American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-03-21

Of similar character is the argument
of the Senator, aud those countries where
emancipation bas been effected there
| has been large decrease in the exports;
from whiehit has been inferred that there
is less productive industry under the sys-
TEN of freedom than under tha. of sic.
very. Hence it is argued that the prin-
ciples of political economy are against
the copferring of suffrage upon the me-
gro. But the argument goes further
than that. If it proves anything it is
not simply that the black man should not
be voter, but that he should be slave
These arguments are the old arguments
we have heard for years. They were
formerly used to sustain the cause of sla.
very, and arc now reproduced to prove
the negro should not have the ballot
The arguments from statistics have been
repeatedly shown to be falacious The
amount of exports of a country cannot
be accepted as the sole standard of ex-
cellence of its institutions In the Brit
ish West India Islands the number Of
agricultural producers has been dimiq-
ished by the withdrawal of the women
frcm that class OF field hands, besides
which The emancipation population are
not merely producers under the system
of free labor, but consumers. Formerely,
when they were mere chattles of masters,
a limit was placed upon home consump-
ton. Now they choose, like other free
men, to live upon and enjoy the fruits
of their abors. Hence the exports have
fallen off.
The argument based upon the statis-
tieal reference to the large prepouderance
of mulattoes to the whole colored popuIa-
tion in the State of Michigan, and of the
most northern States OF the Union, as
compared with the late slave states, IS
equally fallacious What are the facts 7
The peninsula of Michigan is closely
bordered by Canada, Large Numbers OF
fugitives from bondage in the Southern
States have, as we know, fed to Canada
anu settled upon the border. On account
of its proximity to Canada, and their
friends there, many have taken up their
abode in Michigan. think it will be
found that whatever may be the prepon
derance of the mixed race in those locali-
ties, it is attributable to slavery and not
to treedom-much less to colored suffrage.
1t Is the product OF southern soil and in
stltutions
| But dismissing the objections urged
against the suffrage bill for the District
consisting chiefly Of appeals that are
made TO our fears, take up the question
Is suffrage natural right? The Senator
from Berks { Mr.. Clymer] takes the neg
alive, aud calls ita political right. BE
1t so that it is political right, it does not
follow it is not natural one. The Sen
ator from Clearfeld Mr.. Wallace] alst
takes the negative and terms it "con
,entional' right. On the contrary, it IL
ouly the recognition or the denial Of j
that is conventional Now, this question
Is the suffrage a natural right? an
willing, very fully, to discuss here ahd
elsewhere with the gentlemen. | know
that the Senators from Bradford Mr.
Laudon and Indiana MIR. White, ] who
spoke hrs1 on this size of the question
did not assert, at Least ay ears did moi
ca 'ch or my memory retain any assertion
on their part, that suffrage is natural
right They probably did not touch
upon that phase OF the subject, but con
tented themselves to plead ior enfraneh se-
ment to the negro in the District as d
measure of justice to the race that had
fought our battles, and a measure of wis
uoh ou tho part Vi thO pV'Oiheno a.
providing for its own security, and the
public peace. against those who had sought
their destruction by treason apd rebellion
do not know how far either of these
Senators would go as to the recognition Of
suffrage as an abstract right. But so faI
as this debate has gone. the argument on
| this phase Of the question has been on
the negative and from the other side Of
the chamber Now, am willing 20 as
sert and maintain that the negro should
be enfranrhised with the ballot, because
like 0thello, che has done the State some
service and they know it, and that, ''de
serving well of the Republic for his con
slant loyalty, his services and sacrifices
| he should be permitted to deposit a vote
in the ballot-box, and thus maintain, by
his ballot, the rights for which he fought
and faced bullets and carnage upon the
battle field But, since the Senators upon
the other side have chosen themselves tt
make the issue aud deny that suffrage is t
natural RIGHT. aece:t the issue. and an