The National tribune., 1904-01-28

a bill accompanies the request. 1t asks
for salary of $1,000 for the Minister
and $500 to defray the expenses Of the
Legation.
OF course. it was bound to come! Some
body flies into print to express his regret
that a Unitarian should have been elected
Chaplain of the United States Senate. 1T
is hardly in accord with the spirit and
honor of Christian Nation" declares this
writer. Well, maybe it isn't, but in q
country which has lat chartered" reli-
gions, it looks as though somebody was
bound to be dispieased unless the Senate
elects 147 Chaplains. Ii it rs any sort
of salve to the aching heart of the ultra
orthodox brother, the information is will
lingly given him that DIR. Hale's Unitari-
anism isn't going to hurt any one to an
appreciable degree, because you could
count on the fingers of one hand the aver
age attendance on the morning prayer in
the Senate.
The United States Government has just
come into possession of the letters and
papers of Martin Van Buren,, eighth Presi-
dent of the United States. The collec-
ton, which is of great historical value,
is the gift Of Mrs. Smith T. Van Buren,, of
Fishkill. N. Y, widow of the third son of
Mr.. Van Buren's career as Attorney-Gen-
eral Of New York. his Senatorship, his
mission to England, and his Presidency.
Inasmuch as none Of the private cores
pondence has been used by any biographer,
it is believed that the material will throw
much light upon Mr.. Van Buren's politi-
cal views and conduct. But whoever edits
them doesn't want to take all the life and
value out of them as Sparks did out of the
letters of Washington.
The collection is particularly rich in New
York State politics, which at that period
were very important in their influence
upon National affairs. 1t includes a re-
markable series of letters which passed
between Andrew Jackson and Martin Van
Buren,. They begin while Jackson was
President and continue to the year of his
death. The political intimacy of Jackson
and Van Buren, is, of course, a matter Of
great historical consequence, and the let
tiers are, many OF them, very free in their
comment on men and measures. BY them
selves these letters form most note
worthy collection and are of particular
value in connection with the papers of
Andrew Jackson, which were presented to
the Library during the past year by the
children of Montgomery Blair.
Another interesting feature of the col
lection is an autobiography still in manu-
script Except six folio voiumes) begun by
Mr.. Van Buren, when he was Il years of
age. It covers his life to about the year
1888, and is in the nature of defense of
his political conduct, ofywhich there had
been fierce criticism, and history Of
political parties in which he had always
taken a great interest. This autobiog-
raphy has never been printed nor has it
been accessible to his biographers. In
all the collection numbers between ], 400
and 1880 pieces.
. The Van Buren, autobiography, il pub
lished, will add much to the history Of
Mr.. Van Buren's time, il he has not done
as so many public men have done, tried
to gloss over and excuse mistakes which
are so patent that no apology will ever
smooth out their wrinkles.
And maybe Rome isn't bowling now!
Senator Quay has introduced his State
hood bill, proposing to make Indian Ter
ritory and Oklahoma one State. Nobody
objects very seriously to that, but there
is clause which is very seriously OBJ
jected to by the Southern Senators.
The fifth section OF Mr.. Quay's bill pro-
shall never enact any law restricting or
abridging the right Of suffrage on account
OF race, color, or previous condition of
seryitude, nor shall any educational quail
fication ever be imposed on the right of
suffrage"
In the opinion of many, Senator Ouay's
bill goes too far. And when Democratic
Senator's get busy, with it, there is no
knowing what will happen, but il they can
get majority vote, all after the enacting
clause will be stricken out. The condi-s
tons in these two Territories are pecu-
liar. Oklahoma is largely settled up by
people of Southern extraction, and they
have no use for the negro politically There
are towns in Oklahoma whose charters
forever debar negroes from acquiring prop
erty or a right to vote in them. Indian
Territory has very large population Of ne
groes, large percentage of mixed blood
of Indian and negro. Mr. Quay's bill will
permit the negro blood to control Okla
noma IN a very few years, so Southern
Senators think.
Should Mr.. Quay's bill be reported ia
vorably, it is problem what the South
ern Senators will do. The strength for
this Statehood bill has been in the South
ern vote, for it has been thought that the
State as they intended to have it made
would be Democratic. With Senator
Quay's fifth section incorporated, it is not
difficult to prognosticate what will hap
pen.
Mr. Quay's bill harks US back to the
Wilmot proyise Of 1916, which so teased
and tormented the Democrats in the adj
mission Of States formed from the Louis
lana Territory purchase and the States
formed of the purchase from Mexico. And
it wasn't the Wilmot idea, after all, but
was as old as the United States Govern
ment. being the Ordinance of 1887, which
prohibited slavery in the Northwest Ter
ritory.
Read the section Of Mr.. Quay's bill
again, and then read this: provided. that
neither slavery nor involuntary servitude
shall ever exist in any part OF said terri
tory, except for the punishment for crime.
whereof the party shall first be duly con-
victed."
Qnery? Is Mr.eQuny going to insist on
the Quay proviso' being tackled onto
Statehood bill? liz 50, Statehood has lost
the Democratic support. II is openly
stated that the Democrats hoped to make
States out OF the Territories with Consti-
tutions that would bar the 'illiterate.
vote. and thus cunningiy bar the negro