The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-12-12

sion of the elective franchise to any new
class liz our country especially, when a
large majority of that class In welding tho
power thus placed in their hands cannot
be expected correctly to comprehend the
duties and responsibilities which pertain
to suffrage. Yesterday, as it were, four
million persons were held in condition
of slavery that had existed for generations
To-day they are frsemen, aud are assumed
by Law to be citizens. 1t cannot be pre-
sumed from their previous conditio0 of
servitude that as class they are as well
informed as to the nature Of oar Govern
ment as the intelligent foreigner, who
makes our loved home his choice In the
case of the latter. neither a residence of
FIVE years and the knowledge of our institu-
tions which it gives, nor attachment to
the principles of the Constitution, are the
only conditions upon which he can be
admitted to citizenship. He must prove,
in addition, good moral character, and
thus give reasonable ground for belle!
that he will be faithful to the obligations
which he assumes, as a citizen of the Re
public. Where people, the source of all
political power, speak by their suffrage,
through the instrumentality of the ballot
box, it must be- carefully guarded against
the control of those who are corrupt in
principle and enemies of free institutions,
for it can ouly become to our political and
social system safe conductor of healthy
public sentiment when kept free from de
moralizing influences. Controlled thro'
fraud and usurpatioo, anarchy and des-
potism must Inevitably follow. In the
hands of the patriotic and worthy, our
Government will be preserved upon the
principles of the Constitution Inherited
from our fathers. 1t follows, therefore,
that in admitting to the ballot-5ox a new
class of voters not qualified for the exer-
else of the elective franchise, we weaken
our system of Government instead of
adding to its strengh and durability. l
yield to no one in the attachment to that
rule of general suffrage which distinguish
es our policy as a nation, but there is u
limit wisely observed hitherto which
makes the ballot privilege and trust, aud
which requires of some class a time suit
able for probation and preparation, and to
give it indiscriminately to a new class,
wholly unprepared by previous habits
and opportunities to perform the trust it
demands, is to degrade it and finally des-
troy its power, for it may be safely as
sumed that no political trust 10 better
established than that such inGiscrimihate
aud all-emhracing extension of popular
suffrage must end at last in its overthrow
and destruction. l repeat the expression
of my willingness to join In any plan
within the scope of our constitutional
authority which promises to better the
condition Of the negroes in the South by
encouraging them in Industry, enlighten-
ing their minds, improving their morals
aud giving protection to all their just
rights as freedmen, but to transfer our
political inheritance to them would in my
opinion, be an abandonment of a duty
which we owe alike TO the memory of our
fathers aud the rights of our children.
The plan Of putting the Southern States
wholly, and the federal government par
TALLY, in the hands of negroes, is proposed
at time peculiarly unpropitious. The
foundations of society have been broken
up by civil war. Industry must be re or
ganized, justice re-established, public
credit maintained, and order brought out
of confusion. To accomplish these ends
it would require all the wisdom and vir.
tue of the great men who formed our in
stitutions originally. | confidently believe
that their descendants will be equal to The
arduous task before them, but it is worse
than madness to expect that negroes will
perform it for US. Certainly we ought moi
to ask their assistance until We despair Of
our own competency. There is grea
| difference between the two races in phys
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which will prevent an amalgamation ol
fusion of them together in one homogene
Gus mass. If the inferior obtain III,
ascendancy over the other, it will govern
with reference only to its own interests
for it will recognize DO common interests
and will create such tyranny as thi
continent has never yet witnessed. Al
ready negroes are influenced by promise
of confscation and plunder. They ar
taught to regard as an enemy every whit
man who has any respect for the right
of his own race. If this continues,
must become worse aud worse until al
order will be subverted, all industry cease
and the fertile fields of the South grow u
into a wilderness.
OF all the dangers which our nation has
encountered, none are equal to those ahead
which must result from the success OF an eff
fort now making to Africanize half our coun
try. l would not put the considerations o
money in competition with justice and right
but the expenses incident to reconstruction
under the system adopted by Congress to ag
gravate what regard as an intrinsic wron
! of the me asure itself. 1t has cost million
already, and if persisted in, will add largel..
to the weight of taxation already too ep
pressive to be borne without just complaint
and may finally reduce the treasury of tn
nation to condition of bankruptcy. W
must not de,ude ourselves. 1t will reQuir
. strong standing army, and probably NOR
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