Arizona miner., 1867-12-21

S'N'g VI Mllte men 10 Know that they nave nave lhese qualities in sufficient measure to
 pulIu upon this continent great political ia
 orlc, and to preserve its stability for more than ninety years, while in every other part oi the world all similar experiments have tailed. But if anything can be proved by
 known facts, If all reasoning upon evidence is not abandoned, it must be acknowledged that ,i the progress Of nations negroes have shown iess capaclty Tor government than any other race oi people. No independent government oi any form has ever been successful in their
 hands. On the contrary, wherever thev haze
 been left to their own devices tbev
 nave shown a constant tendency to relapse into barbarism. In the Southern States
 however, Congress has undertaken to confer upon them the privilege of the ballot. Just released Tom slavery, it may be doubted whether, as class, they know more than thelr ancestors how to organize and regulate ! clVil society. Indeed, it is admitted that the piacks oi the South are not only regardless of the rights of property, but SO utterly ignorant of public affairs that their voting can consist Tn nothing more than carrying a ballot Co the place where they are directed to deposit if
 l need not remind you that the exercise of the elective franchise is the highest attribute ot an American citizen. and that when guided
 by virtue, intelligence, patriotism and free in- | stItuuons, it constitutes the true basis of a l democratic form of Government. in which the sovereign power is lodged in the body of the people. trust artifcially created not for its own sake, but solely as means of promo | ting the general welfare. it's influence for good must necessarily depend upon the elevated character and true allegiance of the elector. IL ought therefore to be rcposed in none ex- cePt those who are fitted morally and men | tally to administer it well, for if conferred | upon persons who do not justly estimate it's value, and who are indifferent as to it's re- suits, lt will only serve as Q means of placing power ln the hands of the unprinoipled and ambitious, and must cventuate in the de- struction of that liberty of which it should be the most powerful conseryator. have. ! therefore, heretofore urged upon your atten- ton the great danger to be apprehended from an untimely extension of the elective fran chisc to any new class in our country, cspeci- ally when the large majority of that class. in yielding the power thus placed in their hands. cannot bc expected correctly to comprehend the duties and responsibilities. which pertain to suffrage.
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE NEGRO AID FOR
 EicS VOTER.
 Yesterday. as fl were, four millions of per sons were held in Q condition of slavery that had been in actual existence for geuerations ; to-day they are free uien, and are assumed by law tO be citizens. It cannot be presumed from their previous condition of scryitude l that, as class, they are as well informed as Co the nature of our Government as the ia teIllgent foreigner who makes our land the home Of his choice. In the case of the latter, a residence of five years, and the knowledge of our institutions which it gives, and attach . an. A.
 are not the only conditions upon which he { can be admitted to citizenship. He must prove, in addition. good moral character and thus give reasonable ground for the be- lief that he will be faithful to the obligations which he assumes as citizen of the Repub- lie. Where people, the source of all poiiti- cal power, speak by their suffrage through the instruhentality of the ballot box. it must be carefully guarded against the control Of those who are corrupt in principle, and the enemies of free institutions. for it can only become to our political and social systems go lar conducive of healthy popular sentiment when kept free from demoralizing influences. Controlled through fraud and usurpation hy the designing, anarchy and despotism must surely follow. iu the hands of the patriotic and worthy, our Government will be prcserv- ed upon the principles of the Constitution- ] Alu+ttNtA 4lbin bIE ttltlakAtIc. IL lhllDN3, therefore, that in admitting to the ballot box 9. new class of voters not qualified for the ex- ercise of tho elective franchise, VIC weaken eur system, of government instead of adding | to its strength &nd durability. l yield tO no one in attachment Co that rule of general sui ! frage which distinguishes our policy as na- ! tion, but there is a limit, observed hitherto, which makes the ballot Q privilege and a i trust, and which requires of some classes . | time suitable for probation anG preparation. | To give it indiscriminately Co a new class i V ho may not comprehend by previous habits
 and opportunities how to perform the trust
 which it demands, is to degrade it and finally | destroy it's power; for it may be assumed
 that no political truth is better established ] than that such indscrminate and all-em- | bracing extension of popular suffrage, must end at last in it's overthrow and destruction.
 l repeat the exhortation of my willingness
 to join in any plan within the scope of our
 constitutional authority which promises to
 better tho condition of the negroes in the
 South, by encouraging them in industry, en-
 Tightening their morals and giving protection to all their just rights as freedmen, but the
 transfer of our political inheritance to them
 would in my opinion, be an abandonment oI
 a duty which we owe alike to the memory of
 our fathers and the rights of our children
 The plan of putting the Southern States
 wholly and the General Government partial
 ly in the hands of negroes, is proposed at .
 time peculiarly unpropitious. The founda
 tions of society have been broken up by ciyi
 war. Industry must be recognized, justice