The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-06-14
The Suffrage Question in Nav York.

The Suffrage Question in New York.
At the great meeting of the. johnson Club
in Cooper Institute, New York, on Wednes-
day evening Of last week, the chief attraction
Of which was the presence Of Lieut. General
Grant, Hon.. Moses Il. Grinnell presided, and
a series OF resolutions was passed, among
which we're the following: lasla, oiss4l
ResolUed That In Andrew johnson we recognize
worthy TO be the successor OF the samentsa LIN
coin, as the Chief Magistrate Of free people His pa.
triotsnn IA deyoton 70 Consttut and the great
principles Of American liberty therein contained,
have been tried as by fire, aud he has forth un
scathed We have abiding faith In his wisdom integri
IT, frmnsss and unswerving fidelity 70 the Union; and
believing from his past record that his standardization
will be based upon the great cardinal principles Of con-
situonal liberty, hereby pledge ourseessa Union
men, having in view the great object for which this Gov
eminent was formed 70 give him aeorda steadast and
Eesoiged That we hold this truth to be seitsviaept
that he with whom intrust the bullet to save the
life Of the nation, we can likewise intrust the ballot
preserve ii and inyokthe cooperation Of the Fed
ra and State Governments and people throughout the
Union, TO use all lawful means to establish system OF
suffrage which shall be equal and just al; back as
well IS white ..t ,ss f4r94 5sss 04 M
The spirit of these resolves will find ready
and generous response in all loyal hearts. An
drew johnson is man in whom the Union
men Of the nation have undated confidence.
He has been tried in the furnace Of rebel
wrath. heated to the highest drgree OF intensi-
ty, and not found wanting. The attempt Of
copperhead politicians to create an impression
that he viii prove false to the trust committed
to his keeping,s treacherens to the loyal men
who have stood by him and elected him to the
Vice Presidential chair, and false to the great
democratic doctrine of equality, of the real
ization Of which his election was the seal and
the prophecy, will preyea miserable failure.
The question of negro suffrage involves the
great fundamental doctrine OF free govern.
ment, 1.-The right of all free men to have q
voice in their own government and Andrew
johnson is not the man to ignore or think
lightly Of IL, much less TO use his official in
fuence to prevent its being actualizsd. 1t is
to be noted that in no act or word has be
treated the subject slightly, or shown dispo-
sition to opposeit; on the contrary, such pa
pers as the Tribune feel perfectly satisfied that
he is warmly in favor Of comforting suffrage
upon the loyal colored people Of the South,
and will do what he can. consistently with his
views Of constitutional authority, to favor It,
1t is well known that but few weeks since,
when waited upon by colored delegation,
Mr.. johnson expressed the most generous
sympathy for them, and personally advised
that the colored men Of the District of Column
bia petition Congress to enlranchise them, and
thus qualify them to have a voice in the mu-
nicipaI government Of the District. More
than this: we have high authority for saying
that President johnson is not only in favor of
negro suffrage, but that he has adopted the
very policy which, In his Judgment. affords
the only feasible method OF securing it. Ss4s
The idea Of negro suffrage is not therefore
doctrine IN which Union men are widely
divided. They may differ as to the best
means by which to secure It's adoption, and In
relation to the power Of the Federal govern
ment toacontrol the matter. All confess It to
be delicate question. We should ba glad to
see negro suffrage adopted In every one Of the
late rebel States; weregardit as the great ark
OF political safety forsuch States, and particu-
larry for the real Union men of those States,
but we are rot, as at present advised, prepar-
co 70 say we would make 1t a condition prece
shin in the Union. We csrtainiy snoufd no,
wish to hold back such States as Louisiana,
Arkanias and Tennessee States which re-
turpes to loyalty while yet the rebel power
\ was brmidable and It's sway almost uncheck-
ed whatever policy we night deem proper for
s>ct"6nally impenitsrt" States as South Car
oln, Virgins. Alabama, Texas, and those
othes which betrayed signs Of returning san
fly oly wen Richmond had fallen, Lee had
surrendeyd, Davis had abscondsd, and the
whole nbble of rebellion had effectuaIly
burst. 5000 l6 qasia1g4sqa .ai
The'eadmission of the three States named,
and teir ratification of the abolition amend
mer of the Constitution, would put an end to
thelast phase Of the slavery question, and dry
~ that source Of evil forever. The question
q suffrage we regard as second In impor-
lance only to this; and having secured this we
DO not think the difficulties attending tina!
would be increased. In the days Of the Con-
federation, prior to the adoption of the Con-,
stltution, only one State-South Carolina
excluded free man from the ballot box ON
account of his color. But for slavery such ex-
cluslon would never have spread to other
States The cause and foster mother OF this
exclusion being destroyed, there il hope that
justice, democracy and equal rights will find
Held in which Roadway may DO less obstruct.
cd. But we are not disposed to borrow troub-
ie about the suffrage question. Other impor.
tant questions have been settled and properly
settled, though not as men or even statesmen
mad predicted and mapped out. So this great
question, big with the interests ofsa race, and
iraught with veal or woe to the national
peace, VIII be solved, and. In our Judgment,
solved in manner that will demonstrate that
tne great strides Of the nation in the pathway
VI progress during the past three years, have
not been taken in vain. ssaa SIS ap sas 'sarss