New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-02-24
LET Is CONSIDER.

The Address OF the late johnson meeting al
Cooper Institute says:
Because the blacks have fought for the country.
that does not necessarily give them right govern It,
participate in its government III 1t were other
wise. every brave boy from sixteen to tUeniyone who
iou Ait in Union ranks and there were thousands
upon thousands Of SUCH should have vote instead Of
waiting for years 10 participate in the government to
which he is subjected The blacks fought for a conn
Try and they have it. they fought for their freedom,
aud tey have obt5ined H. For thanks be to God, the
sun of this glOrious morning has not seen single slave
through all the unbrOkcn land, from seq 70 sea. We
would welcome oar onancpGtcd brother to the nights
Of manhood We would take nun ~ tle manu- ana Dld
him stand up and be OF good cheer for henceiorth no
man can call himself his Muster. But when We are
asked 10 give all the men OF his race, AT The
moment OF their emancipation, tue Hght 10 par
tiCipatc in the Government. We must answer,
in tie words OF of their own number, more ineli.
gent than many otacIs Willie or black Inc aD'c,
bodied ouly bear arms, The able.mn4ed on.y should
vote To insist that the blacks VIII not be protected
in their freedom and all tier rights If they have not
the elective franchise to forget that by the second
clause OF the great amendment It is provided. that
Congress shall have power to enforce thus article by
appropriate legislation. II is also TO forget that the
uen and women OF the south are OF Ike senti'
thlg certainly may be expected from their
regard TO their interests aud IRON their sense oil
justice.
Let US pause and reflect on this:
I. If our brave boys of IG to q years had
been expected to volunteer and fight for their
count1y-perhap3 die for it-but that they
would in 10 case and never be allowed a voice
IN its government - that privilege being re-
served for those who stayed at home-we think
they would generally and properly have said,
"If that is the case, ,rc will stay too" Why
mott Here are the men who could not be in
duced to risk their limbs and lives for their
country, with many who fought desperately
against it, conspiring to deny voice in making
and executing the laws to Blacks who did fight
for it and the children of many who died for it.
If this il MT base and ungratefu, what would
bel
IL. 1.-The brave boys know that they will in
due time be voters, and they respect themselves
and are respected accordingly. The votes that
they are to give, a few years hence, are potent
to protect them from injustice and degradation
to-day. Where is the parallel between their
case and that Of the -Four Millions Of native
Americans who arc told, Though you be wise
as Solomon, virtuous as Cato, intelligent as the
best il formed Of your contemporaries, and pay
your thousands annually in taxes to support the
Government, yet shall you never vote ?" If
that is MT hardship, what would BET
H. Messrs. Field d Co. "wOuld welcome
our emancpated brethren to the rights Of man.
hood" How many Of theml To-day, the
Black New-Yorker who went early TO the War,
and fought it odt to the end, has not the right
to drive his own horse and solicit custom in this
City. Let him 60 20 a workshop, with Rebel
bullet in his body, and ask to be employed at
his trade, and the master will often be con-
strained to say, Il would gladly hire you;
but, if l do, all my White journeymen will
knock off, and can't afford to let them 60; SO
I must decline to employ you" How much,
think you, did the Cooper Institute do toward
securing to our Black UniOnists tie common
rights Of manhood here in our own City,
". Mr.. Field knows, and those who adopted
bis Address know right well, that "to give all the
men of his race, at the moment of their emanci-
patton, the right to participate in the Govern.
ment" is not the practical requirement. Give
US a chance to establish the rule tomorrow that
all men Of decent intelligence and average
intellectual force who have committed nc
crime. who earn their living by honest industry.