The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-19

From tie Times.
In the recent debate in the British Parliament
on the reform question, the member for Hull,
Mr.. Clay, presented q proposition for basis OF
suffrage, which excited much attention, but
which the Ministry did not feel at liberty to
commit themselves upon.
He urged that the franchise should be given
to all who could read, write and pass a certain
examination in arithmetic, and who possessed
a certain small amount Of property. In some
respects Mr.. Clay's measure was not so broad
that expected from the Ministry; for a thirty
dollar rental must include some who can neither
read, write. nor pass an arithmeteal examina-
ton, though, on the other hand, many might
pass such an examination who did not occupy
even cottage as tenant.
respectful consideration in England, Is straw
she wing how strong the DRIFT is now In Great
Britain tOWards wide, popular sutraSe.
The current on this side, among persons VINO
think is at present in the opposite direction.
All our CITY com missions, which are conterring
such untold blessings on this community and
others, ore in direct opposition 10 the govern
ment OF universal suffrage in local communities.
The whole Union is feeling the evils and curses
of ignorant and vicious Suffrage especially IN
that form of opposition to the principles OF the
Government which the low Copperhead party OF
our great cities has shown.
Almost all rejecting men are beginning to sec
that the whole matter OF suffrage is pure
question OF expedlency. 1t can be given or
withheld or limited, according the best inte-
rests of the State demand. Tho claim to 1t is
not like the claim to liberty or legal Justice
dndttralTaght. We withhold it from many
deserving young man between seventeen and
twenty, and from still more deserving women,
and from certain foreigners, because we Judge
that on a broad scale society Will be the better
of tor the limitation. We give 1t unreserVedly
to all free white male citizens over twenty one,
because our theory has been that the educating
influence of suffrage and its equalizlng effect
and its attraction to the peasaDtry OF Europe,
will more than counterbalance the evils OF our
ignorant and debased voting population. The
great weakness in the position OF our friends,
demanding universal suffrage for the freedmen,
was in the general opinion OF the North, that we
had gone 600 tar even in white suffrage; and
that what we had felt the evils Of in our owu
system we ought net to extend 20 Southern
society.
They claimed as a right what was merely a
question oil public beneht. The strength OF their
positon-whoh we fully concur in-was in the
clam that suffrage should never be limited by
race.
The true and Just middle course in this matter,
it seems to US, is to urge for tho whole commu-
nity an intelligence suffrage; that is, to make
the basis of the right to vote every where the
ability, for instance, 10 read any passage,
selected by the usual judges of elective qualid-
cation in the Constitution OF the United States,
and TO write ene's name legibly. Such test
could be recommended to every Southern Legs'
lature to be applied to every.negro, and on mis-
vote.
A similar test sheuld be established in the
other States for every future voter (as 1t Jill
not be poFsible to excluue present voters under
it). Such law would at once shut out in this
city two-thirds OF the new voters in such places
as the Five Points, Water street, the First Ward,
Rotten Row, ard all the dens OF crime and Igno-
rance. 1t would shut out in all our cities the
great proportion oil the low, dangerous and
vicious class; 1t would exclude the children, as
they grow up, Of some ef cur most degraded
mountain districts, unless they are educated; 1t
would give new prop 10 the bulwark OF our
iberties-our common schools; and would
transform demagogues into school committees
and turn primary meetings into primary schools.
The alphabet would become Of more Importance
than the brogue to our ward politicians, and
good teacher OF writing become as influential as
is now porter-houSe keeper.
Such provision at the South would indeed
shut out for a TINA the great mass OF the blacks
but not long, Eor perhaps longer tnan 10 de-
sirable. They learn fast. 1t would give new
start to whath been SO lamentably detective
the popular education OF the poor whites, ana
would tend to remove one of the causes OF the
late Rebelllon-Southern ignorance
The interest OF the white class would lie tmne
dately in educating It's poor and degraded mem
bers. The nesroes would STRAIN every nerve to
educate themselves and their children. There
would be competition at once Ia the primary
education Of the two races, result the mos
ests of the Union. There might appear to bt
an injustice in giving suffrage now to igno
rant whites and denying it to ignorant
blaCks. But all that we can say is, that nc
legislation can secure ideal Justice; the whites
have the suffrage now and the blacks have not
we can change the future, but it would b.
difficult, if not impossible to change sx
isting circumstances. And the existence Of on
mass OF ignorant voters is hardly sound reason
for creating another. We weuld be glad to ez
clude the most ignorant whites both North an'
South, but we cannot; therefore we must pro
vide for what, perhaps, we can accomplish il
the iuture-the excluding all ignorant persons o
whatever race and color. Even the Intelligence
suffrage is not perfect basis; bat the science 0
statesmanship is to discover the best thug Pras
ticable, and as this has been tried in thus coun
try with good results, we hope TO see the expert
ment carried ont.