The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-12-09

SATURDAY ....... DECEMBER Q. 1876.
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A Republican Paper Answers Edmunds.
The New York Times, Republican
paper not suspected OF any scrnples or fas-
tidiousness, assails and completely upsets
that part OF Senator EDNuNps's resolutions
which looks TO diminusion Of the repre-
sentation OF States where from any csuse
black voters do not cast their votes. The
Tines makes it more . question Of expedi-
ency than law, but stamps shc movement as
unconstitutional as wei, as impractical.
Senator EDNrSDs's resolution reads as fol-
lows
RESOLVED, That the Committee on Priyt-
leges and Elections when appointed, be,
and it hereby is, instructed to inquire and re-
port as soon as may be-
/. Whether in any of the elections named
In said amendment in said States, IN the
years 1876 or 1876, the right Of any portion
Of such Inhabitants and citizens to vote as
aforesaid has been in any wise denied or
abridged.
.. To what extent such denial or abridge-
ment has been carried.
5. BY what means such denial or abridge-
ment has been accomplished.
4. BY whom has such denial or abridge-
ment been effected. @
8. With what motives aad for what pur-
poses has such denial or abridgement been
carried on.
G. BY what authority, or pretended au-
thority, has such denial or abridgement been
exercised.
The Times. in its criticism, declares the
theory developed in the resolution dam
gerous. 1t would, it says, "put club in
the hands OF the Democrats to beat ont our
own brains" How prone are the leading
Radical papers to look at oil matters OF pub
lie concern with reference to their bearing
npon the Republican party. OF course it
says, as all such papers do, that the Demo-
!, erats are dishonest, and avail themselves of
every example set Ivy the Republicans to
iniure them. The Times thus disposes OF
Senator EpAUNDs's resolution: .r,.ls..
"It was decided by the fourteenth amend
sment that il these States would not give the
blacks the suffrage they should lose so much
of their representation in Congress and the
Electoral College as had been previously
D1ScV OIh tucH gropuiatAOus
were promised that that portion OF their
representation should be increased by two
thirds If they would give the vote to the
negroes. Under this amendment it be-
comes the duty OF Congress to distribute
representation according as the right
Of suffrage was extended and en-
joyed or denied and abridged in each
State. The question then arises, How is
Congress to ascertain that fact? Is it to be
by consulting the laws OF the several States
regarding the suffrage, or by an examination
OF the proportion OF citizens who actually
vote ut any given election! Our own opin-
ion is decided that it was by the former
method, and by that alone, and that any re-
sort to the second method would be estab-
fishing Il dangerous precedent, and wrestling
the provisions OF the Constitutionfrom their
proper meaning in n most harmful manner.
The extent to which suffrage is denied
OF abridged by law can be definitely ascer-
tanned and precisely stated. Nothing Is left
to the discretion OF Congress. The terms
OF denial or abridgment IRE on the statute
book OF the State; the number OF citizens
otherwise qualified to which they apply can
be enumerated, and the application OF the
Constitution becomes a matter OF simple
mathematical calculation. But If Congress
is to take account of the number Of persons
who do not vote, and to determine why
they did not vote, ut any specified election,
and is to be guided thereby in fixing the
number OF representatives, it is plain that
their powers can be tremendously abused.
at would be impossible for Congress,
however honest its intent, to ascertain eX-
aetly the number Of citizens whose right OF
suffrage was involuntarily abridged. The
motives which influence the exercise OF that
right are numerous, complex, underlined,
and often indirect. 1t may be surrendered
from indifference, or from bribery, or from
fear. If Congress is to assume the power
OF saying which Of these motives operated
in any given case, and how many men were
affected, no power exists anywhere to re-
view or correct its decision, and an evil
disposed, partisan body might easily perpe-
trate all outrageous abuse in this way"
Senator EDMUNDs is a good lawyer, and no
doubt knows all that the Times says to be
true. But Senator EDMUNDs is not after
law. He is helping to educate the people
into submission. This negrophilism-this
nosing out intimidation, &c.,-is to rein
flame fanaticism and sectional bitterness.
EDMUSDs knows that is all that can be ac-
complished by his motion, and that is all he
hopes to accomplish. To infiame the North,
Justify the usurpations of GRANT on the
ground that they were necessary to protect
the negro in his rights, and to recover the
negro vote for the Radical party-that is
what Mr.. EDMUNDs wants to do. Nothing
else. ''hs ......