The mountain Democrat., 1865-08-05

the Methodist church, than which q more
radical and fsnatical sect does not exist 10
our country. in a long article upon the
question, makes use Of very strong Ian.
guage. 1t Is a paper which has g very
extensive circulation in the Eastern States
and sailing under the garb Of religion, sx.
erts much influence in moulding the po.
litical opinions Of its readers. make q
few extracts from its article in the num-
Der Of May 8lSt, on negro suffrage:
The Constitution Of the United States
makes it the duty Of the government to
see that every State admitted has . Re.
publican form of Government.
We contend that under the presen. or.
der Of things, after the Proclamation Gf
Emancipation has taken effect, q State
Constitution, to be truly Republican, must
secure the right Of citizenship to every
native born citizen under it's jurisdiction
We believe that the Supreme Court, with
Chief Justice Chase at its head, will SO
decide. With the States in the Union
now We cannot interfere. When the col.
OTed American ceases to be q slave, he
becomes freeman, and by virtue Of his
freedom, entitled to all the rights of citi.
zenship. The issue must be made, and
the question fairly settled before the se.
coded States are permitted to resume their
civil functions under the Federal Govern.
ment. They must be met at the threshold
and not allowed to come into the union Of
States until their constitutions are right
on this point
Further on In the article the following
fanatical-lmight say blasphemOus-lan-
guage is used:
The agitation on the abolition question,
in its widest and most turbulent moods,
was but a slight foretaste Of what will in.
evitably follow, il the rights of the colored
man, long oppressed by the nation, are
not secured to him after emancipation.
There were 4 few men, the Lords seers
and prophets, who foresaw the coming
judgments Of God and predicted them
thirty years ago, il the slave was Pot made
free. There are thousands now where
there was but one then, who believe that
slavery, or injns. he enslaved race,
| is the real cause -.. T.: ..r woes arising
from this war. In all these hearts the
conviction il i----;rfste and strong that
God will not cease to chaSlise this nation
with His whip Of scorpions, until we let
the oppressed 60 free, and remove all the
unrighteOus disabilities which have been
40 unjustly heaped upon him in other
words, until we make him 4 citizen, in
equal rights and privileges before the law.
While ttAt feeling exists, there will be
agitation !; and to the wicked demagogues
who oppose God in this, there will be nc
peace day or night.
Again, ! find in the same article:
To counteract the disloyal white vot,
which may long Iinger on these shores
and Hs reserve against the hostile foreign
vote which uay hereafter trouble US, tn,
free, Protestant institutions Of this coun.
try will need the colored vote.
Speaking Of qualifications it concludes
as follows:
Weshould certainly not require Of them
higher intellectual, literary or moral quail.
itications, in order to be permitted to nse
the elective frarchise, than We require oil
the foreign born.
The article concludes by taking the pO.
Sit;on that it is the duty Of the General
Government to exercise the power of qua
ranteeing the elective franchise TO the ne.
gro, and that every Christian is bound, by
moral obligations, to see it accomplished.
have made this article long, but can
not refrain from making one more extract
from the Wing & Courier Of May 10Th
Speaking of those who are for negro suf-
Grage with conditions, it says;
They are willing to have It done as soon
A. The freedman shall become intelligent
enough TO exercise the right understand.
iugly and independently. Ii the argument
Of want Of intelligence is good against
eniranchising the negro, il is far stronger
in favm Of DISTINGUISHING the poor whites
Of the South, nearly million Of whom do
vote. The negrars to day are quite as
intelligent aS the great body Of these men
and quite as likely tOsvote uninHuenc.
ed. We are willing TO make that the test
only apply it to both races. We cannot
perceive that aRignorant white man is
any less disqualified to vote than an igno-
rant colored man. Meantime, however.
it is exceedingly important to us-tO. the
countrv--to the future security Of our free
g6vcrnment-that these colored friends Of
republican institutions should be allowed
to vote as soon as possible.
could make many more extracts, of
like character, but fear that this article is
too long From the above | ask every
candid reader to judge if negro suffrage is
not an issue, and raised by the leaders of
the Republican party in opposition to
President Johnson's policy. 1t is clear
that they will resort to every means to
force the measure through, probably at
the next session Of Congress. Let the
masses prepare at once TO meet the issue,
and not be deceived and betrayed by the
men who lodged the question in the late
Republican Convention. That they we're
afraid to meet it does not speak we'll for
their honesty and sincerity. Can you
trust such men? E. L. G.
Georgetown, July "a, 1865.
They that laugh at every thing and they
that fret at everything, are huge fools
alike.
WHAr would our day be without its
morning and evenings twilight! A fierce
and burning eye without lid.