Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-07-13
on Nraao suYFaAeE.

rrNconN ON NEGRO SUFFRAGE.
In 1858, Mr.. Lincoln was disposed to
favor giving the ballot to the black soldier
If the Union although he did not ex-
pressly go so far as has President johnson
in advocacy Of limited colored suffrage.
We quote from a speech made by Mr..
Lincoln, late President Of the United
States, at Columbus, Ohio, in September,
1859. On the morning Of the day on
which he spoke, on that occasion. one OF
the papers Of tina, city charged that "in
debating with Senator Douglas, during
the memorable contest Of last fall. Mr..
Lincoln declared in favor Of negro SUI
frage, and attempted to defend that vile
conception against the Little Giant" In
the commencement, Of his speech. Mr..
Lincoln noticed this charge and COM
planned Of it. He said it was a mistake and
a misrepresentation, and to vindicate him
self, he proceeded to read from his pre-
vious speeches. He frss read from his
celebrated Ottawa speech of the preceding
year, and spoke as follows:
Now, gentlemen, l don't want to read
at any greater length, but this is the true
complexion Of all I have ever said in re-
gard TO the institution Of slavery and the
black race. This is the whole Of it, and
anything that argues me into this idea OF
perfect social and political equality with
the negro is but a spacious and fantastic
arrangement Of words, by which a man
can prove a horse chestnut to be a chest
nut horse. ! have no
purpose to introduce political and social
equality between the white and black
races. There is a physical difference be-
tween the two which, in my judgment,
will probably forbid their ever living to-
se,her upon the footing of perfect equality,
and inasmuch as 1t becomes a necessity
that <here must be a difference. I. as well
as Judge Douglas, am in favor Of the
race to which I belong having the superior
position.
After insisting that Notwithstanding
this inequality the negro has certain natu-
raj rights Of which he ought not to be
deprived, Mr.. Lincoln continues:
I agree with Judge Douglas, he 1.-THE
negro1 is not my equal in many respects.
Certainly, not in color, perhaps not in
moral or intellectual endowments.
Mr.. Lincoln also then quoted from an
other speech he had previously made, as
follows:
While / was at the hotel to-day an
elderly gentleman called upon me to know
whether I was really in favor Of producing
perfect equality between the negroes and
white people. While I had not proposed
TO myself on this occasion to say much on
that subject, yet as the question was asked
ME, I thought I would occupy, perhaps,
FIVE minutes in saying something in regard
to it. l will say, then, that ! am not nor
ever have been in favor Of bringing about
in any way the social aud political equal
i,y Of the white and black races; that /
am not or ever have been in favor OF max
ing voters or jurors of negroes, nor OF
qualifying them TO hold office or inter-
marry with the white people; and | will
say in addition to this, that there is a
physical difference between the white and
black races, which | believe will forever
forbid the two races living together on
terms of social and political equality.
And inasmuch as they cannot so live
while they do remain together, there must
be the position Of superior and inferior,
and I, as much as any other man, am in
favor Of having the superior position
assigned to the white race.
Aftes reasserting his belief that there
were certain rights, however. that ought
no, to be denied to the colored man, and
after indulging in some pleasantries at the
expense of Judge Douglas, Mr.. Lincoln.
on that occasion. further proceeded to say:
There, my friends, you have briefly what
I have, on former occasions, said upon the
subject TO which this newspaper, to the
extent Of it's ability, has drawn the public
attention. In it you not only perceive, as
a probability, that in that contest did
not at any time say I was in favor Of ne
gro suffrage, but the absolute proof that
twice-once substantially and once ex-
pressly-I declared against it. Having
shown you this, there remains but a word
Of comment upon that newspaper article.
Il is this: that I presume the editor Of
that paper is an honest and truth.loving
man, and that he will be greatly obliged
TO me for furnishing him thus early an
opportunity TO correct the misrepresenta-
tion he has made, before it has run so long
tina, malicious people can call him a liar.