The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-09
New Aspect of the suGra ge Question.

suffrage as the great event in the political con-
tests of the present year In several Of the
Nortbern States amendments have been pro-
posed to their constitutions, striking out the
word owhite," and these amendments will be
submitted to the people for ratification or re-
lection at the elections next fall. This is the
case in Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and several
other States, we believe, and will be the case
in New York, as her Constitutional Conven-
tiop. soon to be elected, will doubtless strike
the word "white" from her constitution.
There will then be pretty general canvass in
the North this coming summer and fall, over
the question of allowing colored citizens to
vote.
At the same time with this canvass of the
suffrage question in the North, there will be
in progress, all over the South, the great
work of reconstruction under the law of Con-
gress. The distinguishing feature of this
great Southern campaign will be the effort to
control the negro vote. The Democrats are
already in the field and bidding high for it.
The old Democratic leaders are hob-nobbing
with the negro masses in the most familiar
style. They are making professions of the
most disinterested friendship for the black
race, and pledging themselves to the most
thorough measures of political equality. More
than all this, they are pointing to the exclu-
sion of negroes from the ballot-box in some of
the Northern States as an argument against
the "radicals." Says Governor Orr to his
black hearers in Charleston (and he asks that
it may go on the record):-
when the emissary comes here from the
State of New York, Massachusetts, or Onio, and
says to the black man, We are your friends;
we are going to take care of you; vote with us;
these white people cannot be trusted want
our colored men to say to these emissaries, to
the Massachusetts men, that IN South Carolina,
under this law, it matters not by whom it was
passed, every colored man twenty y-one years OF
age. is entitled to his ballot, and that ne would
he could read and write. Say to the emissary
of Ohio who comes here for the purpose of Civ
ing advice as to how you shall vote, Go back to
Ohio, and enlghten the heather there, before
you come here, because noblack man there is
entitled to vote"
Here we see the shape the contest is taking
at the South. Now, the question arises, What
position are the Democrats of the North going
to take on this suffrage question They can
not expect their party to control the votes of
the negroes at the South, and yet at the same
ime oppose negro suffrage at the North. Such
course would point the arguments and give
power to the appeals of every radical orator
in the South. Southern Democrats have
themselves set the example of appealing to
these determinations in the North against the
negro for political effect at home, and Southern
radicals will not be slow to follow their
example. If Northern Democrats go against
Of 4ba ha 10
party will lose the negro vote all over the
South, and ten more States will be added to
the Republican column.
The Republican party, North and South,
is pledged to impartial suffrage. 1t cannot
go back on that issue if it would. Hence
the Southern radical can point to the position
of his party on this question with perfect
confidence. He will not fail to remind tht
.colored voter that he owes the exercise of thu
lective franchise to a radical Congress, anC
hat all over the North the Republican part.
"a unit in favor of removing every restric
ion from the political rights of the colore
itizen. If in addition to this he shall be abb
show the colored voters of the South tina
the Democratic party of the North is arraye
his victory will be complete. Hence we Sc
that the only possible chance for the Demo
Gratis to carry the Southern States is by fallin
in with this suffrage movement all over th
country, and preventing it from becomin
distinctively a Republican movement. III
less they do this, their chances as party
1868 are not worth "a row of pins"
There are indications that the shrewdei
of the Democratic leaders see the drift
events, and are changing their course accorC
ingly. We find no articles against neg
suffrage in the New York World. We do fiji
in that paper very powerful articles intended
impress the Southern Democrats with Il
necessity of controlling the colored vot
There are other straws which indicate Il
course of the current. For instance, our D
mocratic contemporary has had nothing to 81
against the recent law allowing colored peoI
to ride in the cars in this city. Would 1t ha
been equally reticent two years ago
The fact is, the Democrats have not Il
remotest chance of success in 1868 unle
they can carry nearly the entire South. I'll
is vital necessity for the party. Fortunatel
this necessity is involved with the enfranchi:
ment of the blacks. We must not be asto
ished, therefore, if we find Northern Dem
Gratis making as astounding summersaults
this question as the Southern leaders are il
now doing. 1t is not at all impossible, Ms
nI,oI1 % =,