Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-07-13
geporter,
Towanda, Thursday, July Is, 1865.
NEGRO SUFFRAGE.


The democratic party is extremely anX-
ious to make capital for the future out of
the question of Negro Suffrage, and its
leaders and newspapers are making desper-
ate effort to turn the white mans prejudice
against equality with the blacks, against
the Republican party 1t is not presented
by the opposition as question etlecting
any rights of the blacks, or involving any
issue of Justice or eXpediency on the part
of the government in its dealings with
them 1t is not whether any wrong will be
done to these people by the administration
i'll its necessary Legislation for them, or
whether any wrong will be inflicted upon
the whites in extending opportunities to
and fixing permanently the freedom of the
blacks 1t is only how far can we I'M ure
the republican party while fixing his status.
This however, is in accordance with the
practice of the party. The country and its
great interests, are of no moment, to the
brawling democrat To him, his party is
of more account than the well-being of the
whole people, In all his public acts, dur
ing the fearful war we have just passed
through, this has been but too clearly dem
onstrated. No interest of the nation has
been to valuable, or sacred To hinder its
prostitution to partizan purposes by the
sinister and ruthless leaders of the demo-
cratic faction. In TRUTH the war itself was
but the result, the out-growth of their total
abandonment of every thing like principle
in administering the government solely
with a view to partizan ends. The bitter
| hate Of the Shareholder to the northern
! people grew out of democratic teachings
and practices, and this war upon the gov
ernment was democratic measure. In its
inception in its progress, the rebellion had
no support north or SOUTH but that which
it obtained from the democratic party
This is patent to the world and now, not
satisfied with the fearful injuries which it's
inculcations and Vaccinations have drawn
upon the country, its leaders and journals,
are doing their utmost to excite a new sec
tional animosity and provoke another
strife, between the North and the South, by
insisting that the administration designs
the Embellishments which the whites pos
sess. They know to, this to be falshood,
but it is partizan policy to make republi-
cans obnoxious to the masses Nor does
it concern the democratic panty to know
that new cause for strife may grow out of
such perverse falshoods. What care its
leaders for the lives and money lost in the
war just ended Democratic lies made
. that war, and democratic lies will make
another, if by it, the democratic party can
get into power But we doubt very much,
whether a party that has so clearly proven
, itself destitute of correct motives as basis
for political action, and so inimical to the
true interests Of the nation, can ever again
cajole a majority of the people into its sup
up to this period is forgotten, or the mass
become less intelligent and pure than now,
and we see no indications of this.
Now, what are the facts i'll regard to this
negro suffrage question Simply, that the
government in self defence, and as a war
measure, was obliged to free the slaves of
r the south and these slaves being now free
it devolves upon us to provide for the en-
plOyment and sustenance of these four mil
l lions of destitute human beings, naturally
indolent, and, owing altogether to the man
ner Of their treatment, densely ignorant.
The query is, what shall be done for, or
with these people? The administration
. papers all over the country are discussing
this question, and they do not, by any
, Wendell Phillips, who is more a democrat
than republican, urges immediate enfran-
chisement of the freedmen others are urg-
] ing properly qualification as an elevating
D process, or a stepping-stone to full enfran-
chisement While a third class propose
q some standard of intelligence as an enabling
t qualification to voting. Then fourth par
ty hold that the freedmen should be allowed
, 10 VOtc at tlcCIlODS lOE uDWnSlllp OIllCCGS,
i for several years, then at county elections,
to be followed afterwards by the right to
vote for State officers, and subsequently
for officers of the general government. The
, object of this being to school them to this
privilege, in order that they may learn by
degrees its Importance and appreciate it
thoroughly, when they come to exercise it
, fully. We know too great many judi
cious men among us who think the best
thing that can be done for the blacks, is to
, give them a home Of their own in the south,
say South Carolina, Florida, or Texas, and
let them come in as territory giving
them a republican form of government
; Fred Douglas, or some other intelligent and
able man Of their own color, as an execu-
tive officer, and as far as practicable, fill
ing the other appointments in the territory
with black men, allowing them then to
make their own civil regulations, with re-
gard to voting &c. Here then it is, pro and
i