The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1866-11-29
Suffrage and Amnesty.

There is no natural connection be
tween tboIqnostlous of universal sui
isass aud universal amnesty They
wcre once coeaceted .uRono the idea
that universal soifrage would put tic
CONTROL of the rebel States in loyal
hands, and that this would mako itl
saIc TO grant vpieousal amnesty. II
was a proposition Of the "itrocious
RaliSalsTi TO mako general security
compatible with the largest grace to
the rObels. But ira loyal black citi-
zen ought to have the right TO vote,
il would puzzle any one 70 give rea-
son why be or we would be obliged to
uompOaal for j. byl epIfoqebising
traitors AadNhrp bpesysaps talk Of
fimPortiulqOaliiod sgarsgqrand uni
versal qualified amnesty, as related to
each otber. wo suspect that ihcy are
in the condition of the orator who
declared that his ideas were entirely
above hia comprehension.
Imparlialamliaed suffrage, with a
iost that will admit few if any blacks,
iund Will exclude many whites, and
winleplarge the control Of the aristo-
cratic class which plunged tho South
iulo rebellion, so far FROM being rea-
son for upigersal amnes'y u, would bo .
stronger reasorfor DISTINGUISHING The
leaIpg rqbelss They who couple
,hosoi as condition and concession,
know not what they are ,talkins Of, ,s
Universal, amnesty IS ono thing
We have granted u 70 all save tho
leading class ofirehels, We should
lhASoa goueral qualified ampcsty Cor
thom, which will take. out of III,
acting President the power which h'
improperly holds over their persons
and property, aud will give them Sc
/, curity in property aud political priv
Illegcs under general conditions. And
4 Congress has tondered this, But our
grace to tho class Of leading rebels is
no reason for our asking them TO en-
large their control of political affairs
by a qualified suffrage which win dis
franchise the masses to whom We look
for the growth Of popular power
that will overthrow the aristocratiC
class and take the control Of th'
!, Southern States, as it hqs of thu
Northern. "'''a 'f.. ny -s1
/ Suffrage is also a distinct thing. /
! is either right of every free man, o.
Ill., is q privilege granted by the gov
leruing class as far as is thought bcs
for the public welfare. If it is
Iir;,yht Of the blacks OF tho South, ap,
a demand Of justice to raoO VIII
, were faithful among the faithless
/ this measure Of justice TO them is n
, reason ior restoring the sufIsage I
o lihosc who have Forfeited the right b
Irsbelliop, If it is privilege, and
q il will promote the pdBli6 welfare t
=, extend il to the blacks, there is ~
d lrsason for extending it to a + class {
r rebels in whose hands itiwill be dar
. Egerou; to tie public Welfare. Bu
. above all dc Jisfan6lfising Of, th
! mass Of loyal black mea of the South
.lby a rule of qpeiiecaiiohs for sui
frage, is not a, Justification Of y
leading rebels, nor 4 reason for grapt
a ing universal amnesty, nor Is I'll
!. granting Of this grace TO them a rel
= son for them TO disfranchise others b
a test Of qualifications.
4 Congress, in the abounling magnr
/, nilnity which springs eternal in tn
-
: Radical breast, has decided to gran
1 uuiyersala pnosty to. Sae rebels SO ia
0 as to remit all the peailties Of th,
, war of rebellion upon persons an
q property BUTT has not thought
' compatible with The national sccurit
aud with the growth Of loyalty in til
South to restore the class Z
leading rebels to ponticol powe
/. Therefore it has required the rcbO
4 States TO accept constitution
z amendment DISTINGUISHING the rebc
!. who held high rank ia tho civil {
+ military service of the rebellion.
d has prescribed this political penalt
t for class which is small compares
with the whole number; aud even 70
! these it has provided way Of re
} mission through an act Of Congress
d which the 'ferocious Radicals, win b
i rcjoiced to grant as soon as settle
tranquility aud the impartial admin
istration of the law shall show tina
il is proper to do'so,
! SO soon as the rebel States sAal
) ratify this, they will relieve their pee
pie from all that proscriptive powe
which the acting President no
holds over them, aud they win r,
ceive remission from all the penaltie
5 of rebellion 10 person aud property
5 save the temporary forfeiture Of Poli'
ical privileges to a compaFitiyel
! small class Of the rebal leaders. Cal
!, we devise any way more generous thai
I Ia e a A y 81 MI -