The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-04
The Facts of History versus Modern Con-
seTVative Theories.

ONE good result of the discussion which, for
some little time, has been raging within the
ranks of the Democratic party upon the ques
tion Of extending the sufifage, is, that 1t has
forced the conservative element to exhibit the
real weakness of the arguments by which it
seeks to maintain its position. Such articles
as appeared in the Chicago Times and the
Boston Post in favor of impartial suffrage,
necessitated some sort OF reply; and we have
accordingly had from such journals as the Age
the best arguments they could devise in favor
of the Justice or rreasonableness of determining
q mans right to the elective franchise by the
color OF his skin. We have now the best
which conservatism can say for ITSELF 1t has
brought forward its strongest arguments.
The following, from the Age, contains the
whole case on that side:-
''The Democratic party will not agree that
negroes shall be made a component part OF the
governing and ruling class in this country.
They were excluded from all particip alton in
the formation of our structure of government.
White men framed the Constitution and enacte
the laws, aud then declared that the compact,
with all the political rights and privileges
springing from 1t, was made for themselves and
their posterity. The colored man was not
recognized in political sense then. nor has he
at any time since been vested with the rights
of citizen of the United States. The Supreme
Court of the United States decided that under
the Constitution he was no citizen. In some of
the States negroes have been granted the ballot,
but always with such restrictions as mark the
difference between the white aud co.ored races.r
1t is cheering to find that great measure
OF Justice and intelligent progress is opposed
by no stronger arguments than these. Grant
ing the assumed facts of history to be as
claimed in the foregoing extract, what does
the argument amount to except the old, worn
out, but ever-rene wed one Of purblind con-
servatism, that, h0uing done aorong In the
past, zoe ought to continue to do so In the
future? Our fathers oppressed the colored
citizens, therefore we should do so. We our
selves have hitherto done injustice to this
class of the people, therefore we should con-
tinue TO do so. This is an argument that may
satisfy conscienceless prejudice, but it can
never satisfy the demands of justice and
right. To answer mans claim to present
Justice by referring him to his experience OF
past injustice, is style Of reasoning, or,
rather, a style of disregarding reason, which
none but conservative, in the worst sense
of that much misused word, would be guilty
of. The true argument is, that IL we have
done wrong in the past, so much the more
reason why we should do right in the tutIre.
That injustice ertSts at all is the very reason
why it should cease to exist.
The argument OF the Chicago Times is,
that the past course of the Democratic party
on this question has resulted in disaster, and
if adhered to will result in death. TO which
the Age replies, "We have always done so.,
The argument of the Boston Post is, that
deprivation of rights on account OF color is
unjust, To which, again, the Age replies,
"We have always practised it,"
But in the extract above given, our con-
temporary falsifes the facts of history as
grossly as he violates the canons of sound
reasoning and right feeling. The assertions
that colored men "were excluded from all
participation in the formation of our struc-
ture of governments" and that "white men
framed the Constitution and enacted the
laws, and then declared that the compact,
with all the rights and privileges springing
from it, was made for themselves and their
oserity"-meaning for them only; that "the
colored man was not recognized in political
sense then;" that Gin some of the States
negroes have been granted the ballot, but
always with such restrictions as mark the
difference between the white and colored
races" are each and all of them not merely
untrue, but positively false.
The Declaration of Independ the first
great organic act of the people of this nation,
declared "GU men" to be created equdL."
Two years later the Articles of @ 0nfederation
were formed, and remained the law of
the land down to the adoption of toe
present Constitution. Those articles recog-
nized free negroes as citizens, and granted
to them the same privileges of citizenship
which belonged to white inhabitants.
the efforts OF the delegates from South Caro-
lima, who tried to amend the articles so as to
conine the citizenship to lohites; but the
proposed amendment was lost, only too States
voting for it, They were thus citizens of the
United States from the very foundation of the
Government. In .Jioe, at least, of the origi-
nal thirteen States, free colored men pos
sessed the elective franchise, and were thus
portion OF the very people that elected the
delegates who framed, and the Conven-
tions and Legislatures that adopted, the Con-
stitution. They had been declared "equalv
by the Declaration or Independence; they
had been recognized as citizens by the Arti-
cles of Confederation; and they no v, as
recognized portion OF the political State,
participated, through their representatives, in