New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-06-17

| aud that ~ much OF equality a. cohsioS III
tho freedom to move from place to place. is tho
law of the United States.
We would have that for ono text Of the thick
coming ovatons that begin TO murmur in our
ears Bo there no stint to the rejoicings over
what four years of strife have brought Us, for it
i just and patriotic to make the most OF our
victory But in order to make the most OF It,,
we must remember what it has failed to secure,
and how far short of the goal We are still halt
| ing. And that will be another text tor
another class of speakers; for the enthusiast
and Rcformcr whose eye fixes steadiastly on
the future, and whose faith does not stop short
of the perhaps distant day when the inspiration
of Jefferson shall DO tho moral and political
law of the State. How far are we from yet ad'
hitting that governments derive their just
powers from the consent of the governed !!
Whether negroes are citizens or not, may be a
INSTRUMENTATION they are part of the people,
Presidential proclamationS seem to leave uncer-
tain. But that they ore among the governed
the most conservative" politician will not
venture to deny-untl he is reminded that only
from tho consent of the governed can any gov
eminent derive it, right to authority, and then
his speculative casuistry may seek to find
term for the political designation Of the omanci.
pated slave which may put him outside the
pale Of even the exhaustive statement OF the
Declaration. Let him task his ingenuity we'll
still will he fail. The irresistible progress of
events presses upon the country the alternative
of denying the fundamental dogma Of the
Declaration Of Independence or of concedng
Suffrage to the Negro. and opening to him
those Conventions which are to rcsettle the
fundamental law Of the returning States.
In view Of the exigency pressing upon "a. We
incline to believe that the pivotal statement OF
the Declaration is not the equality Of all men.
but to seek for it in the more precise, necessary,
and practical assertion above quo,ed--that
governments are instituted among men 10 secure
the nalienabe rights of life, liberty, and tho
pursuit OF happiness. and that their just powers
are rhoily derived from the consent OF the
governed and rghtfully exist only so long As
they are directed 70 these ends. And it is with
reference to this affirmation that we would in.
terpret the guaranty in the Constitution OF q
republican form Of government to every State.
The phrase means something, and one OF our
present duties is to give legal and beneficial
effect to its meaning. Nor do We admit for a
moment that 1t can be construed historically or
politically so a. to exclude the loyal freomen of
IA, Sou.h--bc their complexion what 1t may
from . share IN the reconstrction OF their local
or State form Of government.
These, then, are tho two themes for The coming
Fourth--,he splendoY OF the triumph already
won, AMI ths greater splendor of that which it
remains to win. The din Of arms grows still,
but the conflict of ideas is irrepressble until the
Republic becomes hOmogeneous-until the
school-hous goes down to tho Guli-until the
| stakeholder is educated up TO the Declaration.
and until the Ballot is in every Ncgros hand.