Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-10-13
ELLSWORTH, MAINE, FRIDAY, OCTOBER l3, 1865.

dozen men of less note. have allowed
themselves indulgence in passionate de.
clamations rc-a firma tory of the stale cry,
"this is white maps government, in
tended for white men only"
Obnoxious and short-sighted as the
convention is in this rcgard.--for the
men who were going to fight the 7 Yankees
from street to street of all their cities
and chief towns, and finally die in the
last ditch, seem to have learned little
wisdom of language.-there is sopething
still worse. The negro is an animal
whose character the North seems utterly
unable to comprehend" said one of the
coast delegates In that phrase lies
the key of the conventions sentiment and
indgment-Me negro IS an animal d
higher sort Of animal, to be sure, than
the dog or the horse. but after all. an
animal. Even SO taciturn man as Mr..
Chancellor lngIis felt it necessary to rise
and gravcly argue that the negro is u hui
man being, has the right of life and pro-
lection by the laws, and must receive at
tention even from nie,i @ho make consti-
tutlcns. Ask any given delegate it the
negro is human being and you Of course
insult his irteili sence but, for all that,
the convention treats him like an animal
whose presence is endured. but is no way
desirable. Indivi,iqa men there arc who
sincerely sympathize With negro in his
anomalous and trying condition-men
who contemplate the labor question with
as much grave anxiety as any man in the
Nortl ; but ;heee are the exception, not
the rule, and they only serve to make
more hideous the general average senti-
lnent and political judgment.
4 very strong effort was made by sew
eral leading delegates to incorporate in
the Constitution provision giving the
negroes Il ght to be enumerated in de-
t3rmining the basis of representation in
the lower hoase Of the General Assembly
Six hours of earnest debate were spent
upon the subject and on one or two oc-
casiors it really ssemed as if the wise
and sensible view would prevail. 1t was
argued that he is now free person, and
therefore within the vital cognzancc of
law, that he has civil rights older than
all constitutions, and is,therefore, entitled
to q representation in the law-making
body. Of course the argument was not
pushed to its Legitimate conclusion-5that
he is entitled to a voice in choosing that
representation, Ouly the poor privilege
was asked that the white man, who is his
neighbor, might be allowed the benefit Of
his neighborhood. so rs to secure remem-
brancc for him in the Legislature. sit
is the entering wed ge Of negro suffrage" ;"
cried Col. Ron of brave record. The
Measure Of our own necessities should b.
the measure Of our reco milton OF the ne.
gro as an element in the body polite"
echoed Mr.. Thomson. This is the white
mans government re-echoed DR.. Boyce.
And 50 the question was tabled by 10 to
"A.
How lolg 90 yen suppose the agita-
tion of the question Of negro suffrage can
be STAYED off in the State 2" said | to an
up-country delegate of high standing
Till tie taking Of the next census, |
hope" he an vered "Do you really be.
ieve il can be kept down five years % |
asked. "Yes, think it will be-" was
his final reply. That the convention
would show any favor to the question
presume no one really expected. Even
South Carolina VITA all her desolation
doesn't yet fully comprehend that there
has been IA deluge. did hope, however,
that | should lind half dozen men at
least in favor of abolishing the bar5aric
coor-qualiication, and still as many more
ready to admit that suffrage would be the
right CT the negro IS soon as he is abie
to use it undctstandingly. Vain hope I.
II there are six men who SO much Us ad-
NIT that it will probably be right or poll
tic to give suffrage to any negro OF their
State within ten years, four OF them must
be among the thirty or thirty-fyc whose
views | have no; personally learned. Mr..
Orr admits that they may sometime havo
political rig,s. Mr.. Norwood says he is
not afraid 10 discuss negro suilrn &c. Mr..
Dozicr is willing to accept negro suffrage
If the moral and intei.cotual character ot
the negro can be so elevated as to make
him fit to take part in government
judge Frost Of Charleston knows the
constitution Of the negro to be such thar
he shuns responsibility, and does not be-
lieve th1t he viii at present ask for sui
frace, but adds that at some future day,
perhaps not far distant, he will have po-
litleal rights even in South Carolina.
la that hope let all good men ahde.-
In that faith let all progressive men hnd
incentive for wise and patient and charit'
able labor. DIXON.
poT,To Tors -ASI have worked in