The Portland daily press., 1865-06-17
Reconstruction and Negro Suffrage.


portAnce at the present time The problem
is one which presents many difficulties, and
involves questions and principles on which the
best human intellects have been exercised In
all ages, though with widely vifFerering results.
Yet we cannot hope to blink these questions
out OF sight The progress of events is
pressing them upon our attention irresistibly.
They demand immediate consideration, III we
are not to be led into hasty and inconsiderate
action. 1t is well to remember that ''thfngs:
bad begun make strong themselves BY ILL.,
and avoid all false beginnings.
And in attempting to solve the problem be-
fore us, the FIRST difficulty which presents IT.
elf is the lingering RENAME of that evil ele-
ment Of caste privilege which was built upon
chattel slavery, and which has been the cause
Of such Incalculable crimes, mistakes and sor-
rows. All superstitions die hard, and it Is not
to be expected that this false belief in the JUS
tice of negro inequality, which has been in
culcated into the Southern mind through so
many generations, can be easily or instantly
eradicated. Could 1t be so, the complicated
question would settle itself, the disturbed ele-
ments subside at once into clearness and har-
mony.
The mere statement Of the problem exhib-
its its tremendous proportions. It is required
TO ascertain whether four millions OF human
beings, newly invested with personal freedom,
composing in many localities an actual majori-
ty over the class hitherto monopolizing all po-
litical power, "shall be an integral portion Of
the body politic-or whether, for all purposes
of government, including those of self protee-
ton, they shall remain practically alien.p
The only sound basis on which the relations
Of these two classes can be settled is that of
equality; the only way in which the newly ac-
CURED freedom OF the colored man can be
made anything but q disadvantage to himself
and to his former master, is to admit him to .
share in the privilege of electing his own rul-
ers. The grounds on which this privilege Of
the suffrage may be claimed for him are va.
rious.
First of all IL may be demanded as meas
ure Of Justice. The very word Equity, which
has the same root as Equal, implies the uni
versatility Of mans inherent rights. Equity
which Is synonym for Justice. means literal
~, eqnalness. The Declaration Of Indepen-
dence starts with the assertion of this sssslE
evident" truth. Blackstone declared that enc
subjecto England can be constrained to pay
any aids or taxes, esen for the defence of The
realm, or the support Of government, but such
as are imposed by his own consent, or tina
Of his representative in parliament" Tha
every English subject IL not secured In the en-
joyment Of this right is fact that does mo-
initiate against the correctness of the princi
pie. The free negro is a producer, q property
holder, taxpayer. His right to voice Ii
the formation of those laws which are to
regulate his labor, protect his property ane
apportioning bis taxes is simply indisputable OF
any moral ground. The plea of mental infe-
riority cannot bar his claim. Such prcposi
sion, strippedof all DISCUSSES and sophistries
amounts to this, that because the negro IL on
dowed with mental faculties inferior to those
OF the white man, he ought not to have ths
same right to exercise such faculties as he has
The absurdity of the idea needs no demonstrs-
ton, but there is also practical objection tc
Its admission, and that is the uttes.-i.a~ru Dy
%--Nt@1
instant we attempt 10 assign such limits we
are lost in a maze of perplexities and incon-
sistencies which have no end.
All mankind are moro or less selfish. The
disposition to regard their own particular in
terests before those Of others, or OF the people
at large, is universal. Only, therefore, when
each can look out for himself can the welfare
OF all be secured. And this brings Us to say
shat the right of suffrage for the negro NAV
also be claimed sH 4goas a
secondly. As measure of economy and
safety Any class existing in a community
under circumstances of more restricted free
dom or more limited right than the generality
OF members Of such community, becomes in
tne exact proportion Of those restrictions and
limitations helpless and inefficient class
Precisely Ia that ratio is its productiveness
diminished, and the liability Of its members
TO become public charge increased. In
Vulnerable illustrations might be cited, if 1t
were necessary, but enough will occur to
the mind of every reader. And it is also.a
truth which cannot be too thoughtfully pom
oered, that under any circumstances no more
g
dangerous element can be allowed to exist in
In social state than is formed by class
endowed with personal freedom yet restricted
In Its exercise by the Withholding of those
political rights which give 1t the power of
self-protection. Unjust and partial legislation
Is the inevitable result; injustice awakens re-
yenge and all evil passions, fosters perpet-
uai antagonism, and exposes to the constant
danger OF lawless outbreak. Moreover, is it
possible to conceive that the freed negro will
quietly submit to live and be dominated by
the ballots of that class which he has lust
aided TO subdue by the bullet ? He will new
or do it. He has had taste Of what IL 81 to
be man, and none should know better than
Americans that the appetite for freedom Is
thing which grows by what 1t feeds on. II
tne rights which justly belong to him are not
accorded to him peaceably, let no one believe
ne will not sooner or later make an effort to
seize them. II we would diyest emaneiua-
ZION Of Its greatest dangers, of such possible
horrors as have marked its progress in San
Do"logo,n we would avoid social war be-
s"een white and black which may result in
tne complete Africanization OF the more
DvI'u1 0'a'es, we must give the negro the
pallot. NO possible danger which can ars,a
from any misuse Of the privilege IN bis no,t
can equal the certain danger which ,,,,s. .a.,,.
rom MS deprivation Of 1t. Every injustice
returns in some form upon its perpetrator.
This even-handed Justice commends tha ;n.r.
dents Of our poisoned chalice to our own liz.
Has not the bitter experience Of the last
Tour years been sufficient. to teach US mat
equity is the very life-principIe of society, and
mat men cannot transgress it and hope 70 es
cape disastrous consequences
Third. As q measure Of gratitude. Sure
ly 1t will be the everlasting DISGRACE ~ tho