The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-03-23
The Rialt at Ss:Ir..e.-.
Sel0pSf{f elDye Il


rh'lan'isropists assert that not cnl,
slavery is cursc lint irnora,tro is also
- curse; AMI TIA, il both are such
drrtul curses as 60 have caused this
great rebellion, The nation owes the
duty to herself TO take the Eeccs sary
siers to ayoi,l a similar occurrence il
her future history. 1t always has beer
and always must be conceded that =
Republican form Of government rests
nper the intelligence Of the people
i,avrng for its object, the greatest good
~ the greatest number ofthc governed
This helm. the case it is perfectly
proper that al the intelligent governed
should in Republican government
hsvc voice in the formation of its Gle.
nen.ary laws and the administration o!
sh' sane. These premises granted and
tI,c intelligent negro claims the right Of
suffrage TO manifest his choice III re
gard TO the law and it's officers, whici,
are to govern him as well as TIE white
man.
Upon this subject Senator lowry in
tic Legislature Of Penn. on the 7tl Ill.
spoke very sensibly as follows
Mn. SEEKER, the Senator ia',rro
gates me rs 70 whether I woul,! civ.
tie elective franchise to tie colorct,
man. | am not a man to dodge an
issue when fairly presented. And am
glad the S nasor has made the interro
glt"rv, because it fairly presents an oc
rasion FIR me to state my positions On a
question tha IS soon 20 c o,s.e Up for Tie
consideration and determination Of tho
American people. This question is
soon to enter into the politics Of the
country ]! cannot he lodged or post.
roned. | am an ar..slaycry man. :,
am suci, BEGAN I am willing to con
cede to every other man made IL lie
image Of lis Maker tie rights cl.i.n
for myself Ii insist that human r;oh.s
rs such. are not contingent on race.
condition ar color. This principle lies
at the foundation Of our republican
system. This idea gave birth to the
Republic it is organic and fundamen
saa. Standing upon this basis principle
| am free 70 declare that am in favor
"fgran!in. the same political franchises
to the black man, that l would bestow
on the white man. am opposed to
oil arbitrary distinctions between man
and man. I am opposed 10 making
color a test Of citizenship. For if we
.iyht!,lly may institute test 50 purely
,lcSpa,ic az this. can see no end TO
the albi.rarv tests that might be lie.
,ised and sci NJ + : better to be
g"idel and governed - reason thar
shv rf,iaaice. I would nor enfranch.sc
- man simply because he IL white, nor
make him an outlaw simply because he
u black.
There is but one tes., sir, that can be
rightfu|y instituted, in deciding who
ehonld be and who should not be err
tilted 10 the elective franchise. It is
not race nor corplexion-it is simply
educator. He il entitled to the hallo,
who can use it intelligen,ly, and he is
not entitled to it who cannot so u:c it,
whether he be white or whether he he
black. There is bnt ono rule 10 apply
in the case, which will stand the test Of
reason and common sense-it il simply
,his Give the ballot to all who can
read. and deny it to all who cannot. |
would not confer political power, in
discriminatory, on whites or blacks. /
would give it to the black man who
can read, and refuse It to the white
man who cannot. l would give it to
the intelligent white and withhold ii
from the ignorant black. All true 90
,ernment is based on the intelligence
Of its subjects. No government can
long withstand the pressure Of human
progress that rests on any other basis.
The test which have FAMED, namely
The capacity toread, seems to me to in
dictate the lowest measure Of intelli
.ence compatible with the public safety,
and il is therefore tie easiest and the
best.
Negro suffrage is not an nntried thing
il, this country that it should be feared.
There is no good reason why men
should be weak -knecd, timid or terror
s,r,kcn about il. New York has long
rerni,tcd her colorcd citizens to go the
polls. and j, has been truly said that,
In, Cor the negro vote IN that State at
l.s. election, llora.io Seymour