Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-07-31
Pertinent Inquiries From "a Home
source.

Pertinent Inquiries From a Home
source.
An intelligent colored man writes to the Pitts
burgh Gazette:
Z" l read tho papers; read all kinds of papers,
and read, day after day, such questions as,
What shall We do with the negroT Shall the
negro voter and the almost universal cry is,
Let him vote; Let him vote But alas, small
comfort do get from this lately born philan .
thropy. The plea is only for the Southern negro;
only for the lately smancipated slave III i
would share this privilege must leave Pennsyl-
vsnia and 60 to South Carolina. Is there no
justice among meni do not ask whether there
10 any good reason why intelligent colcred
man should be kept from the polls. while many
On ignorant foreigner votes. for that question
has been asking for a quarter Of a century in
Pennsy lvania, and has found no answer; but
ask IN the name Of reason. are there any reasons
that can be urged for giving the elective fran
chise to the negroes Of the South which do not
apply equally to the negroes Of the NORTH"
These are pertinent questions. Ii cannot be
said that the colored men OF the Northern States
as a class, are unqualified TO vote. Most of them
can read and write. some Of them have excel
lent educations. and are thoroughly posted in
current political questions. They understand
the theory OF our Government quite as well as
the whites. Aud so far as the war is concerned
the colored regiments that have done the most
fighting and made the most sacrifices. have
been those made 10 OF Northern volunteers.
Yet We do not hear OF any excessive anxiety on
the part of the earnest men OF Ohio, Indiana, or
ennsylvsnis, to change the Constitution OF
their respective States so as TO admit colored
men TO suffrage. Nothing of the sort was pro-
posed at the Columbus Convention. by the earn
est men who ware 30 distressed because the bal
lot could not be forthw with thrust into the hands
of the ignorant blacks of the cotton States liz
10 not many years since proposition re-
peatedly submitted TO the voters Of New York.
making suffrage universal in that State,
and the result such as 10 sat
Isfy the politicians not to repeat the eIper-
| iment Doubtless political sentiment has
greatly changed since then. Anti-savery opinions
have spread till there hardly remains one indi
vidual TO advocate slavery on any ground, polti-
cal or moral. And were any attempt made to
resuscitste the institution at the South the move
mens would be solidly opposed at the North.
But While the people are determined that the
natural rights Of the colored race shall be guar
sntsed them. they are not ready to confer upon
them right that IL purely conventional, at least
| I'LL convinced that the colored men are fully
qualified to exercise il intelig emily and dis
cresty, or II IS absolutely essential TO the pres
ervaton Of the Union. A decent respect for
consistency and the colored people we have 10
our mGs. should lead Us first OF all 10 confer
/ upon them the right We insist shall be given TO
them by the Southern States. Being matter
over which the States themselves have para
mount control, We should begin BY setting a good
example TO our less enlightened States south OF
the 0nio Ii the mote il IN our own eye, shall
not pluck il out before sticking fingers
IN the eyes Of other people! A little sell exam
inalon on that point might not be vithou, profit
-Cinciunau Commercial