The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-02-14
out Of it with nothing gained but a or,

out Of it with nothing gained but gres
| deal lost. ~ So.
Now, upon aprineipie Of Justice sboD,. :,
they be placed IN a condition different fro'
what they were before2 On the one hanS
one hak gained b great deal; on the oths
hand, one has lost . great deal, and in a M
litical point Of yiews scarcety stands wher
he did before.
Now, we are talking about where we az.
going to begin. We nave got at the hate tb.'
existed between tile two races. The ouerr
comes up whether these two races, situated N
they were before, without preparation. with
out time for passion and excitement to /,
appeased, and without time for the Sights,
improvement, whether the one should ~
turned loose upon the. other and be throw
together at the ballot-box, with this emit
and hate existing between them. The oners
comes up, if right there. we don't commcnc.
war Of races, think understand tb;o
1 thing and especially is this the case w l,,,'
you force it upon people without their con-
Esent. Or, ~ Z FrlsJH - o'
You have spoken about government
Where is power derived from !, We saw Il !.
derived from the people. Let us take il 90
and refer to the District of Columbia. by wa,
OF illustration. Suppose, for instance, here
in this political community, which to Ger,
tam extent must have government. must have
law, and putting it now upon the broadest
basis you can put it-take into consideration
the relation which the white has heretofore
borne to the colored race, is it proper to force
upon this community, without their consent
tne elective franchise, without regard to col
or, making it UNIVERSAL .,, A..
Now, where do you begin2 Government
must have controlling power; must have
lodgment For instance, suppose Congress
should pass law authorizing an election to
be held at which all over 81 years of AGE
without regard to color. should be allowed
to vote, and majority should decide at such
election that the elective franchise should not
be universal, what would you do about it p
Who would settle it2 Do you deny that
first great principle of the right of the peo
pie to govern themselves? Will you resort
to an arbitrary power, and say majority of
this people shall receive a state of things
they are opposed too AG
Mr. Douglas was said before the war
The PRESIDENT am now talking abouta
principle, not what somebody else said.
Mr.. Downing-Apply what you said Mr..
President, to South Carolina, for instance.
The President Suppose you go to South.
Carolina; suppose you go to Ohio. That
doesn't change the principle at all. The
query to which have referred still comes
up when Government is undergoing filnda-
mental change. Government commenced
upon this principle; it has existed upon it:
and you propose now to incorporate into it
an element that don't exist before. say the
query comes up in undertaking this thing,
whether we have right to make 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. S' f
Each community is better prepared to de-
termine the depository of its political power
than anybody else, and it is for the legisla-
ture, for the people of Ohio to say who shall
vote, and not for the Congress of the United
States. might go down here to the ballot
box tomorrow and vote directly for univers-
al suffrage, but ifa great majority of thepeo-
pie said no, should consider it would be ty-
ranical in me to attempt to force such upon
them without their will. 1t is fundamental
tenet, in my creed, that the people must be
obeyed. Is there anything wrong or unfair
| in that itsifsfu.s8 Fsiau..9 ssg b. To,
Mr.. Douglas (smiling. great deal
WIOHS,y lCoitlcu6 Will oil TcSpcCt.
The President-It is tho people of the
States that must for themselves determine
this thing. ] do not want to be engaged in
a work that will commence war of races
want to begin the work of preparation, and
the States, or the people in each community,
if a man demeans himself well, and shows
evidence that this new state of affairs will
operate, he will be protected in all his rights,
and given every possible advantage by that
community when they become reconciled So
cially and politically to certain things. Then
will this new order of things work harmoni-
ously; but forced upon the people before
they are prepared for it, it will be resisted,
and work inharmoniously. feel convic-
ton that driving this matter upon the peo-
pie, upon the community, will result in the
injury of both races, and the ruin of one or
the other. God knows 1 have no desire but
| the good of the whole race. Iwould it were
so that all you advocate could be done in the
twinkling of an eye, but it is not in the ma
ture of things, and do not assume or pre-
tend to be wiser than Providence, or strong
er thaY the laws of nature.
Let us now seek to discover the laws gov
erning this thing There is a great law con-
trolling it; let us endeavor to find out what
that law is, and conform our action to it. All
the details will then properly adjust them
selves, and work out well in the end.
God knows that anything can do will
do In the mighty process by which the great
end is to be reached, anything can do tc
elevate the race, to soften and amelioratt
their condition, will do, and to be able tt
do so is the sincere desire of any heart.
am glad to have met you, and thank vol
for the compliment you have paid me.
Mr.. Douglas.-I have to return you GU
thanks, Mr.. President, for so kindly granting
US this interview. We did not come here ex
pecting to argue this question with your Elk
cellency, but simply to state what were GU
views and wishes in the premises If we wer
disposed to argue the question, and you woul'
grant us permission, of course we would en-
deavor TO oontrovert some of the position
you have assumed. rsH
Mr.. Downing. Mr. Douglas, take it tina
the President, by his kind expressions, an
his very full treatment of the subject, mus
: have contemplated some reply to the view
which he has advanced, and in which "
certainly do not concur, and say this wit
due respect. 'h
The President.-I thought you expecte
me to indicate to some extent what nv view
were on the subjects touched upon in yor
statement.
Mr.. Downing We are very happy, indee'
to have heard them. 49,,
Mr. Douglas IF the President will allo
me, would like to say one or two wore
in reply. .fk - 8D&ffssl.