Year: 1866

any corresponding advantages As patriots and states
men they are coming 70 have proper regard for the
subjects OF vital interest," and 10 carefully scrutnze the
principles and motives Of their own action These are
nd the ondae o %
body.


RESTRICTIONS OF THE PRIVILEGE.


Il is pretty definitely settled that among the amend
ments kely to be submitted to the Senate the following
will be prominent TO restrict negro suffrage TO such
can read articles from the constitution OF
the United States to such as can read and can
dcaton Of the clerk Of elections or some person desg
mated by law write in legible hand the oath they will
be required TO ke to such possessed Of two hun
dred and fifty dollars worth OF real property subject to
taxation and possibly to such have borne arms in the
Such Senators Doolittle Dixon and Fessenden are
believed to warmly hyor one or all of these provisions,
may be eced stscory to all With tSese s
tons Is believed that the President would approve the
BILL Without them sagacious men Of nearly all shades
President and Congress is imminent II governed by
party considerations alone, the republicans will delay or
postpone final action on the subject until tho last poss
pie moment II honeSy derous or restoring the Union
in fact as IL is In name and removing all misapprehen
sons in the public mind, both North and South they
moderation and pass in such form TO not drive from
them all the conservative strength Of the country and
call down upon the measure Presidential negative.


One week its by both branches OF Congress
was considered equivalent TO its becoming law No
scarcely seemed to think veto within the range Of pos
sbilties Radical republicans would snap their fingers
contemptuously at the bare suggestion by any one
They spoke dehantly OF the President, his admnisra-
ton political influence and public patronage. To hear
them at that time was to believe they desired nothing
more than 10 force themselves and the
President and bring him to the feet of the radicals
where he properly belonged and TO thereby compel him
to train at the tail end OF the republican party until
the next Presidential election. But change rs
already visible They have lost much Of their
swaggering confidence. They will patiently listen
TO the reasonable opinions Of Others that they might
be able 10 pass obnoxious measure veto, and
that In quarrel between themselves and the admnisra
ton they might not come OFF uneCQtlled.


AS the bill Is Of the important submitted
TO Congress- and may possibly pass the Senate II
from the House II becomes matter Of great public in
terest TO know what the Presidential action would be In
that event. This only be inferred In the future from
raised In the democratic school OF politics. and
has always prided himself representing the
people, and springmg from them. He Is In
every sense peoples man as emphatically
great leader the country has produced. He early
espoused Slate rights legitimacy and popular soye-
regnty He has constantly asserted and reiterated tho
right OF the eope of each State to regulate their does
tic concerns, including the right of suffrage, IN their
own way subject only 10 tho constitution OF the United
STATES He undoubtedly considers the people Of the
District OF Columbia fully entitled To regulate the
question OF suffrage within their domain as the peo
pie OF state or Territory All his past acts aud profess
sions the belief that he viii any
universally obnoxious TO those nearly interested
as this upamcndcd bill would be TO the people Of this
District.


atey pressed upon this BILL but that scheme will
be submitted TO take the whole question OF negro suf
frage for this District out OF Congress- II may In
the form OF proposition 10 appoint commission TO
govern the District composed Of ten or fifteen members
even one from each State. This would remove tho
present danger of disruption In tho republican party.
aaorl easy and fair ground OF compromise, and
would probably receive Presidential favor.