The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-23
Amnesty and Suffrage.
From the Times.


During the last session of Congress. Senator
Stewart, from Nevada, proposed universal suf-
frage and universal amnesty as the basis of
restoration-that is, if the Southern States
would adopt universal suffrage, they should re-
ceive general amnesty-and be restored, as
States and as individuals to all the political
rights which they enjoyed before the war. Tue
proposition elected but little discussion at the
time, as it seemed to embody what was most
obnoxious to both sections, and likely to be
acceptable, therefore, to neither. The Tribune
afterwards adopted il, and has urged it with
good deal of zeal. But it is not seconded by any
considerable portion OF the press, nor can the
proposition be said as yet to have been seriously
entertained by the country.
Whenever it is. we think it will be con-
demned. Neither branch of it is calculated 10
meet public approval. There Is really but
small portion of the people of the Northern
States who desire dnIUerSd( negro suffrage,
though niue-tenths of them hold that color
alone should not debar any man from voting.
Whatever may be the practice, in theory at
least voting is still held to involve RESPONSE
bility, and TO require some sort of quallhca-
ton. Voting makes our laws, chooses our
rulers, and carries on the whole machinery OF
civil society; and nobody capable of holding any
opinion on any subject, can doubt that making
laws, choosing rulers, and administering the
affairs of a great nation, require some qualif
body knows too, that a large proportion of
the negroes OF the South--those employed as
field hands during the reign of slavery-are
utterly ignorant, utterly incapable of exercising
the slightest judgment, or acting with the least
intelligence in political matters. If admitted to
the suffrage, they will not vote; they will simply
be the tools OF somebody who will. This is ne
cessity of their condition. II is not their fault,
but their misfortune. Not because they are
black, therefore, but because they are ignorant
too ignorant to be wisely and safely entrusted
se NAnefN In fnlIt
negroes should be admitted to vote in the South.
ern States. Even if the South desired it, it
would not command the approval of the North.
Equally unacceptable would be the PROPOSE
ton Ior a ualUerSdt amnesty. Such an amnesty
would readmit, to every right of citizenship, to
every civil and political privilege, to every
Office, state and Federal, in the United States,
every man who was engaged In any way In the
Rebellion. To this we do not believe the peo-
pie will assent. They may excuse those who
were dragged into secession-or even those VIII }
went into 1t under sincere belief that their
first allegiance was due to their State Govern
ments; and they may be willing to see them
again in Office. But they will not consent that
| the original authors OF the Rebelllon-the men
| who were engaged Tor years IN consplrlne
| against the Government while holding office
| under 1.-THE men who in the Congress OF the
! United States, as Senators and Members
| were active in measures to overthrow
| the Constitution they had sworn tc
| support - shall again resume the otti
| Clhl power WHICH IuGH 81 BIOSSAY dOu5Ou
Under universal amnesty, Toombs, Mason
Shdell, men now known to have been plottlnl
treason against the Government they pretended
to serve could again sit in the seats they 80 dis
| eraced, and again WELD the national powe
they turned against the nations life. Such
spectacle would shock the public sense of jus
tice as well as create just apprehensions for tn
public safety The people recognize broa
distinction in the guilt OF the different classes 0
persons who engaged in the Rebellion, and the
are willing to make corresponding distinction
in their treatment OF them.
Universal suffrage, therefore, instead OF bein!
an Offset to the objections telt against q unlveI
sal amnesty, being itself Objectionable, wou
only aggravate the hostility against that mes
sure. A qualified suffrage and limite
amnesty would be much more likely to com
mand the approval OF the people. II the sout
would extend suffrage TO the negroes, in com
mon with all other citizens, basing 1t upon Gel
tain conditions, intelligence, payment OF taxes
or whatever other qualifications they Nigh
prescribe, an amnesty which should remove a.
disabilities nom persons engaged IN the Rebe
lion, except that the original authors of tn
} movement should be forever excluded froI
; Federal office, would undoubtedly be concede
: by the North.
: The question is not likely, however, TO CON
up for practical action. 1t is the purpose of tn
: extreme leaders of the dominant party in Coz
gress to secure the exclusion OF the SoutheT
D States from political power until after the Pres
: Dental election. This is their specific aim.
!, is this they hope to accomplish by insistI
q upon conditions of admission which the Sout
will not accept. Aud as it becomes daily MOI
f certain that the South will not accept the Coz
# stltutional amendment, so do they become mo
determined to insist upon it. Questions
/. amnesty and suffrage may be brought forwal
o and discussed and possibly acted upon-but N
t as substitutes for the Constitutional amendmer
5 That will be insisted upon as a sine qua non
9 at least until the South seems likely to @
v cept it.
n The War In Paraguay-South Amert'
"a IN a State of Revolution.