The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-03-29
THE ISSUE FAIRLY MADE UP.

Since the bold and un0Iaiiheu speech OF fresl-
dent JOHNSON, on the 22d of February, the Radi-
cul majority in Congress have been passive and
wary, net deigning to go before the country upon
the.issue presented by the Executive on that occa-
sion. But this ominoussence is atlength broken,
and the people ofthe Republic are informed at last
as to the ultimatum of this dominant faction. The
question of restoration of the seeded States hangs
upon q single thread, namely, Us1vERsAL SUI
raAoE! All the cant and hypocritical declarations
in regard 10 the loyalty of the Southern States,
under the Constitution, to the American Union, is
now unmasked, and the majority in Congress stand
in the unenyiable light of having pretended one
thing while they clearly meant another. The Ex-
ecutiYe, by his ,boldness and uncompromisng posi-
tion has forced the revelation. and stripped these
agitators of the cunning doughface behind which
their wrinkled nature was apparent.
In the United States Senate, on the 18th instant,
the Hon. Mr.. STEWART, of Nevada, introduced
series of resolutions, the purport of which IS that
hs South shall recevs general amnesty, rpon c0ndf-
ton of their accepting negro suffrage This is the IS
sue, as presented by the Senator frem Nevada, and
endorsed by the leading Republicans, among them
Senator WILSON, of Massachusetts, who declares
his belief that sthe country is in favor of settling
this whole question on the basis of universal lib
erty. universal Justice, universal suffrage and uni
yersal amnesty What is meant by ''the coun-
try,' is simply no more nor less than the party to
which the honorable Senator belongs, and of which
he is prominent and most influential member
AS Southern man, we feel thankful to these
distinguished leaders for their expressions. The
whole country is apprised of their real purposes,
and the thick, darkened veil of mystery which has
shrouded their motives is now removed. Let us
hope that the entire fanatical horde win place
themselves promptly beside these leaders, and
frankly declare.the purpose to enforce this en-
franchisement of the negro upon the American
people, 1t will be the dawn of happy day, for,
notwithstanding that the exigencies of war have
produced harsh arbitrary measures and the peo-
pie are somewhat accustomed to the domination OF
this party, the masses of the North will unite with
the oppressed millions of the South in sustaining
AspREw JOHNSON npon this question, and there
will arise from every section the earnest sober de-
termination 70 PreNcHl sueii oi ou'A"GS DSAOS ~
civilized world 1t is useless to discuss this ques-
ton before the Southern people-we are powerless,
save in the preservation of our honor and adhe-
renee to the enlightened principles of free govern
ment-but even the more intelligent of negroes
amongst us will declare their belief that universal
suffrage now would prove curse instead of
blessing to their race. Unfit for the boon of lib
erty ITSELF by reason of their ignorance and imi-
ted powers of mind, how much more unfit to c1-
ercise the highest prerogative of citizen in being
allowed the elective franchise, which not only ele-
Yates to place. but gives power to impose taxes,
mako laws for the regulation of society, and in
short, governs the country. We repeat, then, that
intelligent negroes in midst will not favor this
universal" idea of the Republican party.