Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-01-10

South, now dominated by the whites,
and that there is no power which
can compel them to ooncede to the
blacks the political rights guaranteed
them by the Constitution. In otaer
words, the ex-Confederates Of the
South, restored to their citizenship by
the magnanimity of the North, and in
possession of all the machinery of local
government, declare their purpose of
sitting the right Of the blacks to vote
while the whites shall continue to enjoy
representation in Congress appor-
toned to them on the basis of the col
ored population; and there is a, a,general
belief that the white people of the
| Northern States have no constitutional
means for protecting themselves from
the manifest injustice of one Southern
white mans vote counting for as much
as the votes of two Northern white
men. "How are you going to help
yourselvesP" and "What are you going
to do about itP'' are the taunts that
come back from the South.
We print elsewhere in this mornings
issue Washington letter to the New
York Tribune, which suggests proper
and lawful remedy. Congress may
take the Congressional elections entirely
out of the hands of the local Govern
ments, and provide for their being con-
Quoted under the immediate supervision
of national officers and agents. While
such change might be regarded as
very radical in this country, it would
simply be the adoption of custom that
prevails in all constitutional Govern
ments. The Empire of Germany has
twenty-five States, which have their
local Legislatures and police laws, but
the elections to the Imperial Parliament,
are governed by national law. France.
has its Departments, which correspond
in many respects to our States, but the
elections to the Assembly are held un-
der the auspices of the Republic. The
present Kingdom of Italy is made up of
several countries that were long separate
and distinct, which still retain their"
local Governments, but the Italian
Chambers are chosen under common
national system. Members of Parlia-
ment in Great Britain are elected under
laws passed by Parliament Already
Congress has exercised its prerogative
of controlling Congressional elections in
many ways. 1t has provided that Sem
ators shall be chosen by joint ballot of
the State Legislatures when the two
Houses fail TO make a choice on sepa-
rate ballots; it has required that all
elections to the National House of Rep
resentativeS shall occur on the same
day, excepting only in States which
would need to adopt special amend
menu to their Constitutions in order to
comply with that direction; it has al
ways reserved the right to Judge of the
election of It's own members; it has di-
rected the appointment in certain cases
of special United States Supervisors for
Congressional elections, who are given
the right of challenging voters and
counting the votes. But it has still
permitted the general control and man
agement of the Congressional elections
to rest with the official machinery of the
! States, and this is the only Government
where the same or q similar practice
prevails. ul sa# .ssaH
The State-Rights Democrats will de-
ny, of course, that any such power is
, vested in Congress, but an analysis of
the Constitution and the judicial inter-
pretations thereof warrants a different
view of the matter. 1t is probable that
, Congress would be held to have this
right by virtue of the Constitution as it
was originally adopted, and without
other pretexts than its own voltlon.
) The section bearing on the case pro-
vides that " the times, places and man
ner of holding elections for Senators
, and Representatives shall be prescribed
. in each State by the Legislature there
, off, but the same section further pro-
! vides that Z" the Congress man at G71y
time by LGIO make or alter such regltLG-s
ton, except as to the places of choosing
Senator'S 1t is under the warrant of
, this provision that Congress has al.
: ready compelled the States to comply
, with certain national requirements;
, and the authority which enabled ma
= tional interference to the extent that it
,, has been made will likewise enable
: Congress to take the supervision of the
!, Congressional election entirely out of
y the hands of the States, and provide
!, that they shall be regulated and con-
, Quoted by the General Government.
If the warrant. of the Constitution
7 for this course were not broad enough
in its original shape, the amendments
4 have made it SO. The Fourteenth
' Amendment provides that no State
J shall deprive any person of life, lib
erty or property without due process of
law, nor deny TO any person a0&htr, ITS
!, jurisdiction the equal protection OF The,
lars" This language in the Magma
: Charta was always held to mean that
= the Government should insure the en-
joyment of the rights guaranteed, and
> not merely refrain from denying these
: rights by the passage of any law. Ii
= the States, or any of them fail to do
4 this, then Congress has the power
: to make the guarantee operative for
y the amendment provides that Z" the
= Congress shall have power to en-
Il force, by appropriate legislation. the
= provisions of this article" This is
equally true of the Fifteenth Amend
C ment, which guarantees that the right
= of citizens to vote "shall not be denied
u or abridged by the United States, or by
! any State, on account of race, color, or
L previous condition of servitude. If,
then, any State fails to protect all its
G citizens in the exercise of this right,
:. Congress has the constitutional warrant
: to adopt such legislation as may enforce
. it. In the case of Congressional elec-
Q tions the most direct and effective
q means for enforcing the rights of citi-
! zens is to enable them to cast their
J. votes without any restraint on. the part
9 of the laws or official machinery of the
local Governments . -
/ This is remedy which still remains
II in the treatment of the practical dis
o reimbursement ofthe blacks at the South.
y If the Democrats sneer at it because the
IS next Congress will be in their hands,
'e we need only remind them that new
Congress will be chosen two years
hence, when new President is To be
- elected, and there is no doHbt as 10
the result if the main issue be whether
a. or not the blacks of the South shall be
Ie permitted to send Representatives to-
l. Congress. This issue can be neither
n suppressed nor confused while thirty