Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1865-07-19

yet only SO far as it does no injury to
other men who are free and have ,iqhts.
This cry of expediency is but the arsu.
meut of men who fear to meet the living
issues Of the day.
Had Lincoln listened to it, the noble
Proclamation of Freedom had never
been given to the world; Congress, in
auenced by it, would not have repealed
the Fugitive Slave Law, lest Some brave
son of the South might be exasperated !;
the War Department swayed by it, and
no colored troops would have ever eutersd
the fire girs city Of Richmond. Had
President johnson been influenced BY
expedieucy he would doubtless not have
talked so plainly to the delegates from
Charleston and Richmond; informing
the one that slavery must be abolished
and the other that as the rich supported
the war, SO they must abide by the con-
sequences, and the $40, 900 clause cannot
be repealed neither would he have re-
turned the writ Of Habeas Corpus issued
by Judge Willy, and in Few plain words,
rebuked the presumption Of Judge Thomp.
son, declaring that the war was ended, by
giving the powers to know that the Habeas
Corpus had been and was now suspended.
The second argument drawn from the
! ignorance of the blacks is much more
plausible; and If it were not, that by a
p ar;ty Of reasoning thousands OF others,
though loyal, would be excluded from the
polls, it would have much weight. All
know that the rebellion was the fruit Of
ignorance. T he leaders were able to do
what they have done because the masses
are ignorant. and to avoid trouble in the
future we believe in excluding all from
the polls who are unable to read, aud in
measure at least, act iutelligently for
themselves. ....
This restriction however is not advocated
BY those who seem TO fear most from the
ig norance of he race in question. But
that any more consequences should possi-
bly resul, from the voting O: benighted
blacks, than has resulted from the voting
Of beuighted whites We cannot conceive.
After all, disguise it as they may, the rea-
son why many are nov opposing the en-
franchising Of the negro, is: not because
it is wrong in principle, nor because it is
inexpedient, nor because Lc is ignorant,
but because he is black.
But the march of events is ever on
ward. and the time comes when the right
Of suffrage will be if not universal. at
least impartial, when men Of all color's
having the necessary qualifications shall
have voice in the affairs of the nation.
For years the ''negro question" was III c
question of our political contests, and all
parties are wont to pay homage to the
..diviue institution Of slavery"
The few that believed slavery to be the
s.sum of all villianies," and labored to
circumscri5e the limits Of the system,
we're treated with contempt, and even
denied sometimes the privilege Of advo-
eating their views, by those who OF late
years have manifested an undue regard
for freedom Of speech. And as men en-
deavored to retard the cause of progress
and freedom, row some will oppose, and
may prevent for time the granting of
impartial suffrage, but they cannot In .he
end defeat it.
And this is :he question Of the hour,
and must and will be met. We may dcplorc
agitation, but SO long as there is any hope
of removing institutions, repeating en-
actments that are contrary to the spirit OF
progress and freedom so long will there
be agitations. The only way then to pre-
vent sectional feeling" sectional par
ties" is to do away with every sectional
institution" and make our government
in fact, what it is in name-truly demo
cratic Tnere is now an opportunity to
do this and may our rulers meet the ex-
pcctations Of the great popular heart OF
freedom, and have in them the same mind
that was in the late good President.
... TIMOTHY TOPIC.
BrOwnIOw ON Reconstruction.