The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-11-28

the ballot to black men altogether, ana new
York should bestow 10 only to eucn OF them
40 are possessed of two hundred and fifty
dollars worth of resl property For no other
reason. manlfestly, than because il belonged
to us to establish such conditions as we
chose, and to the other states named, such
conditions as they chose. Congress never
presumed to approach the matter, rave only
where the exercise of the elective franchise
touched upon its own constitution and char
aeter, and that is in the choice by the people
OF their representatives in that body; and on
that point, all that was ever laid down is, In
the words of the constitution, that 'the cleo
tors in each state shall have the qualifications
requisite for electors of the most numerous
branch for the state legislature" OF course
then, the imposition of those qualifications
still rests with the people of the states, as
before. And there is where we would still
have il rest, in applying the principle of i'm
partial suffrage. Congress is not the power
to prescribe qualifications. But the Adrer.
tiser would rather not have the principle at
ell, than that the southern people should
adopt and apply il for themselves.
Thus is the insineerity of radicalisn on the ne
gro suffrage question unearthed. 1t cares not
two brass farthings whether the blacks get the
ballot or not. Ii means to ride the matter as q
hobby, while something else is going on in its
own interest. 1t would use this question as a
guy to cover up its real aims in another d.
reetion. Il openly confesses as much, when it
declares that impartial suffrage must be engraft-
ed into tho organic law, before it can possess
vitality which is equivalent to saving that 1t
will not answer to let the southern states DO this
thing for themselves, and constitutionsly, be-
cause then radical congress will be put out OF
the court in which the is trying and likewise
despoiled of the broadcast aud longest plank IN
its platform.
These radical iournsis suddenly stop their
noisy advocacy of negro suffrage when they find
the democratic press declaring for il as the
soundest principle and the highest policy, and
fall to belaboring the latter for pres1ming to
take such lioel ties. Now their trouble Is clear
II about something else than impartial suffrage ;
it is lest the people may everywhere take ii up,
and save the party that now controls congress
ali further trouble.
They see in such step the preservation of the
original and undelegsted rights Of the people of
the states, instead of the consolidation of power
in congress; and therefore they quake at the
prospect of diminishing their party strength
Only as they can concentrate all power IN con-
gress, and then rule congress themselves, do
they expect to exist and wax fat as q party :;
when decentralization is applied, and power con
tinues distributed among the people ccording
to the theory aud practice of our government
system, the palsy is on them and their days are
drawing to close
This sudden outbreak Of jealousy on the part
of more than one representative of the radical
press, demonstrates their profound insincerity
the subject of negro suffrage, besides the fact
that they do not think the democratic party so
wholly dead, nor even SO hopefully moribund IS
they persistently advertise it. 1t strikes US that
really dead party could accomplish but little
W it'll the very best of instrumentalties- If so
far gone, why such sewerage of lugubrious
rhetoric ever its end,-so many warnings drawn
from its fateg To repea. funeral orations with
such frequency would seem to indicate prepare
ton for an evept,-in this case 10 doubt sincere
II desired. rather than its positive aud cehalte
occurrence, IF what has been so far said by the
democratic journals in favor of impartial suffrage
discovers the fact that their advocacy OF it Is al
party game with the radicals, with what meas
ure Of public indignation will they not be over
whelmed ifthe people OF tae southern states take
up the principle for themselves, and fasten their
dQpiicity and hollow professions upon these men
beyond the possibility of denisl or explanation
The back of the advertisers cat shows TOO plain
II under the short measures OF meal 1t scouts
broad and sound principle, if its party, instead
OF the country, is not TO get al the beneht. Il
believes in such impartial suffrage as cur con
gTess alone sees ft to establish Il IS not cur
republican institutions which it il eager TO
strengthen by the principle, bus the party with
which its interests sre wholly Identified. Such
Is the spirit OF radicsliSn to-day What we al
wise especting suffrage will suQF the life out of
i quicker than il went in through It's power
seeming postrils. Impartial suffrage i the sQre
remedy for congressional usurpssions; the great
Strengthening element in our republican iastI-
tQsioas; the present salvation of the rights Of
the states; and the means OF restoring immediate
union and general prosperity.