New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-08-11
Political Franchises.


corresnondent, whose letter we have ms
laid, asks us to state how, IN our opinion CESS
deprived of any or of lis Just and proper weight
in the Political Government ola country or State
i. to obtain that equality Of rights which 1t de-
sires
The case here put IL not without difhculty'
when TIE class in question IS one as powefess'
immediately and prospectvely, as the Aiilcan
population OF this and other States where Color
is made touchstone OF Political Franchise. In
such cases.. az the existing restriction is based
and only justl6able on the presumpllon that the
excluded class is destitute c; lie requisite capa.
city, intelligence ard virtue to use the Right Of
Suffrage benefcialiy and safely for the public We
than to labor earnestly and generally to ditfuse
among all It's members the elements of higher
Moral ard intellectual culture, rcpressing crime
vice, intemperance, and dispelling ignorance, IN.
til the voting class shall see and acknowledge
that these are worthy of Political franchises
that to withhold them Is % deprive the commu,
nifty Of the counsel and judgement Of valuable
nembcrs-and 50 the ExtensionSf Suffrage be
voluntarily and heartily conceded. This course
may be slow, but it is sure.
The case Of class excluded merely By Pro-
perty Qualification is by no means of equal dltil-
Guilty. Here slender barrier divides the voting
from the non.voting class-a barrier which hun
dreds yearly arc passing. The non-voter OF to-day
becomes legal voter tomorrow. adding TO the
purpose he before cherished the power TO render
himself felt. In Rhode Island the Qualification
was the possession of 1874 worth OF uAncum-
bered Real Estate, which there were at all tunes
probably one thousand non-voters who could OBJ
tain at any moment they chose. This thousand
non-voters, backed by the demand for more
liberal Suffrage, could hold the balance OF power
between the old Political pattes, and, by voting
for the candidates of whichever appeared the more
favorable 10 their views, conld compel the required
Extension in very few years.
This result we regard as inevitable. Even
where no direct Political barrier exists, and nc
capacity to acquire it under the existing Constl-
ton, as in the case of Women, we have not a
doubt that they could achieve for themselves the
Right of Suffrage within five years If the great
body of them thought proper to demand 1t, how.
ever strong the original rcpugnance Of the voting
class. There is much power beside that evinced
through the ballot-box.
We greatly prefer, however, that course in the
achievement of Constitutional changes which
leaves farthest out Of sight all idea Of constraint
or intimidation. If the non-voters of a State,
regarding the restriction as grievance and a
public injury, would but universally petition for
an Extension of Suffrage, and rest satisfied with
bringing the subject before each sue
cessive Legislature, using none other than the
words of persuasion and kindness, appealing only
to the sense of Justice, never to the fears the
passions of those who hold power we have not a
doubt that the result desired would soon be OBJ
tanned. Where the Freedom of Speech, of Peti-
ton, of Peacefully Assembling, is guaranteed,
the restriction of the Right of Suffrage will be
found practically ineffective and ilittc account.