The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-10-31 00:00:00

REV. HENRY WARD BEECHER ON THE

SUFFRAGE.

In an able speech on the subject of the Presidential
election, which now engrosses public attention in
America, the Rev. Mr. Beecher thus expresses himself
on the suffrage question :
But it is said that, while the black people should have their
political rights preserved, they are not fit for the exercise of
suffrage. I have never had a doubt that suffrage is best for
thesis. Suffrage is best for every man, and for every woman
as well as man. It belongs to every creature in society that
Is competent to think, to choose, to be responsible
before God and before men for his moral character and
his actions. It is as broad as humanity ; and to say the
blacks are not fitted for it no man is fitted for it until
he has exercised it. Why, voting wisely comes froin
voting often. Voting right comes front the education
which the duty of voting Miloses mi men. Voting
right does not belong to the colour of the skin It does not
belong to nationality. It does not belong to any particular
faith. It springs out of the WibiOM of that self-love which
God has given to every single living man. It is the same in
one as in another. I know people say men should be edu-
cated to vote. I any nothing educates men to vote; but if
they are not intelligent. this lithe opening of a door towards
it. Can a man arm his rifle often without learning to aim it
well? in the very blunders that he makes, in the very misses
he marks upon the board, he fa being trained. Do you sup-
pose that those haugly candidatea of the South would
trouble themselves to "tour into the black ear the reasons
against such and such policies, if it were not that those
black men carry the talisman of a vote? Why, I tell you
that the vote makes men orators. I tell you that a vote
turna all politicians into schoolmaster. A vote makes
men in the South professors in black universities, as it were ;
and W. you give the black man a vote, you make every
politician interested in that maill voting, :did willing and
anxious to explain to him Ids side and his cause. Who
before thought it worth while to explain to Pompey or Cuffee
anything about laws or principles of government I Now they
RIO all their confreres are hearing wonderful things about
the best laws and principles and inethods of government. Is
not that education? It is the vote which is to educate
these men ars well as the schoolhouse. And the vote will
always bring the schoolhouse, and the schoolhouse will
always bring the Church, and the Church will always pro-
mote the right use ot both, and conserve that liberty which
has created it. We have begun to find out that, niany as
are the evils which are incidental to suffrage, yet that the ,
good that is in it is far disproportionate to any evils ihat
are incident to it. We have borne emigrant voting: lilt
hard fur the South to bear negro voting ? It certainly is
very annoying to me, here in my own native land, to hear
an unqualified son of Erin declare that I 'ought to be
hanged on the nearest tree" for my polities; but I have
learned to bear it, anti it does not hurt me. Why? Because
such men know not what manner of spirit they are of. I
know this untamed zeal is a part of the great fermentation
, g. • •.. . 7 ! '-therm'
fluences, we are making out of these emigrants, whom we
originally did not wish to vote, most worthy citiaens. We
have teamed that it is not for the time being joyous, but a
grievoua thing, yet in the end it does work out peaceable
, fruits in them that are exercised thereby,