Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-08-18

US that they are "not fully prepared to say" tha
the slaves should be entrusted with the privilege
OF freedom Verify this is 'progress back.
wards"
But says another "ihe colored race lacks in.
telllgence." We reply so does the Dhite race
AT ihe south the slaves are more intelligent than
the poor white trash - they make better mer.
chants, better superntendents of plantations,
iactores and mills, they make better preachers.
we are are not at all ayerse to making certain
amount OF intelligence and learning, a condition
Tor voting but we claim that white and black
should be placed upon the same level. Is white
| Ignorance any better than black Ignorance Q
shall we allow on ignorant, prejudiced, design
ing foreigner who can neither read, write
nor reason intelligently to vote on
matters of vital interest to the cause of republi-
can institutions in our country, while we shut
out from the polls true American citizen who
is FULLY in sympathy with our ctuse, who with
bayonet in hand has vindicated his love to his
country as well as his ability to fight for it
who can read, write and speak his native tongue
in'elligenily if not fuently. Shall we shut out
such an ally simply because his skin is darker
than ours How absurd, how unjust
But we would ask what right has any one to
question q colored man's equal claim to life, lib
eriy and the pursuit of happiness ?" l can see
some reason why we might make certain quail
hcations such as suitable age, intelligence and
even property, siRs qua non for the right Of
suffrage. All these qualifications are guards, to
certain extent, against the abuse Of the voting
privilege. But white and black men should be
measured by the same rule. Color is mere ao-
cldent Of birth, an assignment of Providence
and no more to be considered in the qualification
Of voter, than the length of mans nose or
the color of his hair. And not only SO it is uu-
Ike the accident of the place of ono's birth, for
that (under certain croumstanoss) might be q !
serious objection to the exercise Of the voting |
privilege. II we should have n war with Spain, |
| should not like to have TO-, 900 Spaniards vot-
ing in the city Of New York But color can be |
no such disqualification. "Beauty is only skin |
deep" says the proverb and 80 is color The
white and black races ore distinct and ever |
ought TO remain so and doubtless will. But all
races have equal natural rights, aud all Ameri-
cans should have equal political rights and priv
il0ges. Anything less than this is monarchy,
yrany, oppression. Allow such principle
with reference to color and you will soon find
those who will use the same logic in applying it
10 casi0. One says "the colored man Is inferior,
he white man must rule" the other says
caste is superior the rich must rule the poor"
''the favored by birth is Gods aristocrat." Let
ls all fight for the only true doctrine-that
Rhich grows out Of our common origin in God
that which vitaized the Declaration of indie
pendence - that which the Bible nculcates,
that all men are created free and equal" nd
ha; "oi one blood God created all the nations
4 the earth. This is alone safe, this in the
nd will prevail. g.