Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1866-02-15

There are some things which ar
settled and cannot be unsettled
Slavery Is at an end. This is an ir
reversible fact Public interests anC
the public peace combine to demand
and fix this fact. In all our policies
in all our legislation, in ali our po
litical act, this fact must be recog
nized, upheld and enforced; not by
any half measures, but in its plair
and comprehensive reality. The
negro is q freeman, and he must en-
Joy the rights and receive the pro-
lection of a freeman. He must be
protected in life, liberty and the pur-
! suit of happiness, and no man, OF
power, 10 this wide domain of ours,
must be permitted 10 cheaper OF
abridge one of these God given
rights.
But this has nothing to do with the
right of suffrage. This question OF
voting is a political one. and Is to be
given or withheld according to the
public welfare. Our revolutionary
fathers thought that intelligence and
virtue were necessary 10 the right Of
suffrage; that the welfare of no peo
pie could safely be intrusted to the
ignorant. Ignorance and knavery
always combine. The knave will
fatter the ignorant, and the ignorant
always To-, es those who fatter its
prejudices and gratify its passions.
1 is now apparent thatthe leaders of
the party which brought on this re
bellion, did it by pandering TO the
ignorant and vicious. 1t may be
asked then, whether it would be wise
to increase this evil of ignorance by
bestcwing the right of suffrage on a
population of 100000 uneducated
and ignorant blacksf The blacks
IN this respect are no worse than so
many whites would be, raised under
the same circumstances. We freely
admit that the white and colored
man would acs alike under the same
circumstances. 1t is not then for
the benefit of the colored man to con-
fer on him this privilege, If the whole
country is to suffer by it; for what
ever is for the interest of the whole,
is also. in tho long run, for the in,
terests of all classes. We may then
lay aside this question, because,
whether granted or not, the civil
statu, Of the colored man before the
law must be the same.
What then can be done? We re-
peat, the colored man must enjoy un-
der the law the same rights that the
white man does. We have given to
t9r world our solumn pledge to do
sis. The negro remained loyal. en-
xEted in our armiss, and fought our
battles; hence it would be Infamous
not to secure to him in every State
where the rebellion has ragged the
rights of a freeman.
What else dose the colored man
needf He needs the opportunity OF
educating himself and children, and
for the acquisition of property. To
do this, the colored population needs
peace and q let, and to be protected
from all conflicts and disputes with
his late masters. If he and his late
masters are 10 enter into a bitter
contest for the supremacy; or if the
whites are to he permitted to Cypress
lin, there can be no opportunity for
social progress and moral improve
nent; bad feelings and the bitterest
Iostllity must be the result. Nor
an the whites south repair the raw.
ges of war, the result of their own
oily, if they are to enter into a con.
est with the colored population in
heir midst. Their labor is the
ource Of all production. and produc.
ion must cease if labor ana eonitaI
10 not act ha'uoniously. 1t is then
or the interests Of both parties that
rider and peace should be MAN.
aimed.
In our opinion, this cannot be done
n either of the two extrel2e plans ]
ropCsed; either by passing tie pOli;- {
VI p0,uer in the rebel States back into
Is hands Of the aUhite, or by securing
is right Of suffrage TO the eoIOred popu-
ltion. We will discuss these plans
ext week. t