Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-11-04
SUFFRAGE.-W refer our readers 20 the

abstract Of proceedings Tor The action of the
Convention on this question. The git of
suffrage has always been considered most
important one. The choice of rulers by
the government is tie g,eat distinct on be-
tween The foeman and The sarf, and is
therefore a right detcrminedIy 10 be sought
after, and jealousy 10 be guarded. We
cannot believe with one member of the
Convention 1--WE forget now what one) hat
it is not right but simply privilege 10 be
conferred at The discretion OF the majority.
We think i; right Of all who are affected
by the government. % have q voice IN its
formation and administration. Oar govern
menl and laws have very great effect, Of
course, in influencing he ch rae or and NOR
as Of The people who I've under them; and
when we deny 10 every member of society
Il voice in ter formation, we take away
bis free agency ia manner, and assume n
responsibility with reg1rd to him, ihat is
moi desirable and 10 hich we hove no right
Our own views have a,ways been Of most
liberal Mind towards foreigners. We have
no lau't 10 find with the action Of the con-
vcn'ion in this respect; sill he most we
should equi'e Of The foreigner ari.' ng on
our shores, would be rs 10 Whether ne de.
signed TO become permanent resident o.
oar soil. That answered cfiirmat ivcly, we
shopld admit him to al the rights OF citizen
ship; admit him at once TO voice in that
go'eInmcn, which affected him from The
moment OF his arrival. The idea Of danger
from this cause is not wothy Of considcra>
ton. Tor II IS prcpostcrous 10 suppose that
men who have been compelled by tyranny to
leave their alive soil ale willingly and yol
unfairly going 10 impose on themselves the
same evils fom which they have Just csca.
ped, and rs TO the knowledge necessary to
understand our insiiu ions, it is not laugh;
i'll books nor schools, but comes directly
from the great author Of man, TO the heart
Of man, aud can be learned as well on the
soil of Europe as America. Our fathers
took their first and most effective lessons.
when under the dom Mon ofGreat Brila r;
and Great Britain has not yet exhausted her
teachings in this respect.
But the action Of tho Convention. with
regard TO negro suffrage we do not approve
ct. The principle that leads us to extend TO
every one who has attained The proper age,
voice III the lorna ZION OF The government
under which he lives, and which has lis in.
iluencs on his morals and character, does
not restrict The negro from this privilege.
We 90 not subscribe to the idea that The
negro is not Il man--Gor on no other ground
that we can conceive Of can he with any
shPdow Of proprlety be restricted Of this
right. He walks upright and talks. He
apparently is possessed Of The same mo ives,
and animated by the same desires and pas.
sons which Influence the rest OF mankind.
lie accumul4tes prope IS, and we take it
for the support Of government as we do that
OF othc1s; We punish him for infections of
the, laws. thereby achnoN lodging him an
accountable creature; and we doubt not on
the great day he viii stand al the same oar
to he Judged by the same Judge; and when
there we for one, don't want TO answer not
only for ourSelf but for him too. in that we
made laws TO degrade and Cypress and per-
w ri nd l..
all those duties of society growing out of
laws, which are burdensome--of which
plying taxes is the chief, We arc all willing
10 acknowledge the negro just as much
man as the rest Of us, but when il comes to
those agreeable and manly duties for the en-.
Joyment OF which the dislgteeahe duties
are cheeirully borne, We cut him offal once,
saying he shall have none OF them. Ii is
poss bic i may be GIT; it IS possible also
II may be democratic, buj if so, our ideas
Of right and democracy have been sadly at
fault all our life. We speak for oursef a.
lona IN this matter. Members Of lie Con.
Yenlon from the east and the west, appear
ed to be united in the opinion that a larce
majority of the people were opposed to ne
gro suffrage, and it may possibly be The
case. The members from our county how.
ever, we apprehcud must have git their
light after their auival at The scat of govern.
mont, for some Of them were elected. If
not on the ground, at least with The belief
that they were in favor of the proposition.
We listened only last winter TO most elo-
quent speech of Marshall NJ Strong, in ia,
vor of a similar proposition, and we know
that when he was elected The people were
not aware ofhis change of yiews in this lie.
spec'. We thought then the arguments he
ns-d were unanswerable, and they tended
much TO deepen our own convictions on the
subject, and We are really curious to know
how be answers them himself. in his new
position. We ate surprised at the sma.lness
Of the vote in favor of the proposition. and
we were not less surprised 10 find no, one