The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-05-17


wavs will be. We may WISH 'h@l Nv '''' u
rever been brought % America, Ou' la
IN vail nothing. We may wish ne was /
- some other country, but our wishes VIII Il
- removs him. Tie humbus Of coi'Ni- Q
tin "a no longer operative. The negro
4 ,,,,0,ed in this country a. tree man 10 {
labor and produce, 10 raise cotton ana su-
gar 10 improve himself and beneN1 'l' j
ubI,e race. and here he will stay.
This being an established fact, the next
i,,,i-, arises. what shall be his relations 10
the existing government and 70 tne ~ i
rare Shall We assume, with heHi5 O'"''
TIA, il il impossible for the two races -
rva ,o.,ether on terms Of political equaii'y' D
IN, NJ CLAY went further than THIS I'D q
bis speech in 1899, be laid down the oroad
,,rooasition that the liberty Of Tie descend !
ant, Of the Africans is Incompatible WIKI
the liberty Of the Descendants 81 The EURO
means. This proposition, however We uo
not believe. and both races are about 10
live Il down.
Tho treat events Of the last four years
have done much to enlighten public opin-
ion on the true interests Oi both cl@sse7 %
peonle So far a. national legislation Is
involved. the question OF the poIticai"i''.-
rv Of the races we suppose 10 he already
settled. Il has been customary in tne ol41e
courts. in many states. 10 refuse 70 receive
Pho Testimony Of any a. witnesses except .
,ybite persous. This has operated as an .
act ~ Injustice % the inferior races In F.
California. there are some OF the white, red, /
black brown and yellow races, beng f
representation from all portions OF man
lind. and four out Of FIVE Of these classes f
have been excluded from many facilities Tor
obtaining Justice on account az Their /
color
nv recent amendment Of the laws OF
the United States, this injustice has been
probibited IN all the Federal courts, ana no
testimony can now be ruled out on account
of the color Of the witness. We also I'M
derstand, that under the supervision OF Mr.
Sumner. all "lchite" distinctions made 10y
laws OF the United States have been re-
moved. and that good time has come in
national point OF view, which Mr. seward
declared, about twenty years ago ought
10 come. when all men who were perma-
nently citizens Of the United states, with
out reference TO race nationality, descent
or color. should Staad equal before tie id'r-
We have not examined the laws minutely,
Int we understand that, as nation. no
L (. I ...r,..tt rar fall
in, the Federal laws aud all the vast range
OF Federal offices, from President 10 deputy
marshal or mail carrier is now thrown wide
omen 10 all the races of men. such an
event marks an era in the progress of na-
ton well deserving attention, and II has
probably been perfected much sooner than
Mr.. Seward expected when he announced
IL as a desirable object OF attainment Tor
his unbelieying cOuntrymen. This leSisla-
tion will not probably be reversed, ami VIII
stand as a prominent political landmark III
our institutions as long as the American
empire shall remain.
This political equality Of the races, how
ever, does not prevail in the legislation OF
the States. We doubt whether State can
be found in the Union which makes no dis
elimination in its legislation against the
colored races. Under all ordinary circum-
stances the general government has no
right to interfere with the legislation OF the
several States in this particular; aud II 1t
had. il is doubtful whether il would be best
to exercise il. The cOlored races. If they
rise steadily in society As they may do, Will
ultimately attain to political equality with
the white race; and il they do not improve.
but continue in a degraded and inferior con-
dion. il is a question how far political equal
ity would be benefit to them or TO the
white race. This question of cOlOred sui
frage and ofIlce-hOlding is properly left to
the decision of the people Of each state
But great exception to this condition
Of things prevails in regard TO the rebe
States They have no lawful government
and Congress is bound, by the Constitution
to supply tho defect, and guarantee TO eacf
one of them republican form Of govern
ment. In determining what this govern
ment shall be. We suppose that Congress
would have the power. if II saw 1T to use
it, To make every colored slave a voter.
In the Slave States. exclusive Of Della
ware and Kentucky. which are loyal States
and Maryland and Missouri. which have
abolished slavery, there may be more thar
5000. 600 OF colOred people. and II the RICH
Of suffrage were extended 10 them, w
should have about half 4 million OF negrl
voters made in these States AT once. neart
all of them freedmen. In South Carolina
Louisiana and Mississippi. the colore'
would Outnumber the white voters Is
best TO make so large. SO sudden so impor
tant. so risky a change Or should par
tisl or conditional right Of suffrage be gran
ted TO Them Or should the entire colOre
race in the several States be left 10 tn
mercy of the whites in those States.
These are most important question
which the American people must decid
Immediately, and on which momentum
consequences, both present and future. ar
pending. On some future occasion we wi
refer To them again.