Year: 1867

From the New York Independent.
SENATE CHAMBER, 10th April, 1867.
My Dear Sir: You wish to have the
North RECONSTRUCTED" SO at least that
it shall cease to deny the elective fran
chise on account of color. But you post
pone the day by insisting on the prelim-
mary of a constitutional amendment.
I know your vows to the good cause /;
but 1 ask you to make haste. We cam
not wait.


OF course, we can always wait for the
needful processes; but there are present
reasons why we should allow no time to
be lost. This question must be settled
without delay. In others words, it must
be settled before the presidential election
which is at hand. Our colorcd fellow
citizens at the South are already voters.
They will vote at the presidential elec-
ton. But why should they vote at the
South, and not at the North? The rule
of justice is the same for both. Their
votes are needed ut the North as we'll as
at the South. There are Northern States
where their votes can make the good
cause safe beyond question. There are
other States where their votes will be
like the last preponderant weight in the
nicely balanced scales. Let our colored
fellow-citizens vote in Maryland, and
the State, now so severely tried, will be
fixed for Human Rights forever. Let
them vote in Pennsylvania, and you
will give more than twenty thousand
votes to the Republican cause Let
them vote in New York, and the scales,
which hang SO doubtful, will incline to
the Republican cause. 1t will be the
same in Connecticut mention these
by way of example. But every where
the old proslavery party will kick the
beam. Let all this be done, say, before
the next presidential election.


Amang the proposed ways of doing it
is q new constitutional amendment
But this is too dilatory. 1t cannot be-
come operative till after the presidential
election. Besides, it is needless. In
stead Of amending the constitution, read
it.


Another way is by moving each State,
and obtaining though local legislation
what is essentially a right Of citizenship.
But this again is too dilatory, while it
turns each State into political m;el-
strom, and submits a question ofnntionM
interest to the chances of local contro-
versy, and the timidity Of local politi-
clans. This will not do. Emancipation
was national act, proceeding from the
National Government, and applicable
to all the States. Enfranchisement,
which is the corollary and completion
of emancipation, must be national act
also, proceeding from the National Gov
ernment, and applicable to all the States.
II it be left to the States individually
the result, besides being tardy, will be
uncertain and fragmentary.


There is another way, which is at
once prompt, energetic and comprehen-
sive. 1t is by act of Congress, adopted
by majority of two-thirds in spite of
a Presidential veto. The time has pass
ed when this power can be questioned.
Congress has already exercised it in the
rebel States. l do not forget its hcsita-
tons. Only year ago, when l insisted
that it must do so, and introduced bill
to this effect, l was answered that a
constitutional amendment was needed,
and / was voted down. A change came,
and in happy moment Congress exer-
cised the power. What patriot questions
it now? But the power is unquestiona-
bly, in the other States also. 1t concerns
the rights Of citizenship, and this subject
is as essentially national as the army or
the navy.


Even without either of the recent con-
stitutional amendments, am at a loss
to understand how denial of the elec-
tive franchise simply Oh account of color
can be otherwise than unconstitutional.
l cannot see how, undera National Con-
stitution which does not contain the
word "white" or "black," ;" there can be
any exclusion OH account of COLOR
There is no such exclusion in the Con-
stitution. Out Of what text is this oil
garchical pretension derived? But, put
ting aside this question, which will be
clearer to the jurists of the next genera
ton than to us, vouch the authorita-
tive words of the Constitution, making
it our duty to guarantee a republican
form Of government in the States. Now
the greatest victory of the war, to which
all other victories, whether in Congress
or on the bloody field, were only tribu-
tary, was the definition of republican
government according to the principles
of the Declaration of independence. \
government which denies the elective
franchise on account of color, or, in
other words, set up any qualifications
of votes in their nature i,asurnaountubte,
cannot be republican; for the first prin-
ciple in a republican government is
equally of rights, according to the prin-
ciples of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. And this definition, insist, is
the crowning result of that war which
beat down the rebellion under its feet.
1t only remains for Congress to enforce
/