The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-06-30
The New York News and Negro Suf
frago.

The New York News and Negro Suf.
frags.
The New York Ne,ps is devoting all its |
ability to advocating the policy and
rightfulness of negro suffrage. 1t may |
appear that this is very sudden and
complete change of base" on the part |
of the managers of the most ultra Of the
northern anti-abolition newspapers, but
it is not difficult to show that the pres
emit course of the News is really consist
emit with its labors in the past. Profess
edly Southern organ and devoted to
the interests of the Southern States, the
Neacs thinks it has discovered in the ne
gro suffrage remedy and compensation
for all the evils brought upon the South
by the failure of secession: It argues,
with obvious. force, that if the Southern
negroes are permitted to vote the
political strength Of the South will be
thereby increased. full Representations be-
ing accorded she will gain twelve or more
new members of. Congress and the ne
groes will vote with their former masters
for whatever candidates will best per-
form the wishes and represent the pccu-
liar views of the South. That section
will thus be restored to more than its
former power in the government of the
United States and will be in position
to retrieve all it has lost during the past
-four years.
Thisview of the case is neither novel
one nor impossible of accomplishment
In an article published several days ago
we took the same view of the matter,
and, while opposing the whole doc
trino, endeavored to show that the
results. which the Neus desires would
really flow from its adoption. Many
of the original advocates of negro
suffrage who hoped thereby to per-
petuate the power of the abolition party,
are beginning to see that they have been
mistaken, and have really been playing
into the hands of the South while they
thought they were striking her q fatal
blow. Hence they have abated their
ardor somewhat, and are disposed to re-
fleet upon the probable consequences of
the measure they SO hastily espoused.
opinion that the voting Of the negroes
will conduce to the discontinue of the
abolitionists, does that make the meas
ure right and worthy of the support of.
the Democratic partyl Have we no
Other principles than those suggested by
the shifting circumstances of the time,
and is there no better rule of
national politics than that which
permits men to belle their whole
record and ALLURE the opinions of
lifetime, merely for the sake of tempo
rary expediency or to obtain office2 The
New York Ners is now presenting daily
the very same arguments in favor of ne
gro suffrage that it has ridiculed and re-
futed hundreds of times in the past 1t
talks about the rights of the negro, and
devotes all the power of its logic to prove
that the right of suffrage really belongs
to the negroes i'll the Southern States,
now that they are emancipated from
their former slavery. WENDELL PHIL
LIPS himself can say no more. In fact
PHILLIPS occupies rather the more envia-
BILE position because he has been consist
emit. and is guided by principle He ia
vors negro suffrage, no matter how the
ballots may be cast. But the Ne,cs, after
laboring as long to keep the negro in the
subordinate position which nature has
assigned to him as PHILLIPS has to ele
waite him above his proper rank, turns
right about and labors to confer upon
him the highest and most sacred privi-
lege Of an American citizen, merely that
be may be used to benefit the Nees aud |
its friends.
If Mr.. WOOD thinks that the Demo-
cratic party will follow and endorse him
in this course of political. trickery, he
will certainly find himself much mista-
ken. The course the Ne,cs would advise 7
is not in accordance with the tenets or
the practice of the Democracy. The tao.
tics the Ne,rs has ado pied, is that which
has always been spurned by the Demo-
cratic party and pursued by its enemies.
No project for profit or expediency that
involves the abandonment of a single
principle in the Democratic creed ever
has been or ever will be adopted by that
party. 1t clings to its maturely formed
opinions amid all circumstances, and new
OF sacrifices consistency for success. We.
do not oppose negro suffrage because we
fear that the enfranchised negroes will
vote with our political foes or that the
adoption of the measure will result in
any disadvantage to the Democratic mar.
ty. In fact. we are satisfied that the
party would gain strength thereby. Butt
as 9 party we have always believed
and taught that the negro was .