The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-03-15
THE WORD WHITE.

| Remarks Oh SOf. AteXHuueE nOuFOc,
of Hampshire County, I'm the Con.
stitu,ionaI Convention, February
IL, 1872.
The substitute to the first section OF
article 5 of the report OF the Committee
on the Bill OF Rights, offered by Mr..
Maslin, Of Hardy, in Committee Of the
Whole, providing for the insertion OF the
word white" among the qualifications
of voters, being under consideration,
Colonel Monroe, OF Hampshire, said:
MR. CHAIRMAN-I have. so far been
content with giving silent vote on all
subjects before the committee, and l
now only ask its indulgence for a few
moments to enable me TO give my rea-
sons for voting for the first clause Of the
substitute offered by the gentleman
from Hardy. / wish my position in
voting for the word white to be under
stood. | offer no resistance to the Eff
teenth amendment, neither will | say
anything about the means resorted to
to induce its adoption Mr.. Chairman,
must confess that am overwhelmed
with surprise to see such violent oppo-
sition to the proposed amendment
coming from the quarter that 1t does.
| had supposed, sir. that every gentle
| man upon this floor, except he believed
in the political equality of the races as
an original proposition, would willingly
declare to the world the principles con-
tanned in the amendment. What is in
it, ask, Of which the most jealous and
devoted loyal man can complain? 1t
emphalically acknowledges the Constl-
tuition of the United States to be the
supreme law OF the land, and offers no
resistance thereto; but on the contrary,
declares in unmistakable terms, perfect
obedience to its provisions.
The most that can be in it, or made
out OF it is, that it gives to every one an
opportunity Of saying in whose hands
he is most willing to entrust the honor
and prosperity Of our beloved little
State. Can there be anything wrong in
that! Sir, | sincerel Y believe that the
amendment expresses the true sentl'
ment of nineteen twentieths OF the peo-
pie OF this State Sir, how was this
new element Of suffrage thrust upon US ?
Will any man upon this floor say that it
was fairly ard honorably done, while
twenty thousand freemen were disran-
chised, and could have no voice in the
mater; or that its adoption expresses
the true sentiment OF majority of the
people. No, sir; no man can conscien-
tously say so. Much has been said
about the adoption OF the Flick amend
ment. Now, sir, what did that prove ?
answer nothing, only that majority
OF the people Of the State were in favor
Of enfranchising the white man. The
reimbursement of the negro was no
part of the consideration, tor his right
to vote was as firmly secured to him as
was tue right to Governor Foreman,
independent of anything the people Of
the State could do or say in the prem
Uses. What, | ask, is there connected
with the birth, parentage or history o.
this Fifteenth Amendment that has so
sanctitied that cursed is he who
dares to insinuate that he might prefer
something? Were its parents SO holy,
its nurses who nourlshed and rocked 50
immaculate that none but the chosen
few dare speak Of it
1t seems, Mr.. Chairman, that some
gentlemen here consider it the Ark of
the Covenant, and that death is the
penalty for any man who dared lay his
finger, except he be one of the High
Priests OF the Holy Order of the Priest
hood of Ulysses. But l assure the
gentleman that | think they have mis-
taken PandOra's box for the Ark Of the
Covenant.
In the name OF heaven has it come
to this, that in this Republican Govern
ment of boosted liberty, sovereign
State of this Union in Convention
assembled dare not express an opinion
on a matter purely political, pertaining
exclusively to her own Internal policy.
If such is the case, say down with the
hollow name OF Republican freedom,
and give us Car, Emperor, Sultan or
anything else you please Cast away
the deceitful name of Republican
liberty; let it die upon the winds by
word, and reproach upon our fathers.
Sir, it something unseen has rendered
this ark so sacred and holy that gentle
hands dare not touch it, III pass it by
and content myself with taking hold of
its progeny, as | presume it cannot be
pretended that the same holiness at
taches TO its offspring What, sir, has
been the natural results Of this Fifteenth
amendment to the Constitution? We
need only to turn our eyes toward our
old mother in chains. God bless her;
that grand, noble and patriotic old
Commonwealth, who furnished the
world with its Washington and this
continent with its brightest orators, its
wiSeSt and pureSt statesmen. Go now
to her legislative halls and see the seats
once filled with her Heurys, her Lees,
her Jeffersons and Madisous, whose
eloquence charmed the listening ear OF
Senates now occupied by hali.civilized
BARRIERS, tiddlers and bootblacks. And
now, when her glory and strength have
departed and the weeping willows of
adversely mournfully casting their dark
shadows upon her may not her youngest
daughter, the child of her old age, on
this the first occasion ever offered to her
gently incline her head towards her,
heave one sigh of pity for her tate and
meekly whisper, Mother, your degreda'
ton is no fault OF mine. Sir, in sadness
we turn our eyes to the South and there
see our proud chivalrous sisters degra-
ded, down trodden aud bankrupt;
virtue, learning and christianity. dragged
down from the bench Of justice, aud
vice ignored and licenriousness elevated
| in their stead and all that was venerable