Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1865-06-29
THE PRESIDENT ON NEGRO
SUFFRAGE.
He Recognizes the Justice, but Doubts his
Power.
tyyasb;r, ,to, corro. po.,o, aavor,;s,,

Washington Cores Boston Advertiser.l
The mistake so often made in respect 10 Mr..
Lincoln is now made daily in respect to Mr.. John
son. al slavery is not wrong nothing is wrong,'
is phrase of Mr.. Lincon's latter DAYS, vet the
idea was in bis mind and In his conversation from
the beginning of his Presidency. Knowing this,
men said. why don't he in some way over
throw slavery2" Seeing he did net touch slavery,
men said "he is weak or cOwardly or deceitful. ~
They would not recognize that mans conviction
of what he could do or might DO could be at va
Rance with his private judgement as to what it
would 5e desirable to have done. Mr.. Johnson
may think the Southern negro ought as a matter
Of simple Justice, to have the right of suffrage; he
may even believe that public policy would be fur
thered by giving him su n right; and yet he may
be perfectly honest in his view of power and its
limitations-enirely sincere in believing that the
Presidential Office gives him authority for grant
Ing that right.
l have taken much pains to learn what the Presi-
dents views upon the question involved are.
entirely satisfied TINT he ieoUh giro all ncGroes
tcho hare been ia the army, and tie more Intelligent
ones Of tiOse ,rio hare not, the prriiege Of rolling if
he 6elicrcd he had authority under he constitution TO
do so. "What does the President saw about negro
suffrage7" asked of the chairman of one of the
numerous delegations of Souiherners in the city.
DWELL he don't say much; he asks us if it seems
fair TO make the negro fl sht and then refuse to
Act ullu NOtcs tciS us llldI pretty IuuCn
you Northerners seem to be in favor of letting
him vote. and he says tint though he hasn't let him
rote in NORTH Carolina, he may do someIciere cL;r
In respect to the idea in these last italicized words,
may say that know the President remarked to a
high officer about the time the North Carolina
proclamation issued Wen try this plan first,
and If it don't work why, then well try something
else. Mr.. Ashley himself is authority that the
President ''desireS all men should vote, without
distinction of color" Mr. Sumner was undoubt
edly told tliat between himself and the President
there is no difference of opinion on the question
that justice and exPedency alike would sanction
the extension of the suffrage to negroes.
Judge Yergcr, of Mississippi, WIS told that no
good reason, aside from the preiudices Of the peo
pie, could be given FOR excludidg them from the
right OF suffrage; and il was said to an Ala
BAN, g"ntiemln th1t he would do well to use his
influence in preparing the minds Ofhis people for
quiet acq',ieSccnce in general suffrage.
The President, howeveris at present clearly of
opinion tlat he has power to say that the
negroes shall vote. The States have never been
out Of the U1ion though their "prOper practical re-
being, suspended. He can do no more, he holds,
than set them back where they were before they
passed the ordinances of secession. Yet, insa-
much the people of the State have been in re-
bellion, he can, as the executive head ot the Gov
crnment say that, rs a punishment for crime they
shall not now vote. He can withhold the right OF
suffrage from cert ln classes heretofore exercising
il; but he cannot extend it 10 other classes cxcu-
ded by State constitutions. Briefly | understand
this 10 DC his position.