New-York tribune., 1867-08-06
THE BRO1D PLATFORM

| Tennessee has lust held a State Election,
whereat Blacks were authorized TO vote, while
| those who participated in or promoted the late
| Shareholders Rebellion were not; and of course
the Radicals carried everything by enormous
maiorities. Kentucky followed yesterday, but
with the conditions reversed-her Rebels being
enfranchised. but not her Blacks-and, of course,
the field was swept by the transparent cheat
which misnames itself Democracy. According
to dispatches received mp to the hour of going
TO press, the majority will range from 5000 to
10000. The election i'll either State, II not eX-
actly farce, was what is called "A set thing
every one knew beforehand just how it would
result and the voting and counting were rather
heavy formaltics.
Gov. Brownlow-if we rightly apprchend his
Knoxville speech of Saturday nght-will forth
with propose and urge the cniranchscment OF
every Tennesscan now diSfranchised for Rebel
lion. We have not been accustomed To think
highly Of the Governors statcsmlushp. We
have held him deficient in temper and discIe-
ton. His forthcoming Message. II its drift be
truly forcshadowed 10y his last Knoxville
speech, will prove that our past estimate has
done him injustice Should he frankly take
and hold the ground above indicated, he VIII
prove himself not only a wise man but great
one. We trust there is no mistake as to his
purpose.
! Would that the msnamed Conservatives of
Kentucky would evincc equal sagacity. En-
franchising the Blacks of their State could
hardly endanger their ascendancy-nay, were
! they but wise enough 10 establish Impartial
} Suffrage it would probably confirm that ascend
ancy. If they wait til Black Enfranchise-
ment be somehow carried over their
heads, they will, of course find all the
Blacks anaycd against them-and with good
reason; but let them initiate the Wis
dom of Brownlow, and concedo grace
fully while they yet may, and the result can
hardly fail TO be different. And so of Mary
land and Delaware on the one hand: so OF
Missouri on the other. The Conservatives IN
the two former States, the Radicals in the lat
ter, may for a time hold power by pcrpetuating
the dsfranChiscment of a large portion OF their
adv~sarcs but this is a slippery hOld-a pre-
carious reliance 1t is their true policy-not to
urge considerations which far transcend all
policy-tO be wise while it is called To-Day.
Mr. Sumner has now bill before the SEN
ate proposing the enfranchisment of the Blacks
jects only, not practically citizens The object
is emphatically good; we trust that the means
will be found fit, and the power invoked ree-
want and adequate. But why should not the
mover so widen the scope of his proposition as
TO provide for general enfranchisement
of our countrymen North and South,
who are now subject to rule wherein "the
consent of the governed is, so far az they
are concerned, ignored Why should not Mr..
Sumner-so long and so honorably identified with
the championship of Black Emancipation, and
whose plea for Universal Suffrage is the broad
est and most sweeping ever yet made in Con-
gress or Parliament-hOnor himself yet moro
by pleading the right of all Americans to a
voice in the Government which they are all re-
quired to support and obeyP
That men who are Rebels have no right to
control the Government they were seeking by
force to overthrow, is O sef-evident truth. 1t
is by no means so clear that it is even wise to
perpetuate the disfranchisement of large classes
because they Cere Rebels years ago. The Tories
| of our Revolution became, not long after its
| triumphant close, fellow members of the
| body polite with those who had discom-
| fted them in deadly war; so of Shays's
insurrectionists in Massachusetts and
the Whisky Rebels in Pennsylvania.
May we not reasonably hope that the whole
American People, with at most few and definite
exceptions, will be enabled to take part in the
choice of our next President and Congress 7
lis not the enfranchisement of all our country
men who need it the dictate Of National safety
as well as National peaccf