, 1865-06-27
TIE GREAT QUESTION.
Negro Suffrage Essential to the
Union.-Our Right aud Duty
to Enforce II,
Spec ch Of Hon. Z heophllu& Pm rsons MT
ahe FAneul Hall Mee1lns,

Spec ch Of Hon. Z heophI1us Parsons nj
the FAneaN Hall MeeIlns,
from the Boston Advertiser, ed 1
Nj. Parsons, on taking the chair, addressed
the meeting in substance as follows:
The greatest rebellion the world has ever
secn has been defeated and suppressed by the
greatest efforts nation ever made. And It
has left behind 1t questions as momentous as
any that nation WAS ever called upon to
answer, 60 momentops that our destiny for
ages probably depends upon cur answer to
these questions. We hare met today to con-
slider them. They are numerous; but to nv
mind they all cluster around one central
question. What shall We do with the cman-
Grated slaves? What hare VIC the right to
do =? What is 1t our duty to dos
As We arc victorious in war, We have q
right to Impose upon tbs defeated party any
terms necessary for our security. This right
is perfect. 1t is not only in itself obvious,
bnt Is assorted In every book on this snbject.
and is Illustrated By all the wars of history.
The rebels fo1ctd Tar M 9pon Us; It vas
that We hare conquered them. VIC have all
the rights which victory conf.rs: I admit
Int enc question: Does our eecurtty require
that NC should insist upon fretdmsn suf-
i1ages Or this point viii suggest but ono
Hon Of the slaves the congressional force Of
the Southern STATES. They will east about
oue-thlfd Of all the votes; and 1t they stand
together and vote as unit, they will need
only about one-sixth more to get and hold
control OF cur national legislation aud all our
foreign ard domestic policy.
If the question Of heedlnen suiFnse Is left
open, persistent and widespread agitation ia
inevltab e. It will certainly replace slaycrY
as the great question on which parties viii
otgaulze. And then 1t will inevitably cause
the former slaye States to stand together and
they will get all the aid they want from those
. IN tie free States who will seek to ride into
power on this CT any other question? The
same predominant influence which has gov
crned tltis country for u1Any years Will gov-
cru It again, and With the same absolute do.
miDlon. And for what purpose will they
gayein It: For one purpose, certainly; for
The Tepudiation Of our debt. This debt now
presses with heavy burden oftlxa.ion upon
an inpatient people uuaccustomed TO the
burden: They who Will be the ruling por-
tion Of the ruling party will not forget that
our victories. They. will find themselves
called upon to pay their share Of another
great war debt and they will not forget that
y was Incurred for their subjugatIon.
How can any man doubt that this pa-ty will
nssall this debt and The taxation it makes
ueISeedl$, Will I'LL tuEll luEHuCt AuQ VIII all
the means which can be devised or found or
used? And We are indeed bound to gsye BY
M ans cf this. sudfago question. unity aud
so1idity to aparty which must atm PERSISTENT.
u at The insolvency Of the country, and the
prcs.ration OF. the vast pecuniary interests
which now reat upon the credit Of the coun-
Try! Can any rational man believe we have
DO right to lessen. 80 Tar as We may, this
danger ! to demand, to insist upon, and to
have, afl the security we eau hare against an
intffable dtserace-uu into1eraole calamity.
bel:evc cur rights may well be established
On this argument. lwish, however, TO reas
them on a still surer foundation. The rebel
lion has compelled rs to abolsh alavery fer
cur security We hare done this. But the
elayes were always to considerable degree
protected, supported and defended by the
telt-lnterest Of their owners. All this We
withhold from them all political right. "
,ion and aelEdeicuse. We give to the whites
with whom theJ 1ire the whole power Of leg
tslation over the freedmen and against the
ffeedmen. We say to them, We leave you Ia
power, because We look upon this freedmen
as degraded race; We give sou full power
10 Keep them down On that dead level OF ig.
norance and debasement to which slavery
sank them, as long as you see 1s aud as lon,
as you Ecep them there, you shall be thelr
cruel thing could VIC do toward the whites as
well rs toward the blacss9
Some Of the Southern States have among
their statutes Law prohibiting the educstion
Of colcTed men under heavy penalty.
The whole world ca!ss' this most inhnnan,
whites ofthose States, we give yon complete
and exclusive power of leg!s!ating about the
education Of the blacks but bewsre for If
you lit them by education from theie present
condition, you do 1t under the penalty Of for
feitinE aud losing your supremacy: WIN not
ofits compensation, come back at once ;--nos
under its oWn desested name; 1t Will call
Itself apprenticeship 1t will put On the dis
gufse Of laws to prevent panper1sm, by provi-
ding that every colorcd man who does not
work In some prescribed way shall be arrested
or It will dolts york By means Of laws regu-
latiDE 7ages and labor. However 1t DO done,
one thing is certain. II We take from the
s!ayes all the protection aud defense they
found in slavery, and withhold from them all
power Of seltprotectlon and seltdetencc, the
race must perish and We shall be thelE de-
struyeiz.
Bat some people will say MI this Is proba-
bic enough and sad enough, but what right
have We to Interfere with the Suites In this
matter: beg to ask such persons lust this;
Have not the rebels, b. their rebellion, forc-
ed upon us emancipation and have they not,
,he1etore, iotcsd upon rs the duty q pro.
tain misery and probable destruction and If
those States have forced upon US this duty,
bnve they not given Us a perfect right to DIS
charge this dutys This question Of right dis
tubs .some excellent persons. Let me ask
again, have not the rebels compelled us to
cmancipate the slaves. and therefore made It
our imperative md solemn duty to provide
that this emancipation shall not be disas
trouG to them md have they not, therefore,
ard necessarily. given Us full aud perfect
light to do all that this duty requires Of us?
And wtat is this! 1cannot doubt that it is
sion until their constitutions provide that
political right shall not depend on race or
color OF until Congress ehali pass an amend
ment' TO the national Constitution to tbs
same effect. Then We may walt safely, for
State after State will be sure to come up, and
the work will be done.
Let no man suppose that undervalue
State rights. At no moment OF my life was
ny conviction stronger than 1t is now, that
the whole prosperity Of this country demands
the preservation Of the balance between the
sovereignty Of tht milton and the rights Of
The Stat.s- II is because 40 value these
rights, that would not permit State which
and 1epoesees them, until I've have reasonable
security that 1t eau cxesclee them with safety
to iteeif, and to the whole country.
Remember that the nation must choose be-
tween two alternatives, for there is no third
one. OF these two, one is to give to the men
who were Slaves md arc not now by onr act
to give them BY the right Of suffrage, be-
cause 1t cannot be given them otherwise
adequate power Of se1Fprotectiou md de-
fence. The other alternative is, to cast of
from them the chains Of slavery, and bind
them anew, hand and foot, by the chains Of
bound, helpless and hopeless, into the hands
Of those who we've their owners, and whom
We have made, IN good part, at least, their
bitter and exasperated enem1es.
Jef. DaVi4s Conchman on K.cou.
4tfGCl1Un,
The New York Independent publishes let
ter from William A. jackson late coachmau
to Mr.. and Mrs. jeff. Davis, Richmond, On
the subject Of readjustment Of "Goycrn-
ment in the rebel States. jackson appesss