The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1867-12-12

or by clear implication If the authority
we desire to use does not come to us
through the constitution, we can exercise II
only by usurpation ; aud nsurpation is the
most dangerous of political crimes. BY
that crime the enemies of free government
in all ages have worked out their desigus
against public liberty aud private right 1t
leads directly and Immediately to the es-
Establishment of absolute rule for undelega.
ted power is always unlmited and unre-
| strained. q
EEGRo SUFFRAGE
1t is manifestly and avowedly the object
to confer upon the negroes the privilege of
voting, and to disfranchise such plumber of
white citizens as will give the former
clear majority at all elections in the
Southern States This, t0 tue minds of
some prisons, is so important that a viola
| ton of the Constitution is justified as
| means of bringing it about The morality
is always false which excuses a wrong be-
cause IT proposes to accomplish desirable
end. We are not permitted to do evil that
good may come. But in this case the end
is itself evil, as well az the means. The
subjUgation of states to negro domination
would be worse than the military despotism
under which they are now suffering. 1T
was believed beforehand that the people
would endure any amount of military OPP
preston for any length of time rather than
degrade themselves by subsection to the
negro race, therefore they have been left
without choice. Negro suffrage was es
tsblished by act of Congress, aud military
officers weLe commanded to superntend the
process by clothing the negro race wit the
political privileges withheld from white
men.
The blacks III the South are entitled to
be hu namely governed, and to have the
protection of just laws for all their rights of
person and property. If it were practical
ble at this time to give them a government
exclusively their own, under which they
might manage their own affairs in their
own way,it would become grave question
whether we ought to do So or whether com
mon humanity would not require us to save
them FROM themselves. But under the cir
cumstauces, this is only speculative point.
1t is not proposed merely they shall govern
themselves, but that they shall Iue the
white race make and administer State
laws; elect Presidents and members of Con-
gress, and shape to greater or less extent,
the future destiny Of the whole country.
Would such a trust aud power be safe in
such hands The peculiar qualities which
should characterize any people that are fit
to decide upon the management OF public
affairs for a great State have seldom been
combined. 1t is the glory of white ;
men to know that they have had the quail
ties in sufficient measure to build up on this
continent a great political fabric, and to :
preserve its stability for more than ninety
years, while in every other part OF the
world all similar experiments have failed.
NEGRO 1NFERIoRlTY. Il
But if auything can be proved by known Z
facts if all reasoning upon evidence is not {
abandoned, IL must be acknowledged that
in the progress of nations negroes have
shown less capacity for government than
any other race of people No independent
government Of any form has ever been sue
cessfuI in their hands On the contrary
wherever they have been left to their own
devices, they have shown constant ten
dency TO relapse into barbarisu. In the
Southern states, however, Congress has un
dertaken to confer upon them the privilege {
of the ballot Just released from slavery,it |
may be doubtful whether as a class they
know more than their ancestors how to {
originate and regulate civil society Indeed
it is admitted that the blacks of the South {
are not only regardless of the rights Of prop
erty, but their voting can consst in nothing |
more than carrying the ballot to the place
where they are directed to deposit it..
The plan Of putting the Southern States 9
wholly, aud the Federal Government partial
Iy into the hands of the negroes is proposed
at a time peculiarly unpropitious. The
of society have been broken up
by civil war; industry must be reOrgaDized,
Justice re- established, the public credit uain t
tained and order brought out of confusion
To accomplish these ends would require all q
the wisdom and virtue of the great men who /
founded our institutions originally. | conf :
IDENTIFY believe that their descendants will ,
be equal to the arduous task before them, ,
bnt il is worse than madness to expect that :
the negroes will perform it for US. Ger G
tainly we ought not to ask their assistance t
until we despair Of our own competency.
The great difference between the two races
IN ply scal mental, and moral, characters
tics, will prevent ali amalgamatiou and flu {
sion of them together in one homogeneous
mass. If the inferior obtains the ascendan-
cy of the other, it will govern entirely with
reference to its own interest-snd create ,
such tyranny as this continent has never
yet witnessed. Already the negroes are in. a
Auencei by promises Of confiscatlon and I
plumber. They are taught to regard as an
enemy every white man who has any res
pect for the rights of his own raco II this
continues, it uust become worse and worse, {
until all order will be subyerted, all indus (
Lry cease and the fertile fields Of the South (
grow up into a wilderness. or all the
changes which our nation encountered, none [
arc equal to those which must result from
the success Of the effort to Africanize half
Of our country.
A RESORT TO FORCE BY THE EXECUTIVE
How far the duty CT the President TO pre-
serve, protect and defend the Constitution
requires him to 60 in opposing All unconsti-
tional act Of Congress, Is very serious and
important question, on which | have de- /
liberated much, and felt extremely anxious
to reach proper conclusion. Where an
act has been passed, according to the forms
of the constitution, by the supreme lcslsla-
tive authority of the country, Executive re
sistnnce to it, especially in times OF high
party excitement, would be likely to pro-
duce a collision between the respective eu-
herents af the two branches of the govern.
MOI. This would be civi war, and civil
wa must be resorted to as the last remedy
for the worst Of evils Whatever might
tend to provoke it should be most carefully
avoided. A faithful and conscientious
magistrate Ill concede very much to hon
est error and yielding even to perverse
malice, before he will endanger the public
peace, and he will not adopt torcible means,
or such as might lead to force as long as
channels which are peaceable remain open
TO him. or to his constituents 1t is true
that cases may occur in which the Execu-
tive would be compelled to stand on Its
rights, and maintain them regardless OF con
sequences. If Congress should pass au act
which is not only in palpabe conflict with
the Constitution, but will certainly II car
yied ont nroduce immediate and irreparaple