The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-06-16
NEGRO SUFFRAGE AS A POLITICAL ISSUE.


There is a pronounced tendency toward the
reorganization of parties on this issue. The
negrophism which has so long be en- in the as
eendant has steadily gained strength during the
war, and is still sentiment of SO much depth,
visor, and diffusion as to constitute political
force OF great momentum, if there were any
practical measure to which it could be directed.
The most powerful motives Of personal ambition
arr enlisted on the side of It's conservation as
political force. Whenever the negro question
IS AIKEN out Of politics many distinguished pol
iticians will pass into obscurity. Accordingly
although slavery is abolished, and its abolition
universally acquiescedin, strenuous attempt is
making to nurse the pro-African sympathy into
larger political life.
ChiefJustiee CHASE, CHARLES SUMNER, HoR-
ACE GREELEY, and men Ike these, who would
belong to past generation if the question to
which they owe their regulations were taken out
Of politics, are declaring themselves in favor Of
negro suffrage, and Matching party which
VII soon burst the she'll in fuli-fedged opposi-
tioT. 20 the administration Of President J0HHsoN.
ar. SEwARD's relation TO this opposition party
will be likely to depend upon his continuance
in Office. By his antecedents he is the foremost
leader of the sentiment on which the opposition
seeks to stand but the negro party does not
credit him with much sincerity. Mr.. CHASE,
its present leader, Is his personal rival; and
considering the disappointment Dir. SEWARD has
twice encountered when his prospects were
deemed aattering, be has doubtless learned that
POLITICALLY. one bird in the hand is worth two
in the bush.
IF President Johnson were mere politician,
and not, as we suppose him, q man Of integrity
and principle, he could easily circumvent this
new party by adroitly mounting their hobby.
Had he proclaimed himself in favor of negro
suffrage as basis Of rec instruction, the partic-
uer opposition which is now developing against
him would have not an inch Of ground to stand
upon. But Mr.. Johnson acts under sense Of
his official oath. In his North Carolina proc
Iamatoa he has declared himself most unequiv-
ocally in favor of the constitutional mode of
disposing of this question. He has taken his
ground. Messrs. Chase, Sumner, Phillips, Gree
ly, and their followers, have also taken their
ground; and before the new President has been
two months in office, one of the principal issues
is presented on which>the next presidential con-
Ay vTii: 'lr f0S'Ssrs.
II is idle to discuss the skill with which the
new issue has been chosen by the opposition
leaders. There can be no skill where there is
no choice Men who have been lifted into
prominence solely by their championship of The
negro, and must be stranded whenevertfIis tide
eb6s, DO not select their part by wisdom; they
have it thrust on them by necessity II they
are to figure in politics at all, it must be in
connection with this question. Their adyau-
tage consists in the strength of the sentiment
which twenty years Of passionate controversy
developed, and the wa famed into a consum-
ing blaze Their drawbacks, however, are
very considerable.
The foremost of these drawbacks is in the
Constitution. Il there is any one thing iathe
Constitution not open to doubt, it is that the
regulation of the suffrage belongs to the states
The President has planted himself firmly upon
this principle; he can be dislodged from il only
by the sab,arsion of the Constitution.
Another disadvantage of this political issue
is The fact that although nearly all the state
governments of the North are under Republic
can control, great majority of them da pot
admit The negro TO political equality. II fsza
brRzen and preposterous assumption which at
tempts to force upon others, having equal rights
a measure which you reject yourselves.
A third stumbling-block to this political is
sue, and one which will increase in the period
which intervences before the presidential elec-
ton, will be the conduct of the negroes them
selves, which will demonstrate their unftness
for the suffrage without some preparatory train
ing as freemen. 1t will be the misfortune Of
the opposition to be advocating negro suffrage
at the precise period when the negro character
will be exhibiting itself in the worst Light
when the negro will not have been long enough
a freeman to have cast off the degrading elfeets
of slavery. During the ensuing three years, It
viii be easy to fill newspapers with authentic
accounts of the abuses of freedom by the ns5
grees; and although such abuses are the natu4i
raj offspring of slavery, they will have none the
less force as arguments against the Immediate
extension of suffrage to the blacks.
Still another drawback to this new issue IS
tile fact that President johnson is understood
to be personally favorable TO negro suffrage,
whenever the states having jurisdiction shall
see fit to confer it. The negro Suffrage party
will find themselves fighting against man who
agrees with them on the main question and
differs only as to means; who believes that the
same result at which they aim is sure 10 come
through constitutional channel by the action
of the southern whites. The difference is,
that one method would confer the elective fran
chise on the negroes before they are fit for it
the other achca they are fit for it.
If the President should be candidate for
reelection, and MEsChase run against him,
johnson is morally certain, on such an. issue,
cf the solid vote of the reconstructed states.
with at least an equal chance in every other
state out of New England.
erA paper is in circulation for signatura a.
mong the business circulars of New York, oil