, 1865-10-28
THE LEADER.
WE ARE NOT AFRAID OF TESTS.

Those people who imagine tina, the advocates
It negro suffrage nrG working to corrupt Tie
''urity of tho ballot box, by bcstnwins The clcc-
i've franchise upon ignorant, illi,cru,c persons,
are grossly mistaken. vi urc told by the op-
poncnts of this measure that the mass Of the
negroes in Tennessee and other States are not
intelligent enough to he intrustcd with the bal
lot. Grant that very many nfthcm ARE. Is there
not q very large portion Of .hc white populn-
ton Of this State who are still more ignorant,
yet who are permitted TO exercise Tint in invaluable
right? Now what we nsk, and what We shall
never cease to ask ns long MS it is denied us, is
the abolition Of MI absurd distinctions on nc
count Of color. If intelligence is to he The test
OF qualifications "a an clcctor, then let that b.
the test. We IRE ready for the summation.
Surely, if the white inhabitants of Tennessee
are very intelligent, and all The colorcd inhabi-
tants are very ignorant, they need not fear tia,
amy Of us will stand The test. They certainly
are not ntrnid that Il race TINT has lmcn kept III
bondage md darkness hundreds of wears, will
be able to show to the judges Of the election,
That they know anything that would cnti,lc
them to II vote. So where is the danger. The
white race, that has had all the advantages Of
schools and coli, yes. and everything else tia,
makes II people Intelligent ,nd cnli.htcI, Ger
t..nly can place the standard Of qualifications
20 high, tlla, no black man can reach il. Would
il not be more honorable for the people of Ten
ncssee to say that every citizen OF this State
shall vote who possesses 50 much intelligence.
no matter what lis race or com plrN ION If YOU
have n mind T., MIX, t1, .,,,.t -, ,..... -, L
then do so; bur give every man an conul
chance. we desire to say just this, if Ignorant,
white men have Il right TO vote, ignorant black
men should have the light to vote also. II in
tellIgrnt white men have the light to vote. intel.
iiScnt colorcd men l.nvc the ri.ht also. If my
distinction mt all is made bet wccn voters. i,
should be made on tie sronn! Of intelligence.
and not upon 81 absurd. foolish Il rrr,,y, ns ro.
Tor. Ii you choose To require ,la; every vote,
III tennessee shall be u gradual" Of Yale Col.
les', we say al! right, provided you make The
law applicable II white and h!:cl; ;,,.n alike.
Now we believe that the mass Of cnlorrd men
III the State would rxcrci,. tn. rim, Of Suf.
frasc i'll an intelligent manner, nn,l TIM, ,lo;r
own interests and the interests Of III. State
would tie tnrthcrcd thereby. lIu, we saw Ia tLc
Legislature, which is soon to meet in our city.
II YOU are afraid that iSnorncc Of the laws and
genus VI our institutions, would work ininry
~ our great commonwealth, then establish any
rule you in your judsmrn: may deem best, 10
the end that intelligence may be the criterion liz
which judges Of elections shall bc governed
nd that an unreasonable, unjust prejudice on
o'eo'-'t of color, shall in no wise work iuiu,y
= : ""'-> race. Wipe Gil, the word :. white,
:" -. '"A'' Constitution, and, rs Prc,;dcr,
johnson hns.woll saio. give every ma, ), ,n,.
chance in the race Of li,c. re mo 49,.
keeps ahead, they will hav. --.ue good their
boosted claims of ~suprr1riiy if We, by our
industry, energy and perseverance should out
distance them III the race, We hope they will
have manlinms enough to acknowledge il.
Nnw.ue feel that our demands are rcnsonnhi.
ana Just, and we cannot we'll see how The next
legislature can consistently refuse to respond To
them. Give rs equality before The law Of the
land. md then ''let us scvcrnliy alone to sink
or swim. We have no desire to be mn!r the
peculiar people" Of this country, nor have We
any wish to be esteemed more highly than o,lcr
men. But it is absolutely essential to our hnp-
pincss. that we have at lcas, u .S,nall voice, in
saying who shall and who Shall nat make the
laws which are to govern us ~ tulor.d Tonnes
sron.
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