Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-04-28
FIFTY YEARS AGO In THE STAR

ever. was left by Congress TO state
Il legislatures and municipal corporations
without the action OF one or the other
Of these bodies II is practically inopera-
of an ordinance securing the enforce
ment OF the law In this city. providing
for the appointment Of an inspector or
kerosene and forbidding the sale. under
composed In any part Of the products OF
petroleum. unless 1t win stand the fro
test OF 10 degrees"
The question OF negro enfrahchiss-
msnt was one Of the most discussed is-
sues Of this time nifty yeaFn
Negro ago. A. the states attacked
w.. the problem. In The star OF
soee. April ~. 1858. 10 . summary
Of the situation In this respect:
AS the states now stand. universal
suffrage for blacks and whites alike
has been established in Maine. New
Hampshire. Vermont. Rhode Island.
Wisconsin and Tennessee by their own
people. In Virginia, the Carolinas,
Georgia, Florida. Alabama. Mississippi.
Arkansas. Louisiana and Texas II has
been established by the existing re-
others the blacks are absolutely dis
qualified from voting. In Ohio. by a
law just enacted. every man who has
any visible admixture of black blood.
cluded from the ballot box. In New
York any black man who owns a free
hold property worth $3.50 may be reg
istered and vote. The question whether
be submitted to the people as sepa-
rate matter at the Same time that they
pass upon the new constitution declared
by the recent convention. But II the
states that have already voted afford
any clear indication of popular senti-
ment. equal suffrage viii be conclusive
ly voted down whenever the electors
of New York are called to act upon it,"
-.
As reconstruction progressed the
states of the south began to resume
their federal status ana
South and to send representatives to
o Congress. In The Star
eoaS'ess' OF April 25. 1853. u q re-
view of the matter of southern rep
resentation:
THE seats vacated by the swayward
sisters in the House and Senate 1T
the outbreak of the rebellion are. after
their long season of dust-covered dis
use, to be nlied once more. tho speaker
will again recognize the member from
South Carolina or the member from
Louisiana as the case may be. and
the significant blank In the Congress
sional Directory will be filled as OF
yore. The senators and representa-
tives elected by the Arkansas legis-
lature under the reconstruction acts
are here ready for admission. which
will be granted SO soon as tho i'm.
peachment question has been disposed
Of The members from South Carolina
will be next knocking at the door OF
Congress. There the new constitution
has been adopted and the legislature
will doubtless accept the amendment
to the Constitution and thus fulfill the
conditions precedent established by
Congress. North Carolina and Loutsi-
ana have adopted their constitutions
and will speedily be putting them
selves in a position to ask for repre-
sentation in Congress. In Alabama and
Georgia the constitutions voted on
have probably been rejscted. The
clause disfranchising men for opinions
sake seems to have defeated the Ala
baIna constitution, and that presented
in Georgia seems to have had many
Objectionable features. The repub-
licans, taught by experience, VIII
doubtless see to it that in the next
essay at reconstruction in these states
the plan of constitution is made suf-
heiently just and fair in its provision
to commend itself to the people"