New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-20

doctrine ia that freedom is the natural right OF all men,
but that intelligence ought To accompany the exercise
of every civil franchise From the beginning popular
education has been considered the indispensable basis
of our nstituions-the one thing absolutely essential
10 their security.
mo negroes" it seems, " have settled, or
ever will SETTLE" in Montana: what, then, but
the meanest and most malignant "fanaticism "
can require their perpetual disfranchisement in
an Ordinance providing for the government OF
that Territory? What sense in specially deny
ing them the Right of Suffrage where there is
not one of them to exercise or claim it! Why
single them out for prescription at moment
when One Hundred and Thirty Thousand OF
them are offering their breasts as a rampant for
the National integrity, and pouring out their
blood to save the National life ! The Cal
mucks the Lappcs, the Fcllahs, are probably
even less intelligent with regard to our politics
than the Negroes and Mulattoes born among
and fighting for us; yet it Is not deemed
necessary in organizing Montana, to bar the
approach Of any of these to the balot-box: why,
then. prohibit voting by negroes in Terriory
where there are and will be no negroes to vote :
The desperately fighting Rebel of to-day may
| lay aside his arms, migrate to Montana, and be-
come forthwith one of her electors; but the
black man who fights for the Union is warned
| by statute that he can only follow, at the close
of the war, on condition Of perpetual disfran-
chisemcut and vassalage. Is it patriotism or
faction that insists on cnactng and blazonlng
this at PRESENT. What good end IL suoserved
| by such actionl What necessity commands IL
The Times dispels all the real difficulty that
can be conceived in the premises by asserting
that 1.-THE true republican doctrine Is, that
Freedom is the natural right of all men, but
that Intelligence ought to accompany I've
would rather say, precede and justify the ex-
ercise of every civil franchise" Then why not
solve the whole problem by simply giving the
right of suffrage to all who can intelllgently
read Massachusetts, says The Times, does
this. and thereby withholds the suffrage from
| illterate, ignorant negroes and from illiterate,
ignorant Whites as well. The rule certainly
works well there; the untaught, benighted ne
grocs do not complain; and, so long as
they are satisfied, the educated, intelligent
Whites surely ought to be. Say to the
Just liberated slave, "You cannot vote
yet, because of your ignorance; but qualify
yourself by learning to read, and you shall
have the same rights with Others" and you
supply him with motive for study and intel
lectual culture, and you strongly incite him to
seek and strive for the education Of his children.
And not he only, but other illiterate, benighted
persons are likewise stimulated to energy and
diligence in the pursuit Of rudimental knowl'
edge But those whose battle The Tmos fights
insist that Blacks shall never vote, though
learned and intelligent as Humboldt, while they
would guarantee the Right of Suffrage to all
Whites though they willfully, obstinately re-
Ease to learn 10 read. We beg The Times Il
reconsider this whole matter, eschew all
"ianaticism," and throw its weight into The
scale Of Justice, Honor, Patriotism and Com
mon Sense.