The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-23
CIvi1 Rights for the Negroes.

from Hle N' u HOTtu.
According to the best judgment that can at
present be formed, the Democratic party, in
order to carry the Presidential election, must
gain enough additional States to overbalance
the electoral votes of the eleven which were
members of the Southern Confederacy. Cou-
sidering the large majority by which Brown
low was reelected, the Republicans may count
on Tennessee; and they expect to control the
other ten by the votes of the negroes in the
reconstructed governments. If no electoral
votes were to be counted except from the
States which participated in the election of
1854, the Democrats have already gained
enough to elect President. If the South
were relieved of military coercion, we should
carry the election by most overwhelming
majority. But we must not overlook the facts
OF the situation because they are disagreeabe.
1t is the present radical Congress that will
have the counting of the votes; and we should
pay that reckless body compliment it does
OF deserve if we supposed any scruples would
stand in the way of their success.
1t seems pretty well settled, therefore, that
the Democratic party must not only forego any
expectation of assistance from the South but
must make additional gains ins the North to
cancel the votes of the eleven States excluded
in 1864. The labor which yet remains is to
proselytize more citizens who have acted with
the Republican party. If we fail by the lack
of single electoral vote it will be as bad for
the country as if we should get no electoral
votes at all. Nor must we build anything
upon the hope that the Republicans will
split and run two candidates. We should ac-
complish less in that case than against the Re-
publican party united. One of its segments
would be a halfway house to detain voters.
The election would go into the House, where
II IL h old kn1
if he had not tenth of the electoral votes.
IT, by nominating General Grant, or any other
binding device the Republicans can prevent
Our gaining States enough in the West to
balance the reconstructed negroes, we shall
be no better of, for any practical purpose,
than we were in 1864, although we are already
certain of a majority of the electoral votes
given in that election.
1t will be seen from this exhibit that Demo
Gratis who have such an overweening sense of
the party strength as to think there is no fur
ther need of proselytizing Republicans, are
unWise cOunselors. If we cannot make out a
case fitted to satisfy candid Republicans, we
shall run vigorous and splendid race but
fail to win the prize. The essential require
ment is to gain States enough to balance the
Southern rotten borOughs. The crisis is too
important for us to act on mistaken calcula-
tions. If we expect to succeed, we must not
be pulled up by our late Tesplendent successes,
but proceed upon such plain principles of JUS
tiee and conoiliation as will strengthen our
hold upon public confidence and extend our
victories.
We need to present Just and reasonable
platform on the negro question; one which
will not repel moderate Republicans and on
which the Democratic party can be thoroughly
united. The negro question is the knot of
the difficulty, and we cannot ignore 1t. There
are some points on which there is the most
entire and decided unanimity among Demo-
Gratis, and ON which the fxedness of their
views is no hindranoe to success We be-
heve, for example, all as one man. that the
control of the suffrage belongs to the States.
and can never be given TO the Federal Govern
ment of the Constitution. Our Strenuous