New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-12-20
NONSENSE IN THE SENATE.

NONSENSE IN THE SERA TIE.
This is a query which We fancy often enters the
heads of those who, forfher sins or their soace,
peruse the reports of Congressional doingS and de-
batngs. Most public creatures who talk Tor the sake
of talking partly and partly for the sake OF beng
resurreconized the next morning inthe journals 10
an immortality of from seven TO ten days have some
thing smart sweet or savage TO say about American
Principles" which would be more satisfactory if they
would deal little more in particulars and little less
in generals. Mr.. Davis for instance who is, as they
saw in Erin, knOwledgoable man, be-
side being Senator of the United states
was good enough, day or two since to
tell us that il is fixed American principle that sui
frage pertains exclusively TO white men." This looks
promising at first but when you scrutiniZe it, you
find that Davis is talking loosely about ixty IS the
rest 1t is frghtul presumption, we know TO cross
question an honorable Senator but perhaps Mr. DAVIS
will be good enough to attribute 1t to our uncontro'
liable thirst for knowledge if we inquire the principle
being fixed, who fixed it and when 1t was h1ed By
whom was the principle first enunciatedf By what
body was it reduced 20 an enactment By what pop
ular vote was it confirmed and Incorporated into our
fundamental law For it should be there, II any
where 1t is dangerous TO the public safety TO have
principles lying about loose-they should be codhod,
engrossed upon sheep-skiD printed and published for
study. for instruction, and for reference. Now It Is
our opinion whatever may be It's value, that 10 save
bis BODY from destruction and his soul from torment
it is not in tho power Of Mr. Senator Davis to put bis
finger upon the smallest authority for bis glib as
sumption-ifwe except the dictum Of Judge fancy,
which Indeed has long ago ceased to be authority at
all. If il ever was which 10 a matter OF grave
doubt Suffrage for White Men an American prncl'
ple! Why, ever since the foundation OF the Govern
ment, in many of the States tho Black Men have
been voting Massachusetts, for instance, one o. the
Oldest of States one OF the creators OF the nation
whose great men were among the mo& Illus
trious trainers of the Constitution, has
never dreamed Of combining suffrage TO White Men,
and has never made in this matter the least disnc-
ton on account of color. Don't they know an
American principle" in Massachusetts when they see
iti Here in Ncw-YOrk we require Of colorcd men
l. e.. men coored back-a certain special qualihca-
ton, but possessing that, they votes 30 that here,
too, Mr.. Dayss American principle Is quite a. TAR
from being au,horta,yely recognized as anywhere
else. So. too, in North Carolina for years qualified
blacks were voters. What was "tho American prin'
ciple" doing all this time Was il discarded Not
at all. Nothing can be discarded which never ex-
isted
The written word alone remains. And il is safest
TO stick BIZ il. The underlying axiom Of our institu-
tons is the freedom and equality Of all men. Every
deviation from that has proved TO be both crime and
a blunder. Aud if Members Of Congress profound
and sagacious as know them TO be, will permit us
to say So il is their business not 10 establish prncl
pies, but TO enact laws in accordance with principles
already established and clearly ascertained and de-
fined not by Senator Davis who has neither call nor
warrant for the work but by the Declaration OF lnde
pendence, the American Magma Chlrta, and by all
the traditions of the Republic a. illustrated
and interpreted by common sense without
special pleading or the bubbles of a desperate
sophistry As for the empty efHges Of principles
which such men as Senator Davis are always manu-.
featuring and setting up and falling down to worship
we know the hearts that conceived them and the
hands that made them too well 20 crook our knees IN
their presence. We have seen scores Of them ele-
waited and praised, and finally pulled down TO rot
awhile and then utterly 10 disappear. We have been
called upon to salute them and assuredby Presidents.
and Senators, and Representatives, and Governors,
and Mayors that the world would cease to move
upon its axis if they were disregarded. We
remember when Human Slavery was an
American principle" We remember when
catching runaway slaves was an American
principle" We remember when numbering the Free
State emigants in Kansas was an American princi-
pie" We remember when acquiescence in all the de-
mands OF swordbearing Rebels was an American
principle" We remember the distinctive American
principles of Mr. Salisbury, of Mr.. Valllndigham,
and of many others whose heads were of copper and
whose hearts were of adamant. And now We have
the american principle" Of Mr.. Senator Davis,
which turns out to be just about as un-Amercan as
possible. In Short whenever a scheming aetionist or
Disconnected dsturber of the peace has a notion TO
support or point TO carry, We may be sure that he
will have American principle" to match the one
or the other; but the time for bringing such goods to
market has gone by for the present
THE ORPHANS OF NEW-YORK SOLDIERS.