Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-05-26
Southern suffrage - Shall the Negroes
Vote

tOte
Prominent among the vexed questions
which are involved IN the one great question |
of Reconstruction, is that OF the right Of suf- |
frage at the South. To what extent shall 1t
be restricted among the whites, and extend
ed among the blacks? The latter half of
the question is now brought before tie pub
lie with especial distinctness by the speech of
Chief Justice Chase, to a gathering of ne
groes at Charleston. Some of the politicians
are saying that this question will be the is
sue of the next presidential campaign, and
that Mr.. Chase is already in training for the
candidacy of the side which will flavor the
largest extension of the rights of citizenship
to the blacks. Be that as it may Mr.. Chases
position as Statesman and Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court, gives especial signif-
canoe to his views, and his statements of
course attract attention. Mr.. Chase spoke
somewhat guardedly, but quite distinctly.
He told his colored audience that while he
was in no position to know or declare that
the Government ,could make suffrage univer-
sal, he would say that he beiered there ,rds
not member of the Government ;rho ,rould
not .'be pleased 10 see suffrage universal"
He said that if it was in his power they
would get the privilege of voting very soon,
and that if they would show themselves
worthy Of it be was sure they would soon
have 1t.
These declarations OF the Chief Justice
will by no means find universal approval.
OF course with the Shareholders generally
and their northern sympathisers, who now
mourn the death Of Slavery and hate the ne
gro with bitter revenge added to their for
mer amnesty. the bare suggestion of a
state Of things which in South Carolina
would give the blacks absolute political con
troll, will be considered as an insuferable
outrage Leaving them out of the question.
there are still many men of all PARTIES who
believe the Southern negroes, born and bred
in sbiect slavery, beld in ignorance by rigid
laws, brutalized and degraded By an abOmln-
able system, to be really unfit to exercise the
highest right of freemen.
Many more, while making no distinction
on account of color, would insist on making
ability to read and write an indispensable
condition of suffrage for all, excluding, till
qualified BY instruction, both the blacks and
the poor whites of the South.
The abstract proposition that intelligence
should be condition of the right of suf-
rage, seems to be too true ana plain to ad-
init OF discussion. But there are two sides
to 1t after all, in lite application to the actual
circumstances of the case. Which is worth
the most just now at the South, intelligence
or loyalty? Which is the better, the igno-
rant fidelity of the colored loyallsts, or the
cultivated barbarism of their late masters ?
The Boston Traveller puts tbi
cIbly
Who are the best educated snd the most intel |
lgent of the Southrons2 Unquestionably the |
secessionists, the men who brought about the |
war, who took States out Of the Union against |
the will Of the majority of their people merely |
through the force of that influence which their
superiority in education and intelligence gave
them The poor whites filed the Southern
armies in proportion Of three to one, and per
haps they were. mott of them, disunionists after
the war began; but they could no. have effected
the ,feI iseolt,tio, haI sba-k hoo |
vol, ;nsI;ned 10 sec, n had ,hey not hssn ,sj -
to the evil way by educated men. 1t was rot ig-
norance tns, neaaea Inc repeinon' put intelh,
perverted 90 .bominsblv. too, as to show how
small is the security that its possession affords
t1 n men are nAeiy 70 oe IOyal, or even eapaoie
rance renders men dangerous. and the colored
people OF the South are the mos, ignorant pOr-
onr o.nse ~ mos, niscbisF ;b., !, $3.50
the war, and yet it is notorious tina; they only Of
me southern p0puia,lOn were, ss q mass, our
voluntarily, while they did nothing for the rebel
cause but what they were compelled to do;
srn ooIored men in our srv Who sn, or T i "
their own free will. while the SouthrOns never
QUIZ rs "a cGlofea lorce II lneae men IN
var, vby should we not .uppose thew will he
'ur friends in peace, even if they are not as well
riepd. can We in honor abandon them 70 our s Su
heir enemies, when we employed so many of
netn % ngnI II tney showed sutncient intel,
var, Why should we not conclude that they Will
BE quite as intelligent IN time of peace
There seems to be but one answer to these
questions. One thing is plain. The blacks
must be elevated and educated as rapidly as
'ossible. They are to remain in the country
nd furnish the labor for the great South,
nd union instead of weakness and division.
hey must have their nights as men, and are