The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-01-20

'H4tAss WA1aln0lONy Joas ~ 1066a
/ EDIroRs GATE Crr The Negro Qu4s-
ton" is still the great question in Congress
and out Of il. Twas foolish FenosgA TO thiAk
it had been settled BY the war and emancipa-
tion, but not SO. Never before was Congress
or the country more agitated by the question,
+" How shall the black man be treated, and
what rights shall he accorded him." than
now. have about concluded that the best,
if not the only way, to stop the agitation, j,
to do perfect justice to the long suffering and
deeply-wronged race, and thus satisfy the
clamors of Christian humanity, which never
will cease until all The laws bssed upon o,
having their origin ID slavery are repealed,
and the perfect equality of all men befoze the
laws is established. | do not declare for the
immediate enfranchisement of the whole
race of black men, but if can read the
voice of the American people, it is for ina
partial suffrage. The right to vote is not q
natural right. 1t does not belong % svery
man BY nature, but it ought to be given alike
to all men who attain TO the requisite qualiI
cations, and those qualifications, whatever
they may be, should be possible to oil men
alike. If voting depends upon having at
tained certain age, let all who ATTAIN that
age vote. If it depends upon given amount
OF education, or intelligence, so be it, but let
all Of every race or color Who acquire that
education or that intelligence enjoy the privi-
iege. II it depend upon payment Of taxes,
allow all TO vote who pay taxes. Fix the
standard - high ~ you will, but give every
man chance to reach it. No doubt the
standard ought to be raised. / think one
great danger lies in the large and constantly
increasing mass of ignorant voters. | would
require something in the way of education;
but there is no defense for the law that makes
the color Of the skin the test, and thus max es
1t impossible for whole rsce Of native born
citizens, by any industry, by any amount OF
toll, by even the highest aitainments, to OBJ
tain the right to the use of the ballot. The
people do not, think, call for xuissrsal suf
iIage, but they do demand irpartiai suffrage.
This is the way / understand the temper OF
the people, as it is manifested through their
Representatives here.
hc bcNo VI tue rc-efeCslOn Oh Secretary
Harlan to the Senate for the long term was re
eeived here yesterday. and cassed much re.
joicing among Iowa men. Mr.. Harlan himself
fes's deeply the honor done him, - veil he
may, for it is seldom in the history Of the
country that any citizen has been the recipi
ent of more substantial token of confidence
and esteem.
Gov. kirkwood's election to the short term
shows, also. the good sense Of he Legisla-
ture, and its determination to send to the
lqliel States Senate only the very best ma
terial.
! have been to pay a visit to the famous
rebel ram ''Stonewall, which was built for
the rebels in England, and recently surren-
dered to this Government in one Of the ports
of Spain. 1t is q ssvage looking monster,
with terrific "snout, which fo.c,bly re.
minds one Of British neutrality during the
war. | judge it to be an efeetual war vessel,
and it may turn up some day to plague It's
inventors" aud to trouble somewhat tha,
friendly power t?) which protected its build
ers and allowed them to sail freely from a
British port. Yours, NJ