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

the swift and telling power which hes IL the
ballot. We rid ourselves of unjust laws ~
disposine Of unjust law makers. We remedys
fhe evils Of our laws by changing oue public
Officers. We protect our nghk By hedging
:hem abo, with Esss = = nd fe. .;s.
acts, and the wespen whiS i've phieye
them civil i ~ asl'ss s,s..4i.sd fos
the . purpose S Of ,s their natural q
now-6eeeme-civ sigzss,- sud each -rosseer
of them is entitled 10 an equal participation
in the sSuo, &SmeAt efthe means established
for their defence, except 50 far rs the good ct.
the whole may require some limitations on
this gesessl rule. r Dut .rhateyeg tfmItetlq4s
be nd ~ Ssfalnsyaha j1atAn1imrAaAL S
Some very proper limitations do now exist,
while Others are gross and fragrant violations
of every rule of Justice and impartiality, and
subyersise ofthe ends and prSpoSee Of gov
eminent. Why should the color of mans
skin deprive him of the political right of de-
fence He may exercise the natural right
of defense the same rs othef men whose sitine
are Of color less Objectionable. Natural
law makes no distinctions between its sub
jects in this regard. Why should the civil law
interposa . different rule? Are not mems
rights as dear and as sacred under civil gov
ernment as they are in. the absence OF it,
Can we excuse ourselves IN continuing lin
itation on the right of suffrage in the capital
OF the Republic that has no Jurisdiction in res-
son, justice, or in the principles on which We
profess to have based our entire political sys'
tenn? Upon this question there seems to have
been but little difference Of opinion among
the men who laid the foundation and built the
superstructure Of this Government. In those
days no limitation was placed upon the en-
oynient Of the defensive rights Of the citizen,
including the right Of suffrage, on account Of
the color of the skin, except in the State Of
South Carolina. All the other States particle
pating in the formation of the Governments
OF the United States had some limitation,
based on sex, or age, or property, placed
upon the right of suffrage: but none of them
so far forgot the spirit of the Constitution,
the great words ofthe Declaration of Indepen-
dence, or the genius of our institutions, ,as TO
inquire into the color OF citizen before
allowing him the great defensive right Of the
ballot 1t is true. that As the Republic moved
off in its grand course among the nations,
change occurred in the minds and practices of
the people of majority of the States. The
love of liberty, because of its own great self,
and not because of its application to me n of q
particular color, lost its sensitive character
and active vitality The moral sense Of the
people beeam dormant through the rnaiign
influence of that tolerated enemy to all social
and Governmental yirtne, human sinverys
TIE tai,iic conscience slanbered, I'D ewes
closed with dollars and its ears stuffed with
cotton When these things succeeded the
active Justice, Astounding mercy, and love of
:. L.. f.L- t. l.. q
State fell lnto the dark line of. South Carroll.
man oppressibn and adopted her antirepub.
lican limitation Of the right Of suffrage \
few States stood firm and kept their faith, and
day, when compared with the bruised and
peeled and oppression cursed State Of South
Carolina, stand forth Is shining example of
the great rewards that are p0are3 upbn the
heads of the just Massachusetts and South
Carolina, the one true, the other false, Ito the
faith and ideas of the early life of the baton,
should teach us how safe it is to do right, and
how dangerous it is to do wrong; how much
safer it is to do justice than it is 10 practice
oppression.
But, sir. not the States alone fell inSo' this
grievous error. The General Government
took It's stand upon the side of injustice. and
apostatized from the true faith of the fiatual,
by depriving portion of its citizens of the
political right of self defense. the use of the
ballot, What good has come to us from this
apostasy? Take the history of the mum pal
government Of this city, and what is there in
its pages to make an American feel proud OF
the results of this departure from the princi-
pies of true democracy? Is there worse
governed city in all the Republic?
Where in all the country was there 10 be
found such evidence of thriftless dependence
rfty hafl no col xsf H.,
North swept down here during the rebellion
and impaired little of"Yankee" vigor TO its
business and population Where within the
bounds of professed fidelity to the Govern.
ment was true loyalty at lower ebb and
sympathy with the rebellion Mt higher food ?
freedom more hated and emancipation more
roundly denounced? white troops harder to
raise aud black ones more heartily despised ?
Union victories more eoldly received and re-
verses productive Of less despondency than
right among that portion Of the voting popu-
lation and Its adjunets which control the local
elections in this District? With what com
plaisance the social elements Of this Capital
tostered the brood of traitors who rushed
hence TO the service Of the rebellion. Are
these fruits of our error pleasing?
few days ago a special election was held
IN this city for the purpose of ascertaining the
views of the electors relativ. to the proposition
we are now considering, to restore 10 the
colored citizens of this District the right OF
suffrage, in order tina. they may defend them
selves against the expressions Of the, present
ruling class. The friends of equal rights alb
stained from voting The enemies of ,mpar-
tial suffrage cast some three thousand votes.
How many were fraudulent no man can tell.
The present holders of power decline to divide
it. doubt not that these seven thousand
votes could have been polled against the abo.
htion of slavery in this District A large ma
Jority OF those who cast these votes love slavery
and hate freedom. They love TO vote then,
selves, but are opposed to extending the same
privilege to other men. We know they were
opposed to emancipation. We know they are
opposed to impartial suffrage. We OVERRIDE
their desires in the former case, and the whole
loyal portion OF the nation shouted for iov
because the Capital of the Republic was mad o
free. trust We shall make the country glad in
the present case by again, oyerruling the SELL
fshhess of this people, by placing In each
mans hands the power to defend his own
freedom and rights. and at the same time so
re-enforce the true men who refused to par
ticlpate IN the recent election that they, with
the new voting population, can for ali time
control the municipal governments Of Wash.
ington and Georgetown in the interests OF
freedom, humanity. justice. and the trne prin-
ciple OF popular government
The seven thousand voters who do not wan,
other men TO vote are not sure that the voice
of the ballot boxes, which, doubtless. received
many ballots from fingers that have pulled
rebel triggers. will be heeded by u.s. and
therefore, as is currently reported, many Of
them are willing to compromise the difficulty
by asserting to repeal of the municipal
| charters, aud to the government of the two
| cities by com omission to be appointed BY the
President This is advancing from bad tr