The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-02-10
THE NEGRO QUESTION.

President johnson has been doing a big
business in speechifying to various delegations
during the week; and he leaves us in no I'M
certainty as to his views upon the question of
negro suffrage. On Wednesday, in reply to
delegation of negroes who had waited upon
him at the White House, under the lead Of
Fred. Douglass and George Downing, of sable
hue and characteristics, he declared unequivo-
cally his purpose to leave the negro suffrage
question to the people of the states, where he
deemed it properly belonged.
During his remarks, he was frequently i'll
terrupted by the intellectual Fred, and his
confrers Downing, who prepared to differ from
him even upon side issues and the illustrative
points made by the President. There was
considerable expostulation on the part of these
indomitabls brethren, they not being disposed
to be either silenced or convinced
The following is the substance of Mr.. John
sons opinion and purpose, as expressed to the
delegation:
The PREsIDENT.-Each community is bet
ter prepared to determine the depository of
political power than anybody else, and it is
for the Legislature or the people of Ohio to
say who shall vote or not for the Congress of
the United States. | might go down here to
the ballot box tomorrow and vote directly for
universal suffrage but if great majority of
the people said "No," | should consider it
would be tyrannical and arbitrary in me to
attempt to force it upon them without their
will. 1t is a fundamental text in my creed
that the will of the people must be obeyed
when fairly expressed. Is there anything
wrong or unfair in that
DoUaLAss.-A great deal wrong, Mr.. Presi-
dent with all respect
The PREslDENT-The people must determine
this question for themselves. | do not want to
be engaged in work that will commence
war of races. In each community, if a man
demeans himself well and shows that this new
state of affairs will operate we'll he will be
protected in all his rights, and given every
possible advantage by that community, when
they have become reconcied socially and po-
litically to certain things Then will this new
order of affairs work tremendously. But forced
upon the people before they are prepared for
it, it will be resisted, and work inharmonious-
ly. feel conviction that forcing that matter
upon the people, upon the community, will
result in the injury of both races, and the ruin
Of one or the other"
The unconvinced Mr.. Douglass was very
anxious to controvert the views SO pointedy
enunciated by the President; but Mr.. johnson
politely gave him to understand that such a
procedure was unexpected, and would not be
desirable. The interview wAs a prolonged
one, and the delegation retired wiser, if not
better satisfied, than when they entered the
audience chamber.
Mr.. Johnson's views, as expressed on this
occasion, are so much of piece with the old
fashioned States-Rights doctrines, that We al
most wonder how they could have found ut
terance in the atmosphere of Washington.
That the President should have spoken them
with the prospect of vehement opposition
from parties, both black and white, is some
little consolation to those who do not wish to
have all their vested rights trampled under
foot by dominant band of fanatics