The Portland daily press., 1865-07-08
THE PLEA OF 1NoAPACrrY.


"a = THE PLEA OF INOAPACITY.
The most common and at the same time
the most plausible objection which the advo-
Gates of negro suffrage are called upon to meet
is that.the ignorance and degradation which
are the legitimate effect Of slavery unfit the
cologed man for the exercise of politicalrights.
Now we are very far from disputing the fact
that years Of oppression on the one hand and
servility on the other, with the addition of all
those efforts which have constantly been made
to prevent any ray Of knowledge from light
ing up the darkness of the slave, have told de-
plorabIy upon hismental and moral condition;
that the result is a degree of degradation
SO hopeless and complete as Is asserted we
deny. For the refutation Of such statements
we do not refer to those isolated instances of
superior intelligence or nobleness, very many
of which are not wanting, but we ask any
candidperson to consider the conduct of the
entire colored population ofthe South through
out the whole Of this most exciting and try
ing period of war-a war involving interests
so momentous to themselves say if that
conduct has not been such as to prove them
entitled to confidence and respect. Not only
have they exhibited loyalty and devotion to
the Union cause wholly beyond dispute, but
they have shown themselves to be possessed
of shrewdness and judgmentin estimating the
2 situation, Of patience to wait while waiting
was needful of a selfcontrol which was proof
against all temptations to riot and license,
E yet Of a courage which was ready to strike no
bly, for freedom when it could do so under the
sanction of government and law These are
qualities which we cannot overlook, and the
display of which ought to mitigate the alarm
with which some over4fearful persons are in
clined to view the proposition to give the ne
gro the ballot. sNA-
But our purpose at PRESENTS not so much
to nse the abundant materials at hand to
show the fitness Of the negro for exercising
any political rights which he is likely to be
called on to exercise, as to call attention to an
other point Admitting that the unfortunate
antecedents of the colored man in the South,
have been such as to degrade him, to lower his
intellectual and moral stature, we assert that
the quickest and surest way to fit him for
more intelligent use of those rights Of citizen
ship which he is sure ultimately TO obtain is
to invest him with their exercise at the earliest
possible moment. We are confident that no
. preparatory course of discipline win be half
SO efficacious in making useful citizen Of the
d negro as to throw upon him the responsible
ties of citizenship, OF all incentives to self
control there is none SO strong as the sense Of
responsibility. Nothing SO binds a man to re-
gard the welfare ofthe community as the feel
ing that his own stake in that community is a
weighty one. This is point which does not
need to be proved or illustrated; it is apparent.
: Let the negro feel that he is constituent of
the body polite, and thatby consulting its in
terests he must surely consult his own, and
you have done more to bind him to the cause
of the public good and the public safety than
can possibly be achieved in any other way
You enlist him at once under the banner of
law and order, and his very selfshness be-
comes stimulus to selfcontrol And not
only doyou thus supply him the strongest mo
tive for becoming good citizen, but you en-
sure to him the very best education for the
duties of citizenship. 1t is practice thatmakes
perfect. If man wishes to make his boy
sailor he sends him to sea; if he would have
MN an accountant he puts him to the work
ing OF arithmetical problems; if he is to be
made painter he familiarizes him with the
use of pencil and brush. He knows that hab-
1t is second nature, and he proceeds to secure
at once habit of doing that which he will be
required to do. If men are to be educated in
to the right use of political power the only
way to do it is this very way of setting them
to learn by experience. You fear that they
may make mistakes Possibly they may
What form of human endeayor has not blun-
Gered at frstp The Irish emigrant comes to !
your shores very nearly as ignoraat and de-
graded as the negro; you give him the ballot,
and at the outset he is morally sure to blum
der egregiously in the use of it. vet after a
while ne learns to use it intelligently. So
will the negro. His possible mistakes checked
and balanced as they win be by the exercise of
the same power in other hands, cannot nos
sibly be so dangerous as the consequences Of
leaving him in his ignorance and Irresponsible
ity. a6e. 1918
Why are the common people of these North
ern States, and especially of New England.
superior to any other on earth in their knowl-
edge of che duties of freemen and in their
temperate use Of political power If it be not
from their constant practice of these duties
and their familiarity with the one object of
mat power The principles of good govern
menu are likely to be best understood when the
exercise OF them is in everybody's hands.
Experience is the best schoolmaster put
sne co'oreu man TO that school, and have no
leM put tnat ne VIII speedily learn the respon-
sslOlntle' and the duties of afree citizen.