Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-25
LARGEST PAPER IN THE CITY.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER Is, 1866.
The President and Negro Suffrage.


tendency in the Union party toward a re-
newal of confidence, friendly feeling, and
harmonious action, between the President
and the class of Union men known as
radicals. The one is the recent sermon by
Mr.. Beecher, a well known abolitionist
and champion of equal suffrage, asserting
his entire confidence in the President and
his policy; the other, and by far the most
important Of the two, is the recent decla-
ration by the President to Major George
L. Stearns, a noted radical politician of
Boston, in favor of a qualified extension of
the suffrage to the Southern freedmen.
The ormerindicates that the distrust of the
President, which has undeniably existed
in the minds of the most progressive
and earnest Unionists, is rapidly being
removed, while the latter shows
good grounds for that removal.
In his conversation with Major Stesrns,
the President has, to be sure, reasserted
his opinion that, as President, he had no
right to interfere with suffrage in the
States, but he accompanies this declaration,
which has been clearly announced from
the beginning, by an exposition of his
individual views on the subject of negro
suffrage, which will give assurance to its
friends that his great influence will not be
against them, and which effsctually des-
troys all ap-prehensions that he will sep
arate himself from the Union party, or its
most radical members, on this issue. he
is in favor of granting the ballot, first, to
every colored man who has served in the
Union army. This, of course, he would
wish 10 do Immediately, while all are alive
TO receive its benefits. Next, he is in favor
write. This would admit only a small
portion Of the freedmen to the polls, but
n which will constantly increase from
year to year. He would also accord suf-
frage to all, whether or not they can read
or write, who own 5000 worth of proper
ty. This class is likewise small, but would
increase with equal rapidity. Meantime
the extension of suffrage to those who pos
sess these last named qualifications would
be a strong incentive to others to attain
them, and would thus afford a premium
for intelligence and industry.
We do not see how radical men, aver
though they may individually prefer to
go further, can quarrel with the position
of the President. It places him very
clearly among the friends, rather than
the enemies, of Negro Suffrage. His OPP
position to the universal application of the
principle is n of expediency solely, and
he favors its moderate assertion at first as
a means of avoiding a war of races. His
if adopted by the South, would af-
ford a practical solution of the suffrage
question which would do away with the
greatest difficulty in the way of recon-
struction, and ultimately result in the e1-
tension of the suffrage to every negro
of its exercise.
Meantime it must be understood that
these expressions by the President of his
views do not in the least interfere
his frequently reiterated determine
to leave the question of reconstruc-
lion in the hands of Congress.
We canno avoid a query as to the effect
If Mr.. Beecher's sermon and the Presi-
tents conversation, on the State election
New York. The contest in that state
been as to which of the two parties
the warmest support to and was in
'losest sympathy with the administration.
The Democratic party has made a des-
'erate effort to capture Mr.. johnson,
nd to appropriate his policy as their own.
the same time they have repudiated
nd ridiculed negro suffrage in any and
very shape. This avowal of the President
laces them in a curious dilemma. They
lust either retract their opposition to ne
TO suffrage or withdraw their pretense of
Importing the administration policy.
hey will not do the former, and though
ley will endeavor, if possible, to escape
rom doing the latter, their hypocrisy will
e manifest. As the Presidents declaration
as been made public with his consent,
nd its correctness certified to by him, it ]
GEMS most probable that he anticipated {
nd intended this very result. While the
resident thus quietly but decisively sep !
rates himself from the Democrats, the
srmon of Mr.. Beecher is an indication
lat he will be warmly welcomed and {
lpported by the radical Unionists. The
rand party of the Union is thus cemented
ore strongly than ever, and good assur-
ice given of its harmony, perpetuity and /
over. I