New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-06-02
Tbe Suffrage Question.

Tbe Suffrage Question.
We meet with now and then a Wing who &c
costs Us in Some such fashion ns this; w eli, have
you got enough Of Niger Suffrage nor You
see it has lost the State Convention Our
answer ia substance is that il is by no means abso-
lutely certain that should have carried the Con-
vention the Suffrage question had not been raised
neither is it decided tba,a Wing majority in the
Convention would have operated TO our advantage
as party. The most important Reforms must have
prevailed whichever party had the most Delegates
in the Convention. There are some others which
ought to be carried, and we hope will yet. which
would have been sturdily opposed on the popular
ratification If the Convention had been Wing. Now
if they arc adopted and submitted, they will be
voted upon by the People with far less prejudice
than they would have been il submitted under
Wing auspices And while il is certain that The
Wings lost several Delegates by reason OF the yell
raised against Nggers, We DO not consider /, Ger
tain that they would have had the Convention had
no question arisen respecting Black Suffrage.
Bat let grant all the premises nssumed-thal
the establishment of Universal Suffrage regardless
Of Color is unpopular that this was the cause OF ihS
Wing defeat ia our Delegate Election and that such
defeat was disastrous and deporable, we still say
that the Extension and Equalization Of Suffrage
ought 10 be sustained to tho ond with unfinching
fidelity aud energy.
Our fundamental assumption on this as on all
great questions involving Equity and Morals is that
Of the existence Of Omnipotent Wisdom and JUS
iice Concede this. and there remains nc room 10
doubt the absolute Expedienccy Of doing Right in
all cases Once determine that one side Of qucs-
ton is tho right side, aud Ii can no longer be main
tanned with that to go far the other way is
expedient. 1t may often be expedient but not es-
sentia to take this that road toward one point of
destination but if there 30 in the Universe any
power more Divine than that which distributes Col.
lectorships &c tho Right must be the Expedent in
the end.
Now it strikes us rs one Of the PLANES, PROPOSE.
tons conceivable that the denial of the Right of
Suffrage to educated, moral enlightened citizen.
while il is conceded to thousands VIGOROUSLY gno.
rant, vicious and drunken, is fragrant and palpable
wrong TO the Dsfranohised and mischief TO the com.
muuity, which is entitled 10 the benefit of all the
wisdom which oil its members can bring 10 it's ser
vice. Unless it can DO shown that all White men
are virtuous and competent TO pass Judgment on
great questions of State, and that no Black men
so-and surely no man ever did or could pretend
this-thcn 1t il clear tina, Constitutional denial TO
Black men, as such of Political Rights freely Sc
cured TO White men, Is monstrously unjust and
irrational.
Assuming then, that the Convention cauno, fail 10
submit TO the People the question of Universal and
Equal Sufrasc-for the LocoFocos will do thi. in
tho expectation OF making capital out of the anti
clio E,r hat, ,;ota
that every Just and good man. of whatever party,
should do his utmost the extension of Equal
Rights TO all.
But this will give the State TO the Loco Focos.
How do you know The question will be voted
on separately from all others, and will stand or fall
IN the People shall decide. Admit that some Wings
are opposed Black Suffrage and will vote against
1t, what pretext viii that give them for quitting the
Wing party All manner of spill, votes will be
on the Convention question, We presume by both
parties and will any Wig become Loco. Foco by
voting against the mass of Wings on one question
when he will naturally vote with them on a dozen
olhersl
But admit that some have been will be turned
agans, us by this question: wha, thepl VIII no,
some be repealed from as by taking the opposite
coureei Surely so. and no, few only. We should
lose by recrcsncy more than by manly straight
forward course
In no event we be the only losers by this ques
ton though our loss may be the more immediate and
pslpable The impudent counterfeit which Cor.
rupts aud deudes by wholesale under The name Of
Democracy will be eaectually unmasked to thou
sands by this years action with regard 10 Suffrage
To s,igmalize as Federal Arstocrats the party
which is struggling to extend equal Political Rights
to poor, despised class OF our populatcs, while
the adverse party is lauded distnctiveiy Demo
cratic, Ia an outrage common sense and the Die.
tionary so gross hata mast be seen through BY all
but the most ignorant md bigo,ed, VIE believe
there are hundreds OF youth now o. soon 10 become
voters who will be led 10 see through the chea, BY
this question, who might Otherwise have aoa,ed
with the needless current. Wherever there j. n
thinking man justly entitled 10 tho designation
Democrat. there is one who, ifnot hitherto w hi,
is likely coon 10 become so.
We say, then, Be of good cheer. Friends of u nj.
ye.ssl Suffrase and Struggle mantuily TO the end
We mar be beaten on this question, and still sue
ceed in securing many valuable Reforms by means
oft. We may at any rate Do RIGHT. and that is
always sure of its reward Greatly TO resolve TO do
this without rge.d to probable consequences Is CT
itself victory. more important than any Marenso
q, Waterloo Let US determine that this triumph
Of least shall be ours.