The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-02-19

TUESDAY MORNING, FEB. 10.
surrRAoE. sEEcnnH,s LnorUns


HENRY WARD BKEcHEa lectured 1t Brook.
Ign last Wednesday evening upon "Universal
Suffrage" These discussions arc timely.
Questions Of national polity engage public
attention; but the underlying, isrmenting els>
ment in political thought, broader than any
mere party measure, is the question Of sui.
frage. 1t is now the most farreaching gener.
alization in the popular mind; it il the chief
product of Republican development during
these recent so marked years.
Mr.. Beecher, of course, champions universal
suffrage. He is in favor ofitbecause, 6rst, Il is
but carrying out TO the full Of the tendencies
of our American history. Here he shows
how at first in New England none but church
members were permitted TO vote; how with
the growth Of Republication in the country,
these limitations were broken down, and the
area of suffrage constantly enlarged. Sec
ondly. he urges, what We have 50 repeatedly
urged, and which to onr mind conciusively
settles the question in our democratic govern
ment. that universal suffrage ia tho logical
result of American doctrines ofsociety. "All
political power begins and inheres in the
people, and is alienated from them only by
crime, and if it exists in any other form, As
in magistrates and Governments, il is BY
delegation of these Inherent rights Of the
people TO officers or bodies of men chosen by
the people to represent them. Custom may
have managed so that only part Of the people
can exercise potential political power; but the
principle is universal, and no man can hold
that all Governments derive their power from
the consent of the governed, and then pro-
coed to exclude all classes of the governed
from the use of that power, without going
over to the doctrines Of aristocracy, and new.
er had this choice left to a consistent, reason
ing, logical mind only between the two tbeo-
ries-the democratic, the aristocrAtc. We
are bound to come TO the ground that every
citizen, and we are bound boldly to 60 back
TO the sristocratic ground, and say only the
best citizens have right to vote We have
never consistently carried ont our own prinei-
pies in America. We have really proceeded
upon the theory that the Government belongs
to the best part Of society; in other words,
We have given q very fractional, imperfect
rendering Of the truth. Though, it is true, it
ought to be in the hands of educated and
moral men,"
The theory of our Government 10 the po-
litical sovereignty Of the individual. If that
theory is wrong we should change our form OF
Government; but so long as the theory and
form Of our institutions remain as at pres
ent, we hold that they logically necessitate
suffrage by black and white, male and fe-
male-in short, universal suffrage.
Mr. Beecher argues, thirdly, "that man
hood suffrage is intrinsically just and right, as
we'll as consistent with our philosophy, and
with the light of our historical development y
These are the bases of his argument, and be
sustains them with his characteristic energy,
force and acute and powerful logic Heaccepts
all the consequences that follow his premises.
He says
" But would you admit, without any educa-
tion, all men to vote? Would you admit At
ricans that could not read or write Iwould.
Would you 60 so far, then, as to admit the
Cinnamon of California to vote? | would.
Would you admit Indians to a vote :? Just so
soon as they we're brought within the bounds
OF regularly organized political society,
would. Would you admit foreigners to a
voter No, they are not citizens; but The
moment they come with their bona. fde inten,
ton TO become citizens, and take upon them.
selves our formalities, by which they are cut
of from the old stock and grated on the new,
1 wnuld fhop, In he De- l..
not think, for the sake of maintaining con-
sistency in that principle, you are liable to
deluge the country with q vast horde of in.
competent men? Is there not vast danger?
Yes, there is danger do not know of any
part OF human life that is not submerged with
danger. The most dangerous thing q man
can do is to be born And after that, II il
buta mere choice Of danger all the vav
through life. Laughter. II is dangerous
to admit every man to the vote, and it "a dan
Eerous to exclude every man from the vote.
The danger, however, is but a spur TO duty.
hducation, not restriction, is the watch word
OF safety from the ballot-box. Applause.
The time has come when nations cannot be
built mp in isolation, and with vast, neglect.
ca class at the very bottom. We have, in
that period when We begin to discern the
truth which had never dawned upon antiuui.
~, that it is impossible so to separate society
Is that you can take up one class, unless YOU
make provision to take up every other class
with II. God does not mean to make soil of
the half of men for the sake of making trees
of the other half. He has so ordered
our social relations that, except in
certain ways, NO man can 20
up, unless he has made provision TO bring m
Gil below him with himself. Nor can ono
State go far unless there is provision for con,
tiguous ones to go. Nor can nations 70 far
az, IN the line Of civilization unless their
influence has become 50 vide and
universal that all nations shall 70 too. five
say 70 any nation, State, town, family, or in.
divldusl, March God will say to all the
rest, March, and they will all be msrch-
ing. ,lApp'ause One man cannot be per-
fected, alone. The best conditions of the
best men require that oil mea should be edu.
Gated, and all men made capable of their civil
duties. When, therefore, il ia asked. Ia Il
not dangerous thing TO bear 20 many men 70
the ballot box? my reply is that it is a danger.
Gus thing to have so many ignorant men, bnt
1t IS IN the power Of the ballot-box to take
away their ignorance and make them safe.
lApplause.l Suffrage is itself . powerful
educator. Consider, for instance. vh.t
questions have been discussed in camp, in
cottage, IN shop, at the busting, in the papers
the rights OF mantle structure ef soc;ety
the nature of goverument-the policy q
States-the elements Of war-the lava of
trade-political economy. This nation hss
been one vast debating society-sn encvclo-
pedia OF facts, as deep a. manhood, as broad
ana Inclusive - society. These questions
have become familiar, not to the WIS. Ana
learned, but to the great masses of American
citizens. II is the nature of free govern
ment to make men think Where govern.
ment mas laid upon man the responsibility Of
casting his vote, it carries with it necessary
tendency to education '
The major PARTON Of his address was taken
up IN defense Of female suffrage. Those
that want to see this subject fully and coeen..
y discussed, can get the New York Tyibune.
(which II is Published, and rad Mr. Beech.
ers entire lecture. We have spsee but for
these two extrac,..
But how about women ?, WILL -
ABOUT women Gun any reason be e;,s, -.
the natural rights nf women are NJ, IN. III. KY
same ~ the natural rights Of the u,s ss 'I 70
mere any distinction that reaches =,
nal discrimination, so that YOU can a.. -
man Aside, and say, because she i a so
nhe has not the rights of re..cr a.. vmau