New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-06-22
LOOMING UP.

country through the lnstrumentaiitv Vi N"n
War-a revolution none the less real that those
who triumph in its accomplishment struggled
not to destroy but to preserve. So the downfall
of British monarchy in the person of Charles L.
was caused by his usurpations and treachenes
and the lawful resistance thereto of Parliament;
so the independence of this country resulted
from the righteously resisted tyranny OF George
III. Thus, in the providence of God, the engi-
neer of Oppression is often "hoist by his own
petard," and the triumph of Right insured by
the Vaccinations of Wrong
Labor isto be henceforth Free throughout our
country-that is to say: the laborer Is 10 De
ot liberty to sell his efforts or his services as he
shall deem best, instead OF being often sold him
self for the most that any one Will give
for him to the person known to the local law as
his owner. great, benetcent change Is
thereby effected in the condition OF -Four Mil
lions of our countrymen, and. by consequence
| in the condition and current estimation OF
Labor in general. We do surely hope ana trust
that the blameless, exemplary citizen VINO
"hires out" to perform rude manual labor
for his own and his famly's daily bread Will be
benefited and elevated in public conSldera-
ton bv the fact that backsmiths, masons, cor
penters. eld-hands, &C., &C., are no longer
bought and sold like cattle.
But shall the new wine be kept IN new or
in the old bottles Shall the newly emanci'
pated Four Millions of Americans be hence
forth partially or wholly Free 7 Shall they
be allowed to enjoy the liberties and common
rights of citizensl or only such as Gen. Gregg
lin his Lynchburg order) allows them" such
as free negroes have hitherto enjoyed IN NT-
ginia where to teach their children to read
was heinous crimel The practical answer to
this question now rests with the'American Poo
ple. and they can neither blamelessly nor safely
ignore it,
The n Y Times-steering, as usual, about
half way between right and wrong-says:
"It is the more unfortunate that this Issue is fast
taking the shape OF issue between expectancy ana
Justice The strongest argument of the opponents 10
1.-The suffrage Is that the sudden injection OF such vast
mass Of denscst ignorance into the civil life OF the south
would soon breed incalculable misohefs and also that
it could not be maintained without the direct con.trait
of the Federal Government in way that would destroy
all legitimate State rights
Now we deny that there can ever be ian
issue between expedency and justice The
a lust is always expedient; and. on the other
b hand, whatever "would breed 'incaculable
mischiefs" cannot be just.
II This country has too long placed expediency
= and justice in antagonism and then attempted
. to compromise between them. Now that
Slavery, the mother of Compromise, has died a
D culprits death, it is high time that we discarded
her offspring
Q The sudden injection of such a vast mass OF
: densest ignorance would be a far lesser evil
than the perpetual disiranchisement of one
eighth of our people, But there is no need of
rushing to either extreme. Establish whatever
moral or intellectual tests Of capacity to vote
, intelngently and worthily You may see fit 30
that they be general and uniform, and those
who demand Justice for the Blacks will not
complain. Require every voter to read-to
, read and write--to pay taxes-to own taxable
property-any or all of these or anything else
that may be tolerably fair and equal-and we
will gladly accept the ordeal and counsel
general acquiescence therein.
1t does seem hard that those who have Kept
the Blacks ignorant-who have made their
children work for nothing when they should
have been at school-whO have enacted and
+ enforced laws which made teaching them a
State Prison oifense-should now make the
Ignorance thus compelled bar to their enfran-
} chisement, when many thousands of Whites as
ignorant as illiterate, as they, and without any
such excuse for it, enjoy without question every
right and privilege of perfect citizenship Say
TO the Blacks" You are ignorant, therefore
denied the Right Of Suffrage; but you shall be
entitled to it so fast and so far as you acquire
1.-The measure of intelligence required of Whites, y
( and we hold that justice and expediency are
perfectly reconclled.
The Times suggests a Constitutional Amend
ment restricting the Right of Suffrage to citi.
Gems who can read. We do not object to this;
but, if its adoption is to depend on the approx.
ing votes Of the Southern Whites who cant
read, DISTINGUISHING themselves to enfranchiSe
intelligent negroes We cannot deem the project
a practicable one.
: The Herald is pleased to say of THE
, TRIBUNE:
at appeals to the people Of the South to give the
suffrage 10 all the negroes but with what kind Of grace
doss this come from journal published In New.York.
State that does not permit any negro to vote who
does not own property Is II reasonable or even de
cent to require the South 10 go further in this than
New. York goes We have indicated the classes OF
that perhaps receive tine ,han gu.
il in constitutional way. How ridiculous it is. then.