The Burlington weekly hawk-eye., 1865-06-10

stacle to peace and harmony. The people
where slavery once ruled will bless the
blow which destroyed it. They will yet
confess that it was dealt in no harshness &c
them. in no unkindness, in no desire to hn.
initiate, but simply and soiemnly, in the
name OF the Republic. and of human na.
ture; for their good as well as ours; aye, fol
their good more than ours.
| 1t Is by ideas that we have conquered
more than by armies. The sword of the
Archangel was less mighty than the mis-.
sion which he bore from the Lord. But II
the ideas which have given us the victory
are now neglected; II the promiees of the
declaration, which the rebellion openly as.
sailed, are still left unfulfilled. then will
our blood and treasure have been lavished
In vain. Alas! for the dead who have Civ.
en- themselves 80 bravely to their country
alas! for the living who have been left ID
mourn the dead |; II any relic of slavery is
allowed to continue; especially if This
bloody imposter, deIeated in the pretension
| OF property in innn, is allowed to perpetu-
ate an oligarchy Of the skin.
And how shall these ideas be saved? AT
this moment all turns on the colored sui-
iraga in the rebel States. This is now the
pivot o1 national safety. A mistake on
this point is worse than the loss Of bat.
tie.
The argument for the colored suffrage is
overwhelming. It springs from the neces-
si:y of:ne case, as well as from the rights
OF man. This suffrage is needed for the
security Of the colored people, for the sta
bility OF the local Government, and for the
nothing but insecurity for the colored peo-
pie, instability for the local Government,
and weakness for the Union. involving OF
course the national credit. Without it the
rebellion will break forth under q new
alias, unarmed, it may be, but with white
votes to take possession Of the local Gov.
eminent and WELD it at will whether at
said that the colored people are unfit, then
do say they are more fit than their recent
masters, or even many among the ''poor
whites" They have been loyal always,
and who are you that under any pretense
exalts the prejudices Of the disloyal above
the rights Of the loyal? Their suffrage is
now needed. An English statesman, after
the acknowledgment Of the Spanish Colo
MES as independent States, boasted that he
had called new world into existence to
redress the balance Of the old. In similar
spirit, we too must call new ballot into
existence in order to overcome the prepon-
derance of those who have not yet learned
the duty Of juotice to the colored race.
Th same national authority that struck
tension is not permitted TO survive; nor can
there be any doubt tha: the authority
which struck down slavery is competent
to this kindred duty. Each is part Of
that great policy OF justice through which
alone can peace be made permanent and
immutable. Nor can the Republic shirk
this remaining duty, without leaving
Of the Declaration Of Independence unfal-
filled. Vain is the gift Of liberty il you
surrender the rights Of the freedman TO be
judged by the recent ssserters Of property
in man. Burke, in his day, saw the flag
rant inconsistency and denounced il, say.
ing that whatever such people did on this
subject was "arrant trif,ing," and, not
wanted what he aptly called the executive
principle" These words Of warning have
been adopted and repeated by the two later
statsSman, George Canning and Henry
Broughan; but they are so plain they do
not need the support Of names. The in.
fant must not be handed over to be suck
led By the wolf. but fully nursed by its
rent Of emancipation, the Republic must
nurse the immortal infant into maturity
and strength. It IL the Republic which at
the beginning took up this great work.
The Republic must finish what it began;
and 1t cannot err on this occasion, if, in
anxious care, Il holds nothing done 10 long
. anything. remains undone. It IL the
hurled forward ito armies until 1t con.
quefed. The Republic must exact that -.
cuYity for the future without which this
unparalleled war will have been waged in
vain. It ID the Republic which to-day with
one cOnsenting voice c0mmemOrAtes the
murdered dead. The same Republic,
prompt TO honor him, must require that
his promises 10 an oppressed race be main.
tanned in all their integrity and complete
ness, il letter and in spirit, go tha, the
great cause for which he became q sacrifice
may not fail. His martyrdom was . new
pledge beyond any even in life.
The-e can be no question here whether q
but phrase, on which discussion is use
less. Look at the actual fact. Here all
will agree. The old governments are va
Gated, and this is enough. Until the srh0le
body Of loyal people have set up:aEovern-
ment, all IL under the national authority,
acting by the Executive or by Congress-;
and, since the Constitution, even without
pendeDce, knows nothing of color, it ID the
obvious duty OF the national authority to
protect all loyal people against any denial
Of rights on this pfetension. Already 1t
has undertaken to say that certain persons
shall not vote. Surely the same authority
which may limit the electoral Law Of sla-
very may enlarge il. II the national au-
it can order an election, II It can regulate
an election, if it can exclude traitor who
is still ut large, It can admit lOyalist.
whose only incapacity is his skin.
The colored suffrage 10 now . necessity.
But beyond this, in making il an essential
condition Of the restoration of rebel States
70 the Union, We follow, first, the law Of
NJ AhAI