Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-09-09
NEGRO suFFRAeE-rTs RxpEDI.

NEGRO sUFFRAeE-ITs ExPEDI.
ENCY.
In an article. published in yesterdays
issue. we stated that the question Of Ne
gro Suffrage. as applicable Immediately to
the Southern or Rebel States, was reduced
to the question of its expediency. There
being no obstacles which an enlightened
Interpretation of the Law, and a broad
minded and liberal estimate of the spirit
of Republican institutions interpose be-
tween this principle and its practical ap-
plication in the problem Of reconstruction,
the only question now is whether the best
interests and highest welfare of the nation
would not be better served. as well as lS
moral duties discharged, and pledged
faith to the bondman kept, by granting
unto.the negro the priceless jewels OF a
full and unrestricted citizenship. we
confess, tina, after the fullest consideration
which we have been able to give this suo-
iect, that which once appeared to a ques-
ton. appears such no longer. but a ori8ht'
substantial moral fact, which rejects upon
our minds and hearts the heaven born
rays of Eternal Truth. We may hide our
eyes as we may; we may cloak u rea-
SON with our ~prejudices; we may erect
around our common sense a triple wall
of ,echnicalities and conservative notions
which linger to impart their e~nervating
influences to every Measure Of true pro-
gress, yet this truth, which for four years
has been pressing its way nearer and
nearer to popular consideration, through
conservative prejudices and technicalities,
must be acknowledged and gladly accept
ed as truth before the nation can settle
down into domestic and political quietude.
Let any man, who has the quality Of fair
ness about him, reflect for one moment
upon the objections urged to this measure,
and he will find that none are founded
upon moral grounds, but are merely based
upon expediency. Examine this "expe'
diency " argument, and it resolves itseli
into a strong prejudice. which its advo'
Gates mistake for moral conviction.
We must set out, in the consideration o.
this subject, with an eye to tho nature o.
our Government and the object Of ii
establishment. Republicanism can in nc
sense, or by the most extorted ~interpreta'
ton which may be given to the term, en-
brace any element of a n aristocracy. Tit
two are antagonisms, and the law of pos
sibili,ies will not allow to them a compro'
mise with either. Either a Government
must be an aristocracy or a republic
either wholly one or wholly the other
Our late wal was nothing else than tht
effort of our Republic to throw off TIT
aristocratic sentiments which were mill,
tating against that civil liberty and politi'
cal freedom whose purity and integrity
are the sine quo non of republican existence
Lieber says that "civil liberty is not alone
equality Of protection which the law
afford. but also equality Of civic rights
AID the equal enjoyment Of franchises and
privileges. No one. will deny that civil
liberty is the life-principle of republican
democracy, and hence one cannot deny
tina, political equality is the life principle
of a republic. If, then, the welfare of the
republic is earnestly sought, Is it not e
pedient. even essential, to maintain those
principles which give it vigor and stability
to maintain the equality Of all men be-
fore the law as a necessary condition o.
our republican existence:
Before these reasons, and reasons suct
as these, which spring up in every minc
which is permitted an unrestricted search
after truth. the base-born opposition o
prejudice must sink to its appropriate
no~,hingness. Men are only men, wher
their reason, guided by their moral con
victions, establishes the rule Of their po'
litical and social action. They whc
smother those sentiments which occasion
ally struggle up from the unde6led depths
Of the soul. whose birth into the worlc
beauties the social nature of humanity
whose operation sometimes wreashe'
around a national character the charac'
teristics of Immortality, are they who sub
nit to the dictation Of their prejudices il
matters to be left 10 reason and conscience
alone. To those only who are not en-
shaved by their prejudices, who are con
WINGED of the justice Of negro-sutfrage, be
who stumble on the point Of expediency
we submit our reasons for believing thu
measure to be e~minen,ly proper to be np'
piled now to the rebel States. eve viii
con,inne This subject in our next,)