The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-09-20


ding a tear over their graves. The South
not punished! Look fisherman 5 march
through the South, where, ior lines of
sixty miles apart, not a living thing was
left upon the land. Is not that punish
mcnt? Is not all they have suffered,
punishment? What more was ever in
flicteu upon any people that raised their
hand against u government aud were
snbdued by 1t? They are punished
They are repentant! They are DESTROYS
to return TO their duties and responsible
tiles under the Constitution. All they
ask is to come back 10 work, to strive
Tor this nation, the United States. This
small party set their hands against
them and say; No, stand back because
you have erred we will never believeyou
are repentant; because we have cast you
down and trampled you under our feet,
we will trample you under our feet for
ever! Fellow citizens, What voice comes
from the South that breathes the Slight
est suspicion of disloyalty to the United
ceedings of this little party of Radicals
in Washington; but, thank God, that
little party is not the nation. The
United States is something above all
parties. tbs broad and great; it spreads
its protecting egiS over every little ri er
and brook in South Carolina and Mis-
sissippi as much as it does over the Hud-
son and the lakes in the North. They
say they will not allow the Southern
representatives to take their seats in
Congress because they will not consent
to give unlimited suffrage to the negro.
Let lis see how that matter stands.
Consider the absurdity of that position,
and let me say that | for one eel as
keenly the responsibility Of this Govern
ment toward these unfortunate people,
the negroes, as the most determined
abolitionist in the United States. /
believe this is government for the
white man, for the black man, and for
all men. / believe that these negroes
whose fathers have been brought into
this country 10 work in the Southern
States, should be mercitully cared forby
the United States; they should have all
the rights and privileges they can
properly exercise, without danger to the
United States. But will any one tell
me that the negroes in the South are
fit To exercise the highest privilege that
any American citizen, no matter how
we'll educated, native OF foreign, can
eXercise-Icries OF mo, no." the high
right OF suffrage in choosing the repre-
sentatives OF the people to enact the
laws of the land. What is the theory
of this Government? That the people
make laws. How do they make laws?
Through their representatives. How
Go they elect their representatives? 1t
is under the theory that they under
stand the Constitution that they can
think and weigh the important question
of the day, and that they have wit and
ability and sagacity enough to watch the
politicians of the day, so as to Judge
wisely of men and measures, Will any
man tell me that these negroes down
South. these men that we were told
few wears ago were so degraded and inn
bruted by slavery that they scarce had
the aspect, and had none of the intellect
of men-are we to be told that this great
privilege of suffrage, this great right of
making the laws of our land through
our REPRESENTATIVES, is to be confided
into the hands of those men, who five
wears ago, we were taught to believe
were little more than brutes? Is ttere
reason or common sense in this thing :?
Is it for the good of the nation that this
ri~ht should be intrusted in the hands
of negroes? Is it for the good OF the
negroes themselves DO you not know,
does not every Abolitioaist know that