New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-18
MIR. BOTTSs THREE HUNDRED.

As Mr. Andy johnson, the chaste, eloquent ana
pious will persist in talking about it, we suppose that
we may continue now and then to say few words
upon the subject of Universal Suffrage. We presume
that he hardly expected that it would have that ef-
feet but we must say that Mr.. Bots's speech at the
Loyal Convention was not wanting in encouragement
to all advocates Of Votes for Men. LnprimS, said Mr.
Bolts, in speaking Of Manhood Suffrage:
OF say conscentousy that OF 1000 loyal men In the
State Virginia you could get 800 Of them to so to the
polls and vote for II"
Loyal White Men, we suppose Mr.. Bolts
meant He does not trouble himself to let us know
how men of the other shade of epidermiS would VOTE
if the poor fellows could only have chance. OF
course we do not accept Mr. Botts's numerical eSti-
mate; it is Just one of his accustomed extrayagances;
but we take the freedom of saying that with the
right or wrong of an opinion, with the justice or in
Justice Of measure as between the equity or inequty
of policy, the number Of its supporters and oppo-
nents has nothing whatever to do. There are several
districts in Virginia in which, hardly two years ago.
a unanimous vote to hang Mr.. Bolts on sight could
easily have been obtained; and not a few who now
parade their loyalty would have gone with savage sto-
lidity in the affirmative. If "loya men" are willing
that those who voted Virginia out of the Union shall
~ VI bAclNloiuB luc ouiAioSNi hAAAN
who fought and shed their blood for the Union are to
be DISTINGUISHED, all we have to say is that their
"loyalty" is of the No. nature only in one respect
and that they do exhibit an admirable talent for
taking care of themselves. They extremely rea-
sonable. They only want the first the second and
the third cut and after they have been hepedt the poor
freedman is 70 be welcome to the bare aud OSseOus
remainder Mr.. Bolts himself who is in the main
good-hearted man, admits this almost in so many
words. He says:
came here supplcunt to Congress to extend pr
vges White Union OF the South came here TO
be relieved from serOm which have TO submit In the
SOuthern country aud think would be quite time enough
when have obtained privileges to undertake to
confer them upon Others"
There You have it First chance for White Men
Contingent remanders for the Blacks! The Rebellion
was started to carry out this very doctrine; and
Mr. yaandigham, who supported the Rebellion to the
best of his ability, always taking to keep out OF
jail, is of Mr. Bots's opinion now, First chance for
White Men! The insurrecton'is crushed; but the
fallacies upon which it was based, having got into
good company, are as rampant as ever and deal
more dangerous.
We have a great respect for Mr. Bolts, and no wish
to do him any injustice. He has no objection to
Colored Voters as such; he merely believes the pro-
posed extension unreasonable; in A. ID. 300, when
he is no more, when we all are in the cold and silent
tomb, Mr.. Bolts thinks it possible that Blacks may
vote in Virginia. He says:
Uniyersa suffrage will or later and in good time
be conferred upon the Of the Souh 0ut IA my JUG
mont the time has hot yet arrived
And whvl Because the Black Voters would be
murdered, shot at the polls, slaughtered by the
White Voters So the right of suffrage may be
I L. aud in
who will diversity the tedium Of the polling by six
part musical performances upon their revolvers who
will crimson tho fountain of law with innocent blood;
who will secure mojorities by soaring harmless citi-
gems from the exercise of their simplest aud dearest
rights Why does Mt Mr.. Bolts see that he who
would shoot Black Voter would shoot Mr. Bolts as
quickly Yet nobody talks OF DISTINGUISHING him
His opinions have made mischief already; his neigh
bors have not always agreed with him, as birds agree
in their little nests; yet he would think it extremely
hard if he were made nobody politically by his
neghbors, because his being a somebody politically
was dspeasing to the majority.
Man as Mr. Bolts knows by this time is an
extremely selfish animal, eager to get all that he
can, and prone to keep what he has got. The Right
of Suffrage in tho hands of limited class is
valuable privilege securing power and money and
comfort at the expense OF the excluded. From its
very nature, it is privilege which it is almost mpos
sible to wrest from its possessorsabsolutely impos
sible while its holders maintain perfect accord and
the dulcet brotherhood Of close corporation. While
the power Of making or Of repeating laws Is in the
hands of few, nothing but the extraordinary
agitation which is known to threaten revolution
can cxtOrt unwilling concessions. snow is not
the time" says Mr.. Bolts. Pray, when will the time
comet Will Mr.. Bolts be good enough to tell u.s.
viii it be when theiyirginian 0ligarchy has grown
prouder and more prosperous and more prelndiced
Will it be when, through lapse of time, the Black has
lost all political significance, portion Of which to-
day he is possessed of Will it be when the spared
relies of the Rebellion find themselves restored re-
generated, rehabilitated viii it be when the col
ored defenders of the Union have apsed into hopeless
seridom or peonagel Or will il be when the Bla Ks
themselves threatening to seize that which is unjusy
withheld from them, shall rise in the majesty of num-
bers and extort by the sword that which peaceful leg
islation should have granted them'
Virginia needs the bravery of usty youth, and not
the tmidity of conservative old age. If she would
greatly win, she must also greatly dare. She may
have producing population intelligent, peaceful and
industrious; submissive to the laws and helping to
make them; acquiring property and cheeriuy paying
taxes upon its requirement; building school-houses
and filling them after they are built. But the mex
orable condition of such class is perfect equality
before the law. without which the employer will be
impoverished and the employed doomed to lifelong
squalidity-suspicion upon one side and discomfort
upon the other; with institutions unfXed with policy
shifting with the present uneasy and with the future
beclouded And all because honest men will not
understand that nOW is the accepted time May God
tor, fhnir nndnrsf an1inNs