The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-20
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.

To 1io Ig1itO, Of The LUcnfng TeIe0yoph'
Sir:-The ballot is the crown-jewel of liberty
and it would be the personifoation Of political
folly should we fail to shield it from abuse by
the safeguards which wisdom and experience
enioin. Why has republioanism failed in the
ages past That Of Rome and Greece was a
miserable abortion. Why was freedoms dawn
delayed until our own era2 And why is our
illustrious example not improved by the world
at larger tits because knowledge, which is
the soul of freedom, has been wanting. Stimuli
taneous with its introduction by our fathers,
the work of education was begun. As popula-
ton increased school-houses were erected, and
our people grew in intelligence with the growth
of nationality In those States which fostered
human slavery education was almost totally
neglected, and there it was that tho enemy OF
our national existence was fostered which at
last eliminated in a terrible struggle for the
supremacy of tyrannic rule. The masses of
the Southern population are to-day deplorably
ignorant and thus proved willing aids to the
instigators of Secession. But for this, few
could have been found willing to initiate the
terrible experiment. 1t was the absence OF
real knowledge, and the consequent deception
of the masses by designing leaders, that gave
strength to the late Rebellion.
Our fathers committed a grave error in their
first enactments regulating and bestowing the
franchise upon foreigners. They little thought
that what seemed to them but a simple act OF
Justice to men fleeing from oppression, would
in time become a preponderating balance Ill
our political system. Experience has shown
that in our undue liberality with this sacred
privilege, we have been ''throwing our pearls
before swine" " and risking the best interests of
government. Had the emigration from foreign
cmes been of the more intelligent class, the
result would have been different. Their power
of discrimination would have been better, and
their influence and their votes would have
been given in favor of measures of great public
utility, and tending to increase and perpetuate
the blessings we enjoy The Democratic
party, so called, has drawn its greatest share
of vitality from the ignorance of foreign lands;
and as the organized ally of Southern slavery
has, from time to time, arrayed itself against
truth, and in the hour of final peril volunteered
its influence and sympathy in behalf of seces-
sion and rebellion. But for this prepOnderance
of foreign ignorance, we would have long since
been free from the oppression and confusion
incident to the worst system of banking that
the world has ever been cursed with. We
look with amazement upon the loose, irrespon-
sible, and destructive system of the past, on
which we have been forced to rely, in
obedience to the dictates of this ignorant tyrant.
But the victory is ours at last, thanks to the
neCeSSlJleS OF war anu Tile 6uuCdIlOHdl SJSIeluS
of the North which have made knowledge as
free as the air of heaven.
Ignorance is the worst of tyrants, and is
most oppressive to her own votaries. She may
speak the praise of freedom with her lips, and,
at the same time, crush it beneath her feet
Without general intelligence, Government
of the people cannot continue. Thus it is that,
in every attempt to organize such, confusion
and failure have followed. The patriots of the
seagirt isle must first break asunder the
shackles which fetter the peoples minds, be-
fore they can expect to establish for them
free government. Mexico must first be lifted
from the mire of ignorance before she is fit to
use the ballot effectually. Revolutions and
counter revolutions will continue till the crack
of doom, unless the genius OF education first
has her sacred mission completed.
Ignorance, then, is the bane of the ballot,
and we should see to it, in completing the
reforms contemplated, that this sacred power
be so guarded as to insure its perpetulty. In
discriminate suffrage might prove, at last, the
poison of our political system. 1t has so proven
in the past; we should take warning, and
guard the future from like danger.
! Qualified suffrage, based upon education,
| seems to be the only safe policy, not as a
| finality but as the forerunner of universal suf-
frage We can conceive of no motive so stimu-
lating to mental improvement as this. Ii
would be equivalent to a general franchise,
the ballot as soon as the proper amount o.
education is secured; which would be short to
those possessing sufficient ambition to improve
the mind, and any who obstinately refuse to
improve the opportunity deserve the exclusion
they invite.
The reform should be general. There should
be no distinctions We would have it in Penn
sylvania as well as in Georgia. We would,
by this means, send the schoolmaster into
Bucks county, and other benighted regions,
and, like the Spartan ruler, make the with
holding of light from the mind of child a
crime in the parent. If we would perpetuate
liberty, let us surround her with bulwark OF
intelligence; otherwise she may be lost to the
race, and the reign OF tyranny be instituted IN
her stead. The true road to MicerSdL suffrage
if we would have it sure, safe, and permanent,
is to make it dependent ON education, which
in turn will secure its perpetuation against
every danger. Massachusetts, has illus
trated the wisdom of qualified suffrage; why
not try it in Pennsylvania! Justice to the
negro demands it, A REPUBLICAN.