The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-08-22

have but five representatives under the
amendment if negro suffrage is denied, and
it will have eight representatives if negro
suffrage is granted - az a,sffe3 -
This question of suffrage, however, can be
postponed until after the ratification of the
amendment. 1t will not affect the question
of representation until the apportionment of
1872 is made: and in the mean time the ne
groes will have made considerable progress
in education and Independence of character,
SO that thousands of them will be qualified
to exercise the elective franchise intelligently
before they become invested with it. If an
educational test is thought to be proper, it
will of course be equally proper for the white
people; for ignorance in one class must be
as incompatible with the intelligent exercise
of the franchise, as in the other Uniformi-
ty is all that the Constitutional amendment
calls for. I apprehend that an educational
test need take from no man, who has hereto
fore been voter in the State, the right to
vote; and that it will be sufficient to provide,
that on and after certain date no new cleo
tors shall be admitted to the polls unless
they can read and write. A law to this effect
would be great incentive to improvement
in both whites and blacks. Our politicians,
instead of patronizing the dram shops, in
the prosecution of their electioneering enter
prises, would become schoolmasters and pa
irons of learning, in order to qualify their
friends as voters.
One great obstacle to the admission of ne
groes to the enjoyment of equal laws is the
popular habit of confounding political with
social equality. But the two things are es-
sentially different Civil and political equali-
ty are essential to every man, to secure him
in the enjoyment Of his equal rights with
Others. They must be guaranteed to him by
the fundamental Constitution and laws of
State, and must be enforced, if necessary, by
the magistrate Social equality is indepen
dent of legislative enactments. 1t could not
be guaranteed by them, and ought not to be
SO guaranteed if the thing were possible
There could be no more revolving tyranny
than to compel people of incompatible char
acters, tastes, and habits, to associate with
each other; and no Government in the world
ever attempted anything so absurd. Social
equality implies equal education, refine
ment, and virtue in individuals, who are
brought into association by congenial tastes,
mutual loves or friendships, or at least, by
purely voluntary agreement. In the nature
OF things, TINS sort OF equahty needs not the
sanction OF laws nor the authority OF the
magistrate to give 1t effect Yet the social
laws are very absolute, because, like the laws
OF nature, they are seif-eniorclng. without
tne ald OF Sherln OF Foilce tney are IRE
sistloie. iney a''fact IKE TO IKE as II ny
che 1Il aIIluity. 80
Inc 1oliy OF supposing tnat pohticai
equailty necessarily carries with 1t social
equality Is made manifest II we consider tnat
the former exists IN all the States OF the
Union, between white men IN all conditions
OF life; Wmie the latter exists nowhere IN
the world. except as between individuals OF
mutual tastes. In the city OF New YORK, Tor
instance, the wealthy "democratic" mer-
chants, lawyers manufacturers ana bankers,
who lnhabIt marble palaces In Filth Avenue,