Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-07-27
Negro Suffrage.

i
An officer of the army writes the In.
dianapolis Journal his views on the
question of negro suffrage as follows.
Without endorsing them throughout, we
think they are worthy OF consideration
IEDIASAPoLIs, ISD., July %, 1865.
Ed tors Indianapolis J0urnaI;rsl.
GEETLEMEE-I observe in your Satur-
days issue an article from q queFisk
who wants eight questions answered in
references; to negro suffrage.
l will dispose. Of all of them ct once
By assuming that manhood is, or should
be, the only test of voting capacity in 3
strictly republican government, which.
ours assumes to be. y sd 4cl
When sufficient loyalty and intefii-
gence exists among a people or race, to
enable that race in q contest for freedom
to choose the right side aud fight for It,
even TO the death, as the negro has done
for this Government, his intelligenee to
vote right, could not, it would seem, be
seriously questioned.
Nothing would be more absurd than
to assume or pretend to demonstrate
that man would not vote for o princi-
pie that be would Voluntarily 6ght and
die for. e .v -
Itis an indisputable and humiliating
fact that the negro has shown more IN.
telligence and more patriotism in the
recent war for the preservation, Of this
Government than large class Of voting
white men in the North--thus earning .
1 better right to, and showing greater
capacity for the elective franchise than
they. ,t -.,,4.ssnTu .F9 --..'i i7s +
While ignorant whits men were riot
ing, killing, burning and plundering 10
the North TO create diversion in favor
of the South, the negro, like good citi.
zen and friend Of liberty, was battling
for the Government. Justice, therefore,
requires that these noble patriots should
have voice in the Goyernment fthey
| helped to sustain. - -, -,
| All questions Of thsI policy Of such .
measure are well answered by the gifted
Edmund Burke, who declares that in ths
affairs of nations as well as of individa
ais there 10 no policy in apything bal
justice, and anything but justice is nc
policy ct all. l..sv ise3 IA
1
| in Indiana, / would say that they are
4 quite as loyal and capable as the same
number OF the most ignorant white
voters sf the South, and should havs
the same political rights- ~ !; +.
If the negro is to remain in the Soutl
as an integral portion Of its population
they must be regarded by alI Ipatrioti
and friends OF the Governments as a pow
erful leaVen of loyalty in the body poll
tic, and the Union would be as safe il
their hands with ballots as with mnskets
If the practical question should sug
gest ITSELF who should be Presto ent o
the United States, Clement L. Vallan
digham or Fred. Douglas, &pprshend |
very decided majority of the loyal peo
pie would say Fred. Douglas The qnes
tions of=loyalty, honesty, interest, righ,
and justice would override the question
:. of complexion.
AS to the assertion that the great ma
iority of the soldiers and officers Of th
army being opposed to negro suffrage
it is contrary to both my observation
and information. a.o1 b. ~ &
/ know of a case in point-that Of tn
army delegation in the recent conveu
ton in Ohio, that nominated the loya
, and capable General Coz for Goserne
who were called negrophobiasts becaus
they were unanimous for negro suffrage
, They partly considered il as q cofoiIar
! and n sequence to the proposition Q
unswerving loyalty to the Government
sBss Late an Officer in the Arby.--