White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1865-05-25

Negro Suffrage.
This is to be the next great political
question sgitsted. To many persons. it
is extremely distssteful but it is bound
to come up for settlement. and may as
we'll be fairly and squarely met at once.
The.e was time when any proposition
il favor of negro suffrage could be silenc-
Cd simply BY cursing the negro. and
wishing him in some hot climate. That
time fs past. and the question must now
Be decided BY argument and work. A
mighty change has been going on in the
public mind. on this subject, for year
or two past; and men who were bitterly
opposed to The Emancipation Proclama-
tion, are now warmly in favor Of negro
suffrage. We believe that in the end.
the negro will secure the right to vote
it is conceded on all hands, that he has
amply earned the right, bad not the Lord
made bis skin black.
The negroes have fought we'll in the
Union cause. During the past year,
when any extremely desperate enterprise
has been on foot. the negroes have gene
rally been put in positions where the
fighting was most destructive; and in
going. they knew that if they were over.
come, there would be no mercy for
them. but that they would be sacrificed
to rebel brutality and hate. And we
have noticed that many persons who are
horri6sd at the very idea Of negro vo-
ting. have had NO scruples against hiring
or forcing him to enter the army as a
substitute. and represent them in the
field. q
The negroes have been almost the only
true Unionists in the South: and they
were so. with scarcely an exception.
The assistance they have given our ar
mics, is incalculsble. They have acted
as spies. scouts and guides, and furnish.
ed valuable information whenever it wa.
in their power. However closely watch.
ed. they always managed to elude rebel
vigilance. AMI aid our cause. And not.
withstanding all the means taken to keep
them in ignorance Of passing events. they
always Kept posted. .,ssa
| But our unfortunate prisoners have the
greatest cause to be thankful for negro
loyalty and kindness. 1t is the univer.
sal testimony, that the only kindness they
received in prison. and the only aid in
escaping. were from negroes, who exten.
ded this kindness and aid at the risk o.
their own lives. We have not heard o.
Q single instance in which q negro be-
trsyed one of our men, or failed to assist
him. if in bis power to do SO. Ifany o.
them have seemed to enter into the spirit
Of the rebellion. it was only seeming, il
order to deceive their masters, and cloal
their real designs. The rebels we'll knew
the feeling Of the negroes. as shown BY
their hesitsncy to pass the law for arm
|, ing and placing them in the ranks. snt
to carry the law into effect, after it wal
passed:
Our officers and men always knew
where to 60 for assistance and correct in
formation-it was to the negro-snd they
almost invariably obtained it. In tn,
pursuit Of the assassin Booth. when th,
chase seemed almost failure. and not Z
single white person, protesting loyalty
could remember seeing or hearing Of any
person answering his description. negroes
had better recollection, and gave tn,
information which led to his discovery
And when the foil history Of the pursuit.
and capture of JEFF. Davis is made known
ten to one it will be shown that succes
was due to assistance and information
rendered by blacks, which could not b.
obtained from whites.
The war is ended. and it is pretty Ger
tain that the great mass of rebels will b.
pardoned. and restored to citizenship
and will control the elections in th
South. as before. A large proportion o
these are far more ignorant and degraded
than the negro. Is it right and Just ths
these debased wre.ches, who have beel
, for four years numbering. bushwhsckin,
and torturing Union men, should b
placed upon q political equality will
loyal citizens. and the only true friend
Of the Union in the South remain dis
franchised. because of their color?
The question is coming, and may .
we'll be looked at in all its bearings
We confess that We have always had
prejudice against enfranchising negroes
; but if rebels are to be restored to the sam
] political rights as Union soldiers VIII
) have fought through the war. we say ez
tend the right to loyal negroes befor
white rebels.
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