Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-02-16

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cilent to the suppression Of kroatre5cIIion,
and as an incident We shoulN' I've it the prop
Ell direction
The co2ored man went into this rebellion
a slave BY the operation Of the rebellion he
came out frooman-aoual to freeman in
any other portion Of tie country. Then
there is great deal done for him On this
point. The non-slayoholdor who was forced
into the rebalIion, and was as loyal as those
who lived beyond the limits Of the State,
"a into it, aid Ills property and, IN
ia III instances, the lives Of such were
2l;nd lie who has survived has como
out q 'ftl with nothing gained, but q Great
deal lost
Now, upon principle Of justice, should
they Be placed il condition different from
what they were before? On tho one hand,
one has gained great deal; On the other
hand, one has lost 4 great deal, and, in a
political point Of view, scarcely stands where
he did before
7 Now, We are talking about where we are
going to begin We have got at the hate
that existed between the two races The
query comes up. whether these two races,
situated as they were before without prepa-
ration, without time fur passion and excite
mont to be apPoased, and without time for
the slightest Observation-Disclosures the one
should be turned loose upon the other, and
be thrown together at the ballojbox with this
ennity and hate existing between thom.-
The query arises, if, there, we don't COM
,F 4t,rl- 4
this question; and especially IS this the case
when you force it upon people without their
consent.
You have spoken about government
Where is power derived fromk We say it is.
derived from tie people htt us take it 50,
and refer to the District Of Columbia by way
Of Illustration. Suppose, for instance, here,
in this political community, which to a GER
tain extent must have law, and putting it
upon the broadcast basis you can-takc into
consideration the relation which the white
has heretofore borne to the colored racc--iS
It proper to force upon this community, with
out their consent, the elective franchise with
out regard to color making it universal?
Now, where 90 you begin? Government
must nave controlhh9 power must nave
f9dgment. ror instance: suppose Congress
should pass law authorizing an election to
be held at which all over tWenty-ono years
OF age, without reGafd.to color, SHOULD be
allowed to vote, and majority SHOULD de-
eide at such election that the elective fran
chlse should MT be universal; what wor-I
you DO W no Nc4Id Settle4t DO you
oeny tNaS l.St Gfeat Il-nclIle q F.les ll84I 81
Of the people to govern themselves ! WIZ
you resort t. arbitrary power, %na say 4 nf ).
.orsty Of TN. People snail receive stafo 81
thin@Sthey are opposed I"
'Mr. DougIas--3hat' was salt before the
war. =.
The President am now talking ab?ut a
principle, not Wha6 may have boon said be-
tore the war.
Mr. DoWnlnSg--AppIy what you have sald
Mr. President, to South Carolina, for IN
stance,
The Presldent-0apposo yoo to go to
South Carolina; suppose You go to Ohio
That does not change the principle at all
The queJy to which L have referred still pre-
sents itself when government is undergoing
a fundamental change. Government COM
menced upon this prlnclpIe it has existed
upon it /; and you propose now TO incorporate
into it an clement that did not exist before.
| say the query arises II undertaking this
thing, whether we have right 70 make q
change in regard to the elective franchise IN
Ohio, for instance; whether we shall not let
the people In that State decide the matter for
themselves.
Each community Is better prepared to de-
terlnine the depository q it's political power
than anybody else, and it IS for the heglsia-
ture, for the people q Ohio to say who sl4IL
vote, and who not, fol- the Congress OF the
United States. might So down TO the ba!-
lot-box to-morrow ana vote directly Tor d1
Tors2i suffrage, 5nt i great majority Of me
people said no, l should consider II would De
tyraonical II mo q attcnp3 to tofce such up
On them without Their %lil' 1t IS a f0a4a-
mental tenet n ny creed tho5 the VIII OF ne
people, when IaIrIy expressed at the ballot
boX, must 20 oboTed,, IS there anything
wrong and uniaIf N that
MI douglas (slhung "A great oca
wrong, Mr. president, with all respect.
The Prosllcnt-lt Is the people OF the
States that must tor themselves determine