, 1866-11-12
IMPARTIAL SUFFRAGE.

Of this controversy, we think We sec that
color Of complexion is fast disappearing Us
d test Of the right Of suffrage. No man, and
no journal, 80 fur as VIC arc informed, con-
tends now that any citizen should 10 de-
Irivcd of voting because he Is not white, or
because he is black, rcd, copper-colored, or
of my other tint. A man may wear In his
rkin none Of the sevcn primary colors, or he
may have them all harmoniously mixed and
or he may be gay with any one
or more Of the tinta Of the rainbow, and in
either case bo equally entitled to this right
Of suffrage. It scems to be admitted now
that color In itself is not to be thought Of;
and this Is point gained. Bot 1t Is still
commended that when a rncc Of q
particular complexion, black or red, ere
found to be uniformly stupid, degraded ned
vicious, then for these gross disqualilcatioEs
nil men of that colored rucc may Justly &c
disfranchiscd, tue presumption being that Ill |
men Of that color arc unfit to vote. But Ills
is In reality doing away with eomplcxlonpr
skin Is the test, and substituting tu Its stead
The test Of intelligence and virtue. And
when 1t comes 10 be admitted, a. It must ln,
that there nre black, brown and red MN
fully the equals In morality and intelligence
Of white men who vote, 1t will be found im.
possible to deny to them also the same right
tfsutffngc. II intelligence md probity nrc
10 be made The basis Of this franchise, then
1t Is 60 palpably absurd to exclude on ac-
count OF color, citizens who have these quail
i4catIons, that no suck attempt can succeed,
nud 1t will soon cease to be made This
eczema to Us inevitable, and, VIC have no
doubt, that the logic Of the case, If intellI-
Ecncc nnd virtue are made the tcsta, Will
compel tho admission Of blacks, South and
North, to the elective franchise equally With
tic whites.
/ But there Is the OF her claim, that the right
Ct suffrage Is natural right belonging to
every male citizen, and that this right may be
| freely exercised by all, and that 1t should be
restricted by no test, not cren that Of intcIli-
;.crce and virtue The practice in the country
has hitherto conformed 10 this broad view Of
latural right, for in very few Suites has any
| test Of intelligence, and in fewer still Of
morality, ever been set up. This was the
doctrine of the old Democratic party, and
under It's teaching not only men of no edu-
| cation, or intelligence. but shoals Of cmi-
grants from the Old World, who added to
their general ignorance and blindness, IN
utter u1acquaintance with free institutions,
and who seemed to be entirely unfit 10 take
| Fart in their administration, were admitted
With kind Of enthusiastic and ftaternnl vel
come to the solemn duty aud responsibility
Of the Suffrage. The results that have fol.
lowed this courtc, especially In some Of our
Iargc c cities, have led many to reconsider the
subject, and have awakened grave doubts
whether such policy will not lend to great
and manifold evil and wrong, aud whether 1t
.hould not be abolished al once. We oil
know that In New York City legislation has
become go corrupt and Ubiquitous, and tax
alton 50 unequal and enormous. that what
remedy can be found has become mosi
) serious problem, md the wisest and braycst
| shrink back appalled, before the evils and
dangers that threaten. II seems most proba
bic that cases OF this kind, occasloned b.
the action Of unrcstrscted suffrage In com
ue.s*z of a great city, where vice, ignor
; pncc, the arts of dcmaSuSusa and greed o
scouudrels uphold and strengthen eacn other
and feed nnd httcn together, will have to b.
met, md their evils restrained By peculla
. legislation. 1t Is not probable that the righ
Of suffiage will be subjected to any quAlltca
= tiou OF intelligence; or If SO, to ono s
:. low in It's requirements, that but fe,
- will find themselves excluded. ]
= is far less probable TINT any propcrt
. qualification will ever be gcnerall
:, adopted, The current ruus rather toward
" extension than rcstrk tlon. Tho broades
,. euiIrugc has wrought no evil, save in lare
y towns, where tho circumstances arc peel
= liar. In the country every where there is 4
u COMPLAINT made that men are allowed
y so's VIM snou'a no'. 4ne eae,c'as ,
al l"e s'un.o'se ~ ''7e4A 10 W" e'.4n1eu ~
cs 'nc ., 'ao oes' HeHue ~. eaaeaips luz q
nt ~ !" tac I,upes anue's,auoas ~ u
"a '''a'4 anu oat'cei "au tn1e c4csc'se
so | SAalluGA u5 suaae tu Oc Lne OulJ way I