New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-30
SHALL WE GREATLY DAREs

Our readers know that, from the hour of the Re-
belon's collapse aud utter overthrow. our platform
of Reconstruction has been short and simple-USr
vRRsAL AMSEsTY-IMPARrIA SUFFRAGE. Restore
to every all the rights he forfeited by treason, on
the single condition that all persons born under the
Jurisdiction of our Government naturalized into
American citizenship shall enjoy equal Civil and
Political Rights. We do not ask that Suffrage shall
he absolutely universal, but that no qualifications be
exacted conditions or restrictions imposed which
do not bear equally all colors and races. Say that
every man shall be able to read or to read and write
or shall have paid a tax, or shall show that he
gains an honest livelihood in some useful call
ing, or was never convicted of crime -
act any or all these, if you will, provided
you require them equally of White and Black. We
require of them-propose none; but we will con
sent to any that gives the Blacks fair chance TO
acquire the right of sefproection by the ballot on
condition Of deserving it. We would have the exae.
ton apply unversally-to New-York and Illinois,
equally with Virginia and Texas-and We would at
once give to every Southern State its full representa-
tion-no three-ffths Of all other persons"-but all
TO which she would have been entitled if there had
never been any Slavery in the land. And these terms
we believe every State lately in revolt ought gladly
to accept; and, if they were proposed kindly firmly
backed by manifest power, we believe they'uonh be
accepted.
We do not say to our political friends adopt our
programme, or we will oppose you" We shall do
nothing of the sort We propose to abide in and act
with that great patriotic party which so nobly car
ried our country through e trials and perils of our
I.to (;rtl Wa W. altar of,ro,
Der of that party we shall be right glad to see it
adopted but if it is not shall still go with the
Union party believing that we can thus do more good
than by breaking off from 1t and setting up in oppos.
ton to it, Whatever plan of Reconstruction shall
ultimately be agreed OH by the great body of the
Unionists in Congress, that shall do our best to
have accepted. But we shall like it the better the
nearer it comes to embodyng fully and only the two
principles of Universal Amnesty-impartial Suffrage
but the country is not yet prepared to accept your
platform" say many.
"WeIl: for the Arguments sake, admit it," we
answer "Ourprogramme is in advance ofpublic sent.
ment on both points: There is majority in favor of
imposing some penal infections disabilities on the
late Rebels There is also majority very differ
emily constituted) hostile to what they iuaocurately
term Niger Equality Admit all You choose to as
sert on these points oretber of them. Admit that we
should be voted down at the ensuing Elections, and a
Copperhead majority returned to the next Congress
who would admit the Rebels Internationally and put
the Blacks under their feet That would be morally
certain to occur but once. The allies by their egisla
ton in Congress by their oppression of the Blacks
by their general exhibitions of innate depravity,
would be morally sure to bankrupt themselves in a