority against ;;.2'2
Or moro than two to one.
Such is the position of the overwhelm-
ingly Republican State Of Rhode Island
on the question Of the equality Of the
white citizen and the negro.
Nor are the Republicans Of Rhode
Island alone in the glory of this re-ailirma-
ton of the proscriptivc provision of Their
constitution. This question attracted at
tention, pending the election, elsewhere,
and the hostility OF the Republican press
of Rhode Island to equal enfranchisement
was general subject of remark and adj
verse criticism in Democratic papers. But
not a single Republican journal within the
limit Of our observe alton raised voice to
favor the measure or to dissuade its par
tisans in Rhode Island from their active
opposition. Not single Republican Jour
nal now makes pretensc of regret at the
result of Mondays vote above recorded.
1t is fair, therefore. TO conclude that Re
publcans in and out Of Rhode Island
agree fully as to the merits Of the propo-
sition settled-settled in that State for a
generation to come.
What 4 commentary is this prescription
v mo >t,t..Llo I,LVu. I-1...lu ,.pOn
the Radical pretensc of equality under
which the fifteenth amendment was car
ried. No State can prescribe 4 negro.
Grace, color, or previous condition Of SER
ytudc' cannot be Disseminated against
But place of birth is left open-was left
open purposelv, as ground for Radical
prescription.