The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-18

was natural, but II was sndiscree, Al TIA.
particular functura II Intensified the pas
sion caused BY the fight between the prezi-
cert and congress, strengthened the Sum
ner and Stevens argument that the ballot
was needed BY the negroes .or fhei- PRO-
lection. and PIT negro suffrage into the
general reconstruction act OF March 2.
1sEs.
When The fourteenth amendment. which
was made an essential part OF TIE general
reeonstruction scheme, was rejected by al
'hs seeded states except Tennessee in ses-
sions OF their legislatures between Novsm-
Ger .. 1856. ard February 6, fss7, all hessa-
ton Ga the part OF any O. the Republicans
10 granting the ballot 70 the black man dis
appeared. The congress:ona! election In
November, Isss. had returned an inmense
republican majority TO congress. In the
senate OF the congress Of Iss7-ss the div.-
sion was a Republicans 70 IL Democrats.
AID in the house II was i4s 10 &C. Accept
ing the election as a popular verde; in IA
FoF OF the radical policy advocated By the
extremists, and angered By the rejection
or the fourteenth amendment by the
south, the Republicans determined to pusl.
impartial suffrage" II was to be pun
into operation la the District % Columbia,
which was subject 70 the direct jurisd.c-
uon q congress. fra. and in the Confsd-
crate states afterward- a bill 10 grant the
ballot III the di=tricr Of Columbia 20 per
sons without distinction on account OF
race or color was vetoed by President
Johnson on January I. iss7 and was passed
over the veto. Senator Sherman, discus-
sing the veto. remarked The president
says this Is not the place for this expert
ment. say il Is the place OF all others.
because. II the negroes here abuse the po-
Atical power we give them, We can with
draw the privilege at any moment" The
privilege was abused. and the ballot was
Withdrawn III 1876. and neither whites nor
blacks have voted in the District OF Column
bia since.
Negro suffrage. which was put in opera-
ton IN the District OF Columbia by being
passed over the veto on January s. iss7.
and which was applied 10 the territories a
ie" weeks later, vas then extended 70 the
seeded states In the general reconsr true
lion bili, which was passed over the presi-
dents veto on March 2. 1867. distinctions
On account OF race and color were aboi-
lshed In ten Of the late Confederate
states lTenness4e had been back In the
Cn4on since July "a. 1ss6. and consequent
~ was not covered by the reconstruction
ac,}. tbs. and the ratification of the
fourteenth amendment, were among the
conditions on wnioh the rSadmissIon of
these states was based. The negro had
how been invested with the ballot by con-
etess 10 the District Of Columbia, the ter
sitories and in ten states. The extremes
Da% determined 10 extend the same privl-
iege over the remainder Of the country
Writing en- April -, 1s67, seven week. At
Ter TIE enactment Of the reconatruction
law. Senator Summer said the North should
be RECONSTRUCTED" also Our co,orea fell
AZ" c.tZshs at the South are already cleo
'o's' ne remarked They will vote at
the presidential election. But why should
they vote al the South and not at the
North? The rule OF justice is the same for
both Their votes are needed al the North
the same as al the South There are
Northern states where their votes can
make The good cause safe beyond cues
ton"
BY the fifteenth amendment the North
Was reconstructed, and the ballot was
given 70 the negro all over the country.
The part ~ the fourteenth amendment
which touches the question of the fran
chis@ was intended TO induce the South Ia
grant the suffrage by stipulating In effect
that states which denied the negro the
right to vote should have their representa-
uon in the house OF repre- sentAtiyes re-
Hucco III proportion tc the number Of Der
sons excluded. The fifteenth amendment
which VAS proposed in congress Fehrtarv
- 1903 and declared in force March 30
1873. took away from the states the right
10 deny this privilege. That amendment
does no. specifically confer the suffrage on
any oue- II prohibits all discrimination
IN the exercise Of the franchise ION ac-
eour; OF race, color or previous condition
Of serViJude" But virtually and indt-
rFctiy, by this stipulation. It gives the ne
gro the ballot.
The experiment u negro suffrage soon
disappointed the hopes Of its advocates. In
the long run II has been harmful Instead Of
heIpfm 10 the negro. taking the race in
the mass. In three states .oulsiaua Mis-.
sissipps ana South CaroI.na-the negroes
ouInnmber The whites IN nearly All +ha
s''cdtd states the negro voters outnum-
btFed the whites IN the early feC0nstruc-
Ncn days. on account Of the Temporary
disfranch.sement Of many IL those who
served in The Confedcracy IN a military or
civd capacity. Ignog mt ana shlft1ess as
tbe negroes last liberated from degrading
bondage necessarily were they quickly f.u
Under he control ~ adventures. many ~
y nom had no regard Tor tho welfare Of The
community I'D which they settled. Exirav-
aSance. corruption snd Immediate ana
immense increase IN taxation vss
ihe result. The inteN{eenea -
property ana The political balsnra
vas 81 IN the hands og the whites
but power VAS welded by the ne
sio"s. 4 quarter II 4 century of the I'M
restricted negro rule which prevailed fer
'"w years after the VAR would have re-
suited IN the virtual or actual conascation
q all the private property in the South.
the DISCRIMINATION - societv af4 IN. al.
vent 81 harbarism ara anarchy.
men came reaction A. . Va.sr the NO
grc MAS effacei. FIRST ~ intimidation ans
violence then by false counts and latter |
". a. in Mississippi. South Carolina and |
LOUISIANA. by legislation which couas,ts |
w'ih The spirit but superneianv conforms |
II the letter of the fourteenth ana eftaao.h |
amendments. louisiana took th4s conrsa |
iaSt winter. WHen u framed IS ilew c3Esf!- |
tution. IN fact tae regulation q the sur !
frage was deemed 50 - :Ae na8st fynuo~fan. |
WORK whl~h the constitutional eonventn, |
had - DO. otaer STATES are ikc-v ~ f,l- |
lo~ the example o. these thrre Al % |
iafn1 ~ "Ai'h ere negro IS large element |
IN the population ulJtmateiy x!n a. this |
These enaetments WIZ undoubtedly etsns |
The supreme SoHrt receDtiy sustained the
y sssssipPl educational qualification. ~ |
which ne negroes age V.3.eI ous The t1ur- |
pose u lae M1sejss A. constitution fran |
sf% 20 exclude t1e negro was freely pro-
cia ned a. the tnle. bar IN Is letter .ne
resurrection makes 10 discrimination against
'h@ negro ~ negro ta. ni's aim ae an