South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1867-12-13

cable n. this Nnse % give the blacks a Gov
sfpnens ofihels own % raauageik Far them
selves, i would be grave question uhsta-
er tae Federal Gasernmeat should dc So
and whether Il s.sheeli not saycthssn from
themselves" Ratit il not proposed sy
Congress that they shall merely coverr
themselves; but .9ket thsy &san RUE n,
" 'etiie rex, make end }nl;aisycg ne Ia cs
" etect Presidents ord ,scslJers Of C,ngress
+" aad s'gPe % a greater 81 t,ss cefe1s N,
/ g .fature destiny ,..ffte ,chslc conalrg;" and
1T Is asked, ''Woald such trust be safe
in such hands ?"
This branch Of tie SUI Jet being this o.
! pencd, the President proceeds 70 discus,
the danger Of placing TIC right of suffrage
~ tic hands ofnegFces, aud 50lAly declares
! that they arc altogether unfit for it. Ne,
groes have shown less capacity for govern.
ment than any other race of people. 'sNo
independent form Of government has ever
been successful in their hands. On the
contrary, wherever they have been lef, to
! their own devices they have shown a con
g start tendency % relapse into barbar-
lem" Yet Congress has undertaken to
confer upon southern negroes Just released
from slavery, the ballot. 1t is questiona-
bic whether they know mora than their an
cestors how to organize ard rcgrlate society
itis admitted that southern blacks are re-
gardless of the rights Of property, and $50
utterly ignorant Of public affairs that
. their voting can consist in nothing more
g than carrying a ballot 70 tue place where
they are directed 70 deposit it." Re-
marking that the elective franchise is the
highest attribute of an American citizen,
the message declares that it ousht to be
rop0sed IL none WHO are not morally and
mentally fitted to administer IT, The i'm
policy aud the danger Of conferring this sa-
cred right upon negroes are explained in
the cledrest and most fo.cible style. II
added, that while VIC should do everything,
il the way of kindness and humanity, to
promote the comfort aud intelligence, and
protect the just rights Of negroes, od,e
" transfer Of our p0IiticGl Inheritance 10
Hem ,couia b. an abandonment ofd daty
phicd ,ce ore atike b the memory Of our
ssfathers and die riyAtsof' our chitirca."
10 this view II is added that the period
Of this attempt to put the southern States
wholly into the hands Of che ncgrocs is most
unprcpitious The foundations Of society
have been broken up by civil war; 70 re-
store orasr. industry, aud public credit re-
qEiros all the wisdom ard virtue OF the
great men who formed our institutions o.
riginally. 1t is believed their descendants
viii be equal to this task, aud that 1T is
worse thar madness 70 expectthat negroes
/" will perform it for US. "CeraiitlI zoe
ought not to aA; daes'r assistance ulta ne
4" dsspqir Of o,r oicn comprehend"
The message makes a vigorous summing
mp Of the evils which must ensuc from the
Badicnl reconstruction system If perscyered
in. The annoyance and tyranny oflbc ne
gro goyerumenis-the entailing of millions
per annum upon the Treasury to maintain
military forces TO support negro govern
ments-aud the destruction Of southern
prosperity, already seriously paralyzcd,
and the loss Of the staples Of the South,
which have been 50 great source Of ma
tlonat wealth. The vast expenditure IN
vo.vct IN the measure seriously aggrayates
the wrong itself, and threatens the credit
OF the nation, a il encourages the idea OF
repuliaton ia the minds Of many who ore
lei to suppose tia. the var was not fought
70 preserve the Uaion, but TO hand the
southern States over to the government Of
negroes. Many may consider that there Is
20 obligation 70 pay debt incurred in
this violation Of tbe plelges # tho C;,corn.
ment itself ana l5s proviei,ns # tbs On.
satu.i5n. Wbilg he Presidept consider
H., 90, 80 ..'l.','.eIs
beietes Con rrc9s h, ,bis view IN al
,liGo1ll reason f.rrspealino roea@sras wbicb
Can BRING nothing but trouble and min ~ 40
on the nation. r. does not f,il 10 call ~.
tentiou 10 The recent indication e ,nbi;o
sentiment cgnlemnin- Tho moagurs f5r AZ
ricauiziug DE Southland baud;n,, ,boso.,,L