The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-01-13
From the Chicago Times.
SUFFERING AS A BASE 0E STyF
ERAGE.

A New England newspaper in discuss
ing what the nation has done for the ne
gro, uses the following language:
What has the nation done for the negro.
that it should 50 eomplacentiy contemplate
its work, and mot feel called upon Just nov
to do much more?" 1t has suffered the ne
gro to be enslayed for nearly 80 years. aud
while Boosting that this was the land of free
dom and equal rights, It has suffered its ma
tional capital to be disgraced during all that
time by the auction blocks and slave pens Of
the barbarous institution. For nearly %
years it never by any National act recog.
nized the freedom Of the negro, or even ad-
mitted his manhood. For nearly 90 years
the greed Of gain and the shaekles Of com
merce have bound the nation, and made i
the servant of slavery.
There are many honest people in New
England and elsewhere - z~ealots who
range themselves under the flag of Wen
deli PhiIlips-who, in their intense anx-
iety to do something for the negro, te
compensate him for his century of servi.
tude, overlook everything which lies be-
tween the present condition Of the coun-
try and the end which they so ardently
desire. These people believe citizenship
and all its benefits to be the right of the
negro as an offset to his slavery.
Waving all discussion as to the righi
of the General Government to extend SUIT
ffage to the negroes Of the various States
let us look at the matter simply with ref
%erence to the rights and the qualifications
of the negro for suffrage. Included in
the latter will, as a matter of course, be
the interests of the other classes compos-
ing this nation.
The right of the negro to political
equality is based upon his suffering as .
slave. 1t is claimed for him as a compen
sation, a something which the nation owes
him for so long holding him in bondage
1t is an extremely doubtful logic which
makes the right to vote a reward for I'm,
deserved suffering. Why the right Of
suffrage in such a case. any more than
quarter-section Of land, or a house aud loI
in some valuable locality?
But has the negro earned anr great re.
ward by his endurance of slavery? 4.
good a way as any to settle this question
would be to compare the 1000, 900 freed.
men III this country with the condition O
a like number OF. their own c~oantrymer
in Africa. If it be suffering for 1900,
900 Africans not to be eating their owr
children not to be engaged in deyil-vor
ship; not TO be ceaselessly waeing erue
and sanguinary wars; not to be sunk t.
the very lowest depths Of ignorance. cru
city and barbarism. then have our freed
men suffered. If it be suffering for thos,
900, 900 men to find themselves ava,
from their savage homes. to find them
selves possessed Of a knowledge Of Chris
tianity, Of habits Of industry, of an appre
citation of the family relation, and of tn,
elements of civilization. then their suffer
ling is of the seyerest kind. But if al
this be not suffering; if it be a llessin.
to the negro; if it have elevated him ant
conferred upon him the in~estimable elf
Iof ChristianitY.-then do We fail to SCI
the reward" to which he is entitled
His condition as a slave has secured hi
elevation as a man. To-day Ch~ristianitl
should credit American slavery for 1000,
900 converts; and who. without Ameri
can slavery, would have been in Africa
wallowine in the mire of barbarism. Thu
much for reward. In the civilization an,
IChristianization of the American negrc
is found, a dozen times over, compensa
tion for his servitude.
Having shown that the negro is alread
in receipt of his reward for his century Q
slavery, we might appropriately drop til
further discussion of the matter. But al
fusion will be made to the second diyi.
ion of the question. It might be admit
ted that a political equality is a rewar,
for suffering; and 1t might further be ad
mitted that the negro had earned a RICH
to this reward and then it should b
withheld, because of his lack of qualities
tons. UNNECESSARILY as is the negro
this country removed from his origina
barbarism, he is still far behind the ave.
age intelligence required to handle tn
ballot. Put. the ballot in the hands {
the Southern negro, and it would simpl
add to the power Of demagogues. Th
vote of the negro would not represent. hi
interests, but simply the wishes Of som
superior mind.
The nation has already done all it ca
for the negro. 1t has accumulated a MOI
%strous debt, sacrificed ambition of live.
and deranged its industry to an exteu
which half a century viii not repair.
has given the negro freedom, and that
all that he can at present appreciate an
use with safety to others. If he woul
have more, let him earn his right to an
show his fitness for it. Then the natio
may accord him privileges which it no
wisely, both for its own sake and that
the negro, is compelled to withhold.