The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-04-28
NEGRO SUFFRAGE.

on which his predecessors foundered, learns
to govern and direct the impulses of the
masses for the benefit of the community at
large, and to maintain and exercise the glory
and dignity of his country
Like causes beget like effects. See the
republics of Greece and Rome. They broke
through the barriers and landmarks placed,
for their safety and guidance, by the wisdom
of their forefathers, and the people soon be-
came the victims or slaves of an unscrup-
alous oligarchy or an ambitious despot They
lost at the same time, their virtue, liberty
and independence, and becoming corrupt,
yenal and licentious, they passed away from
amongst the nations of the earth, leaving
only name and lesson to posterity.
The fanatical radicals of the North, drunk
with success, and mad in their lust for power
and the laws of humanity or even of expe-
diency, reckless of what might become of our
glorious country and constitution SO that
they should retain the emoluments of office
Fooled, in part, by the stern patriotism of our
President, and fearful that the sound sense of
the people might soon hurl them from their
high places, they are looking round for some
new element that they can handle for their
benefit; and this element they think they
have in the newly emancipatsd negro But
to be able to use him, they must obtain for
m 4lo
and to do this they will not hesitate, if in
their power, to break down one of the great
barriers which the wisdom of our forefathers
raised between the liberties Of the people and
the tyranny of centralized republican gov
eminent. They would legislate in Wash
ington for the internal and domestic affairs of
the different States, and force them to give
the right Of suffrage to the negro Leaving,
for the present. the consideration of the dan
ger of such legislation, let US see if the negro,
or indeed any people in the same circum-
stances, ought to be allowed the right Of suf-
frage
The serfs of France raising the mad cry of
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, accomplished
| revolution, and proclaimed civil, social and
political equality. How did the exercise of
their political power result ? Ignorant, illit-
crate and easily led, they became tools in the
| hands of ambitious men and who is there
amongst lis that does not shudder, when he
reads of the horrors and atrocities committed
by these ignorant and brutal men, under the
guidance and evil teachings of such tends in
carnate, as Robespierre and Danton And
how long did these republicans retain their
| imaginary liberties, gained by SO much blood
shed and crime? But few years, and they
submitted as humbly to the ambition of Ma
poleon as they had fercey seconded the fana-
ticism of Robespierre- so the negro, more
| Ignorant, more illiterate, with lower degree
Of morals, would become, still more easily, the
dupe and tool of a designing and fanatical
] ptiiilisie,a lAl ,a,,d ;.soited by those
white men, the pariahs of society, who asso-
ciate with them for their own selfish ends,
would most probably be guilty of outrages we
should all have deeply to lament Look at
st. Domingo and say whether freedom and
the exercise of political rights have improved
the intellectual or moral status of the negro,
or his physical condition St, Domingo, the
gem of the Antilles, the richest and brightest
jewel in the French crown, whose hills and
vallies teemed with the fruits of the earth.
whose coffee and sugar plantations required
hundreds of vessels to carry away their pro-
duce is now almost wilderness and can bare
ly find produce enough to load few small
schooners. Is this progress {? Are these the
signs that the race is qualified for sef-govern-
ment, or should have the right to legislate for
us. Look at Jamaica, and see there also the
results of political rights and equality
1t is found there that the negro does not
care to, and but seldom does exercise his right
to vote; his idea of freedom there is the privi-
lege to live in ideness. He will not work un-
til forced to do so by necessity, and, therefore,
nearly all the plantations are going, or gone,
to ruin. Notwithstanding all the efforts of
school teachers and clergymen, their morals
are of the loosest kind, and, what thew are
here, we all know too we'll to make it necessary
to dwell on. And we are to be called on to
give, without reserve or restriction all politi-
cal tights to this race-we are to give them
the privilege to run them for Councilmen,
Mayor, the Legislature, or Congress; aye, even
for the Presidency itself; and for what? That
the present clique of our radical enemies may
have better chance to remain in power, and
appropriate to themselves and hangers-on a
still greater portion of the spoils of Office
We are as good as told that if we do not agree
to do this, our representatives will not be ad-
mtted to their seats in Congress