The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-06-10

political right. ...szs-..-ee
4. Because the denial Of bis right in the re-
gard we are considering, would betray the
grossest Injustice and ingratitude on the part
OF the American people, who have had the
benefit Of his yalor, his sacrifices and his
blood, in repelIing the attacks Of traitors M
on their free institutions, and in preserving
those institutions for the good Of posteri,v.
5. Because the highest considerations q
political safety demand il. The three on four
millions of negroes are now a part of the nee
population Of the nation. We have got 10 live
with them, and due, regard 10 the public
peace and safety demands that the negro
should be made interested, 10 the welfare Of
the nation, as protection to 1t against his dis
content and future revolt, under power that
would otherwise attempt TO impose upon him
the burdens OF taxation without the allevia-
tion of representation.
9. Because he is native Of the soil,-nst a
lorelgner,-and as such has a natural right 20
voice IN the institutions and laws OF his ma
i've iano, ana should be allowed to vote that
ne may protect his newly cquIred liberty.
Z because being the loyal man OF the
South, his vote Is needed to balance aud nan.
tralize the vote Of those men who have MN
the enemies Of the republic and have sought
70 destroy its life; so that as measure OF m
ture preeaution and safaty, he should b a.
lowed all the rights and privileges or cltIxsp.
ship, -. 49,
8. Because there can. in no iu,t Ama.,e.a
sense DC republican form Of government In
state, from whose political councils whole
classes are excluded with no provision. =.
WIN foreigners, for their gaining possession
except BY violent revolusion--of ths orlv
rights oy the exercise Of which shev,can n.sn..
fuily protect their lives and THAR Ilber.v ~
me reasons already stated we win onlv add
=. Because there is no just or valid reason
why aineience 10 complexion should exclude
any man from political equality with ALI other
men. The colored man has proved his eoual,-
" oy his valor, his courage, his education. nj.
aptness to learn, bis common sense. his ohedi.
ence TO law, his industry, his general GOOD
conduct, and his well-disposed spirit towards
the institutionsof the land. sas 7st
Is not this statement correctq In IL alte0ed
that the colored man Is lazy and indolentp Il
ne more so than the "poor whits trash, or tbe
coutn9 Is he more besotted. and Ignorant
than large class Of the Irish voters il or-
large cities? Is he more under the control ar
uemagogues? Is he more brutal than Rrp.
GERS OF New York or the "Plue Uelieso Of
baltimores Does he drink more poor llouorp
Does he oil more than his proportion Of spacs
IN qour jails and penitentiaries? Does ha a..
ure disproportionateIy in our criminal courts
or on the gallows? In word, are the low.
est or worst negroes any lower OF worse than
some white men white men MT excluded
from the ballot box? And don't we find his
representatives In our halls of learning In tho
learned professions, and in places Of respecta-
bility and honor? Don't we and the colored
as we'll as the white millionaire2
Take Frederick Douglass, The slave iii he
was 70 years Of age, unlettered, unpublished
and down-trodden till that age; then a fugi-
i've, painting with fear, but for freedom: hunt
ed by blcodhounds or worse than bloodhounds.
now man of dfty-three, selfeducated, self.
made and selfdependent. He Is a neore.
NOW take white specimen, land Ia making
Inc selection we do it without offsnse and not
y way Of reprcach, but simply to have a spec.
'"'en' lake the editor of the Eastern d,ous.
80 DOrn' carefully reared educated in our
,iss schools, academically taught. classicallv
instructed versed In legal lore. and q reprs-
sentative man Of his great Marty +, a. g.
"oulu 'ne people Of Portland or Of Maine
decide that the former is inferior 10 sbe i.t.srs
Would not the latter consider !, lard.h,.
ambition to desire to be as well-in,ormod :.
profound, as sagacious and as wise a. b;s 49,
er-skinned brother? Were both citlzons -
Portland, would the people--the best Of o,,..
people-feel that II one or the other mus. he
seieceeu % represent them In the halls of leg.
isiatlon or TO fill the executive Office of the
city, that they could escape disgrace onlu bv
selecting the white candidate and ignor,no HE |
colored competitor? Does our neiobbor fail |
quite sure that, were such an alternative ~
scented to the citizens of Portland or Of Maine
That he would not find himself overtopned hr
tne former slave? And does he feel ou,te
sure that many OF his own party would moi
hesitate in their choice?
W ask these questions in no reproachful
-. .pn'S .or we do not deem that the editor of
s-o H'yA' VI the editor of the Press either,
y mou,u % ulsgraced BY having such man as
sre0erick douglass crowned with honors over
Doth of them. And in Mr.. DonoIo.. ~ 80 80
only the possibilities Of the negro g No ~
we possibilities only Of the white man Il /