The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-21
The Final Settlement of the Negro
Question.

The Final Settlement of the Negro
Question.
The World congratulates its readers upon the
fact that, by the passage of the Reconstruction
bills, the negro question will be taken out of
national politics. 1t does this on two grounds
first, that political equality having been con-
ferred upon the negro nothing further remains
to be done for him. and, secondly, that the
franchises acquired by him will not be revoked
These positions are elaborated by the WorSd
in its usual brilliant style.
Whether these predictions shall prove to be
well founded or not, we accept them, coming
rom the source they do, as cumulative evil
dence of a fact already well established-that
the more intelligent portions of the Demo-
cratic party have at last become tired Of
ontest in which they are compelled to fight
on the side of injustice and prejudice, and
against the instincts not only of a true de-
mocracy, but of humanity itself. When.
after the elections of last fall, the Chicago
Times and several other influential organs Of
the Democracy came out in favor of negro
suffrage, although their advanced posi-
tion was not endorsed by the masses
of the party, who were still too deeply
imbued with the old negotiating pre-
judioe acquired in the service of slavery
to see or understand clearly the meaning and
scope of the revolution that had been sweep
ing over the country, it was nevertheless at
once apparent to all intelligent observers that
the active, thinking, progressive elements Of
the party could never again be rallied to make
fight simply against the negro. The issue
on that side was not broad enough. 1t had in
it no elements of lasting power, no germs of
progress, no noble or inspiring ideas. Besides,
it was supported by no practical interest. So
long as slavery existed, the war against The
negro had an Ineligible basis, for it contri-
buted to strengthen that institution; but after
slavery had been abolished, it became fight
which rested upon nothing but an ephemeral
prejudice, and was contest which palpably
opposed every principle of true democracy.
We have no doubt that the more intelligent
leaders of the Democracy are heartily glad at
getting rid of the negro question. There has
been a scarcely concealed air of graduation on
the part of the World ever since the Recon-
the South, in the most emphatic manner
that there was no possible use of fighting
against the act, that it was a finality, and that
all that remained was to go to work under it,
and get control, if possible, of the negro vote.
And now the World assumes it as a conceded
fact, to be questioned by nobody, that the
franchises acquired by the negro will not be
revoked. 1t says:-
Nothing is more certain than that the
Southern States will be reconstructed the
basis of that act; and The negroes, once admitted
70 Me SNgrage, can neUer giterLDaras yer 0e eGctIaea
counted on the question of exclusion. Neither
the Democratic party, nor any other party Of ptdc.
J{cdt men in their Senses IOU go into the HeGt Pre-
Sidentidt election Uith the repeal Of the Recon-
StrctiOn act as their leading issue But If the next
Presidential election does not turn upon that
issue, it is certain that no subsequent one can
We may accordingly regard the negro question
as settled"
We believe that the event will justify these
predictions. The work of reconstruction is
proceeding upon a basis which cannot be
shaken. The franchises conferred upon the
negro cannot be revoked. And the negro will
have been taken out of politics, simply
because he will at last have been allowed to
fall into his proper place as an equal member
of the body polite. The negro has hitherto
troubled the politics of this country because
he was out Of his place. The organization OF
a republican form of government and society
has no place for slave-no place for a dis
franohised man. When such elements are
thrown into the organization, discord and jar.
ring and friction are the result. To make the
machine run smoothly again, everything must
be put in its proper place. The black man, il
his proper place, is no more the subject of
political issue than is the white man. Al
such distinctions as relate to color and rae,
are impertinent in politics. They are for the
ethnologist, not for the statesman. If tn,
negro is at last to be taken out of politics by
being put in his proper place as a citizen
none will more heartily rejoice over such
result than ourselves. We apprehend, how
ever, that the World will have some difficult
in carrying the masses of its party with it
Their prejudices are yet too bitter to listen +
the voice of reason. Many, even of the lead
ers of the party, would not know what to d
without this issue. What, for instance
would become of our esteemed neighbors
the Age if they had not TIE negro to fight
We fear they would die from absolute imam
tion.
COLD CoFoRT.-Some of our Democrat
journals are trying to extract little consol
lion. fpn ran 1fa1