Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-06-04
A LEAF FROM THE HISTORY OF

MT. hODerG Dal6 owen contributes
to the June number of the atlantic
Monthly scrap of political history,
which affords singular illustration of
how great event may hinge upon tri-
fling incidents. In his article, which
he entities Political Results from the
Variolo1d," he explains how a slight
attack of that disease, from which the
late William Pitt Fessenden, of Maine,
suffered in the Spring of 1866, chang
ed the whole complexion of American
politics during the past nine years,
and is apt to exercise its influence for
many years to come. The story is
very curious and interesting. At the
time indicated, says the Charleston
Nea0s and Courier, Mr.. Fessenden
was Chairman of the Committee on
Reconstruction IN the Senate, and
Thaddeus Stevens was Chairman of
the Committee in the House of Repre-
sentatives. The two committees were
very frequently in joint session, and.
in addition to other matters connected
with the reconstruction of the late
Confederate States, had the question
of negro suffrage under consideration.
MIR. Owen says that he proposed to
the Committee an amendment to the
Constitution. providing that no class
OF persons should be denied the right
OF suffrage because of race, color, or
previous condition of servitude' after
July 4, 1876. The idea of the propo-
sition was that tie negroes would be
given the ballot in about ten years
from the date of the ratification of the
amendment, and on the Centennial of
American independence. Mr.. Owens
asserts that his suggestion was favora-
bly, received by very many of the
prominent and influential Republi-
cans. including Henry Wilson, Conk-
ling, Boutwell,, Washburne, Thad-
deus Stevens Mr.. Bingham, of
Ohio, and the then Senator
Howard, of Michigan. All the Re
publican members of the committee
agreed to it, and the amendment, sub
stantially as submitted by Mr.. Owen,
was adopted in committee on Satur-
day, April 81, 1866, and ordered to be
reported to Congress on the following
Monday. Mr.. Fessenden was kept
away from this meeting of the COM
mittee by his illness from varioloid,
and it was suggested that, as he was
Chairman of the Senate Committee, it
would only be courteous to defer final
action until he could be present. No
body but Mr.. Stevens thought there
would be any harm in waiting day or
two, and the committee adjourned
over. He was inclined to object to the
postponement of an important meas
ure on a mere formality, but he
thought that objection would come
with bad grace from him as Chair
man of the House Committee, and &C
cordingly he remained silent. That
loss of few hours was fatal to the
amendment. The sentiment of the
committee and the nature of the pro-
posed legislation had leaked out, and
the timid Republicans at once brought
to bear upon the committee, a press
ure for the suppression of the report.
Negro suffrage was in those DAYS too
advanced position for even good Re-
publicans to occupy, and the end was
that the committee report never saw
the light.
In this way, we are told, the hesita-
ton Of the Republicans in Congress,
who were afraid of negro suffrage ten
years hence, secured it seven years
sooner than was contemplated by MI.
Owens proposition. The effect of Mr..
Fessenden's illness was to postpone the.
proposal of the suffrage amendment
till February 26, 1869, and then it
came in form that gave the negroes
the ballot Immediately upon the rati-
fcation of the amendment.