The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-07-05

Se6S OF the plan which bad been flsviaaf3 /.
By Congress had become established. anG !,
ell had begun to, feel assured that the Oft ,
repeated pledges Of the President sud his
friends, that the law Of Congress upon Il
that subject should be faithfully executed,
would be observed, and that the country
ives about entering upCu 4 new era of
peace aud prosperity, when the country
is suddenly startled, az by 8 thunderbolU
from a clear sky, by this new 6rebrand
of disunioD-by this new development of
the treason of the President. Even this |
move, however, may eventuate in perma
nent future good to the country, as have
all the previous distractions thrown IN
the way of reconstruction by the Presi-
dent; yet il cannot but be Of iDcalculable
present evil 70 those in whose behalf it ia
attempted, and to the psopls of the South
generally. Impeachment and confsca-
ton will, in the immediate future of the
work Of recousu uctiou, be the watch.
words of powerful party of our peop'e,
and fortunate indeed will the President be
if be escapes the one, and the rebel lands
holders of the South the other. A more
complete reorganization of the society and
politics of that region may result from il
than any of US have heretofore contempla.
ted. Exasperated beyond endurance BY
the Presidents mad persistence in his
wicked policy, coupled with his open
and concealed efforts for The removal of
the stain Of rhine from the leaders of the
rebellion. the loyal men Of the country,
who have suffered and endured so much
for the cause of unity and peace, may be
gosded to measures of extremity which
all had hoped might safely be avoided.
The march Of the good work is onward
its destiny is to renovate and purity our
entire political system. and no treason
sympathizing official or community will
be permitted to stand in the way.
Il has been my good fortune, during
the brief period OF my Official eojourn al
Washington 10 witOess the contamination
of one of the gFandest revolutions ever &C.
complisbed by force of arms. No less
than the enfTsnchisemsnt of q race-the
enrolling with the sacred right of suffrage,
of people who, for centuries. have bseD
tyrannized over and despised as race oil
meuials.
In March last, under the provisions oil
an act of Congress, the colored men oil
the District Of Colum bia rose to the es-
tate and dignity of men. Those rights
with which the Creator had endowed them
which the Declaration of Independence
had pledged them, and for the recognition
of which great national party has stood
pledged and earnestly labored for SO
many years, were finally reached and en-.
iOyed to the full, and the rights and sa-
credness of manhood were recognized,
with no proscriptive qualifications as to
caste or color. The hitherto abased and
yielding black man stood the peer, before
the law, of his former master race.
Humanity and justice were triumph.
aut-that great party which for score
8 of years had 80 stubbornly eombatted FOL
an ackuow led gment Of these rights, was
most grandly vindicated, and our country
for the first time In lis existence, mad
} the land of the free.
? Having, since the Presidential election
= of 1914, been actively identified will
what was then known as the Liberty o
Abolition party. and subsequently, as III
Republican psrty-and, having at tina
j early day, felt in my own person, man
Il of the social and physical disco mfOrt
which were then visited upon the head
,
d the fortitude to plead the cause of the de
it spised slave, it was with feelings Of pscu
/ liar satisfaction, and not a little of pride
U thai Was enabled 10 contribute by m
: vote and the little influence that possess
ed, to the passage Of those acts Whic
gave the right of suffrage. first, to tn
o negros of the District of Colum bia, mex
to The negros of the Territories, an.
4 then to the negroes Of the States IN rebel
ion, aud lastly, as fitting finale, l nLen
10 vote and labor, at the coming session
Il for the passage of an act which will *
l tend the right Of suffrage TO Degtos i
= all the Northern States, at all NaIiona
State, aud local elections, where tina
;. right shall not have been previously given
II l am aware that this is radical doctrine
o and long step in advance of all previou
q snunciations Of the Republican party, bu
Il I avow that doctrine boldly, and my in
ieDtion to support 1t with ali the iudustr
aud ability which l possess, firmly be
3 lieVing that it is the truth, and will b
o vindioated by the people at no distsn
!. day.
"a hold that suffrage is a natural right
4 inheriug 10 every human being, CO ezten
siVe with human iIie-nOL to be denied b.
q any power, 70 be circum scribed only a.
the safety of the community and the intelli
Y gence OF the individual may require, an
: not subject, so far as the mere question
of right is involved, TO any conditions O
color, race, or sex.
J. This has for many years been my con
e viction, based upon long and earnest in
!. vestigaLion Of the subject, and upon wba
4 l deem sound, logical. aud inevitable de
auctions from the history and working
Z of our Republican institutions.
T. That spirit of progress which the Dec
h laraLion of Independence breathed int
:, the politics of the world, will not permi
n US to stop short of a concession Of tn
!. right of suffrage to every human being no
dIsq uali6ed by crime, and possessing Ih
: faculty for its Intelligent exercise.
% Added to the consideration Of right
i which ought to be sufficient for promp
9 Determination Of the question, there j
y also, in the case of the black man, one @
4 expediency, which adds force to the aFgu
ment, and should. in my judgment, pro
duce an acknowledgement Of this right, i
T his case, with the least possible delay.
l. 10 common with Kansas, the questio