The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-09

ton, and are now placing it in danger by their
desertion or denuncistons, to let the world
know as soon as possible what they would
substitute for it. good many of them-Mr.
Ewing, of Ohio for one, in his recent letter
explaining the Republican defeat in that
State-talk as if Congress was seeking to es-
tablish negro ascendanoy at the South, and
had instituted negro suffrage there for this
purpose of malice aforethought. But it is we'll
known that Congress only came to negro suf-
frage slowly and reluctantly, and after trying
another plan, which actually left the govern
ment of the Southern States In the hands of
the whites. The prompt and cheerful accept
anCe of the constitutional amendment, though
il did not in our opinion exact as much by any
means as it ought to have done, would no
doubt have satisfied the North sufficiently to
have secured the admission of the Southern
senators and representatives to their places.
The amendment was, however, deliberately
and ostentatiously rejected; not on the ground
that the conditions that it contained were hard
or UnreasOnable-this even the Philadelphia
Convention did not venture to maintain-but
on the ground that the South ought not to be
required to submit to any conditions what
ever After this, Congress had two courses
open to it. One was to readmit the South
without any stipulation or concession what
ever, except the acceptance of emancipation as
an accomplished fact, leaving the negroes to
be subjected to any regime short of re-enslave-
ment that the whites pleased, and taking no
security whatever against repetition of the
revolt against the United States Government.
The other was to introduce into the work of
reconstruction some new element; since the
disloyal portion of the Southern population
would not do it, to appeal to the loyal.
Now the first of theSe cOursag yO1id IL il
notorious, have only pleased very small section
OF the Northern people Only very small
minority, and that mainly composed of avoWed
seCessionists, would have been satisfied to see
the South return to its place in the Union as if
nothing had happened This is no suppOsition.
1t is as well ascertained as anything in politics
can be. Most people called for conditions of
some kind; and all acknowledged that if any
conditions were allowable, those contained in
the constitutional amendment were not unrea-
sonable, and were in fact as little as could be
asked. There then remained the admission of
the negroes to the suffrage, at least for the
purpose of electing constitutional conventions
Many people were willing to see the color test
abolished, but wanted an educational test sab
stituted for it.
To this there were two bjections:-First,
that an educational test, to be of any real
value, and to be free of any indirect discrimi-
nation against color, had to be imposed not
TO be bestowed, but on those already in
possession of it. Ignorance is ignorance,
whether the voter be white or black man.
1t was, however, admitted that to force the
poor Southern whites to learn to read before
voting again would be an outrage to which
they would not submit On this no party at
the North was prepared to insist; not the
Democrats, because they have always opposed
the idea that popular intelligence was politi-
cal necessity; and not the Republicans, because
they, too in forgetfulness of their earlier creed
were cheated by their anxiety to do the negro
justice into procaiming the suffrage to be the
natural right of every adult male.
Some went further, and maintained even
that anybody was competent to decide any
question of government by the aid of "com-
mon sense" Mereover-and by this consi-
deration the Republicans were perhaps more
influenced than any other-the imposition of
an educational test at the present election
that is, at the moment when negro votes were
most needed by the nation, would have ex-
cluded most of them, and have left the work
of reconstruction substantially where it stood.
1t was said, and with great justice, too, that
by admitting all to vote, pressure would be
applied to the whites in favor of popular edu-
cation which could be applied in no other way;
that in no other way could the negroes so well
learn their duties as citizens, and in no other
way could they so well force the local authori-
ties TO do them justice.
It may turn out that Congress, in adopting
this latter course, made a mistake; but this
does not yet appear, and until it does appear
those who oppose it are bound to tell us what
they would have done had they had their way.
Legislation is not puzzle intended for the
exercise of the wits. 1t is a mean1 of affecting
the lives and happiness of whole communities,
and those who criticize it have higher duty
than that of finding fault; they are bound to
tell their neighbors how to amend. 1t is all
very well to rail against "negro ascendancy,"
but what ascendancy should be substituted
for it Into whose hands, at the South,
will you commit the task of reorganizing
the Government, if not to a majority of tn e
whole peopleP 1t is no doubt hard to shut
out so many whites because they have taken
part in the Rebellion; but if You do not like
this, are you prepared TO let them shut out
those who did not take part in it, but opposed
it with all their might 1t is no doubt hard to
keep so large portion of the United States
soil so long under military rule, but then
what kind of rule would be set up if the mill
tary were withdrawn! How would the cleo
tiOns, for instance, be conductedl How large
a proportion of the Southern population would
enjoy any protection for either life or property
Which is most injurious to free government
the rule of an organized military force, acting
under laws passed by deliberative body, or
the rule of the knife and revolver, the vigi-
lance committee and the mObi
Ihese are important questions, which every
laiT-mnded man is bound to ask himself, and
az least try to answer before he begins railing
q. congress Of the thousands who rail at 1t,
nomeSeI, PROBABLY not one per cent. give them
put themselves throuob n ..u...l y -,