Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-12-06

possible to conjecture how or where power,
by law, may seek its next vic
tim. The States that are still free may be en-
shaved az any moment. for if the Constitu-
ton does not protect all, il pro tects nome
MICRO SUFFRAGE.
1t is manifestly and 4yowedly the object of
this law to confer upon negroes the priv
lege OF voting, and 70 disfranchise such a
number Of white citizens as will give the
former clear majority at all elections in
the Southern States. This, 70 the minds CT
some persons, is so important that violation
OF the Constitution is justified as a means Of
bringing 1t about. The morality Is always
false which excuses a wrong because 1t pro-
poses to accomplish desirable end We
are not permitted to do evil that good NAV
come. But in this case the end itself Is evil
as well as the means. The subjuga-
ton of States 10 negro domination would be
worse than the military despotism under
which they are now suffering. IL was be-
lieyed beforehand that the people would en-
dure any amount Of military oppression 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 established by
act Of Congress and the military officers we're
commanded to superintend the process OF
clothing the negro race with the political
privileges torn from white men The blacks
in the South are entitled to be well and hu-
namely governed and TO have the protection
of Just laws FOR all their rights Of person
and property. If it were practicable at this
time to give them government exclusively
their own, under which they might manage
their own affairs in their OVID way, 1t would
become a grave question whether We ought
70 do 50 or whether common humanity would
not require us to save them from themseiTe-
But uuder the circumstances this l. only
a speculative point. Ii Is not proposed mere
" that they shall govern themselves bat
that they shall rule the white race, make
and administer State laws, elect Presidents
and members Of Congress, and shape 10 a
greater or less extent the future destiny 70.
the whole country. Would such trus, and
power be safe 10 such hands? the peculiar
qualities which should characterize any pe1-
pie who are fit to decide upon the manage
ment Of public affairs fox great State have
seldom been combined IL is the glory ot
white men to know that they have had these
this continent a great political fabric. and &
preserve Its stability for more Khan ninety
years, while in every other Iart Of the world
all similar experiments have failed.
NEGRO ISCAPACITY AND IGNORANCE.
If anything can be proved by known facts, If
all reasoning upon evidence Is n1t abandon
ed, it must be acknowledged that m the pro-
gress of nations negroes have shown less ca
pacity fOT government than any other race Of
people. No independent government Of any
form has ever been successful 10 their hands.
On the contrary, wherever they have been
left to their own devices they have shown "a
constant tendency TO relapse into hlrbarism.
In the Southern States, however, Con
gress has under taken 70 confer up
on them the privilege OF the b4llJ--
just released from slavery. 10 may De doubt
cd whether a. class they know mare than
their ancestors how u organize and reEullte
civil society. Indeed, il j. admitted that tau
blacks Of the South are not only rlEl-i.e--
OF the rights Of property. but sl utterly L.
norant OF public adsIrs, that their voting
can consist IN nothing more than carrying
a ballot to the place where they aye directed
to deposit It. ! need not remind you tLa-
the exercise OF the elective franchise BE- tra
highest attribute Of an American citizen.
and that when guided 10y virtue. intel .snce,
patriotism aud proper aTprccia;lln % .-r
free Institutions, II constitute tie true basis
Of a democratic form Of government ia
which the sovereign power j. lodged in Che
body Of thei people. 4 trust artitcitl.y
created, not fJT it, own sake. bus solely a- l
means Of promoting The general welfare. d.
influence for good must necessarily dep .-l
upon the elevated character and The a.e--
ance Of the electlr. II ought therefore G,
be rep0sed in none except those whl are r.
ted. morally aud mentally, O. almluIstl. Do
well, for if conferred upon persons who D.
not Justly estimate IT. value. and who lra
Indifferent as T. Its results, 10 will only serve
a means OF placing power 10 the hands I'D
the unprincipl-d and ambitious, and mast
even.uate In the complete destruction 10 Tia
liberty OF which it should be- the most 2 "
erful c0n~eryatlr. ! have. therefore. n.'1 ~,
urged upon your attention tbc great danger
70 be apprchcn LED from an uutiuelF tLt.u-
sion Of the elective franchise o. any W
class in our county, especially when t--
large majority Of that class, in welding the
power thus placed IN their hand. --uu1. ht
expected correctly & clmIrel-ui tle i1-
ties and responsibilities which pertain O.
suffrage. Yesterday. as 10 were. tour mil
hons Of people were held in condition OF
slavery thai had existed for gJuertIIu-
to-day they are freemen, and arc assumed hv
law 70 be citizens. II cannot Pc presumed.
from their previous condition u slryituic.
that. as a class. they are as well-ini1rmed as
10 the nature Of our Government as the in
telligent foreigner who makes our land the
home Of his choice 10 the case Of the lat
ter. neither a residence of five wears, and the
knowledge Of our Institutions which % gives
nor attachment to the principles OF the
Constitution, are the only clndiuons upon
which he can be admitted 20 citizenship
lie must prove, IN addition, good moral
character, and .hus give reasonable ground
for the belief that be will be faithful @ the
obligations which be assumes as citizen OF
the Republic. W here a people. the source
OF all political power, speak by their SUI
irages through the insirumCntality Of the
ballot-bOx, it must be carefully guarded
against the control Of those who are corrupt
IN principles and enemies OF free institutions.
Tor 1t can only become 70 our political and
social system safe conductor Of healthy
popular sentiment when kept free from de-
moralizing influences. Controlled through
fraud and usurpation by the designing, anar-
ehy and despotism must inevitably follow.
In the ihands Of the patriotic and worthy,
our Government will be preserved upon the
principles Of the Constitution inherited from
our fathers. IL follows therefore that in ad-
uniting to the ballot box a new class OF W.
tiers not qualified for the exercise Of the cleo I
tive franchise We weaken our system Of gov-
eminent instead of adding 70 its strength
and durability. | yield To no one in attach
ment to that rule OF general suffrage which /
distinguishes our policy as a nation, bur |
there Is limit, wisely observed hitherto, /
which makes the ballot a privilege and a |
trust, and which requires of some classes a /
time suitable for probation and PREPARATION.
10 give 1t unfortunately 70 a new class /
wholly unprepared by previous habits and
opportunities to perform the trust which il
demands is TO degrade it and finally to des-
roy Its power-ior it may be safely assumed
that no political tru,h is better established
han that such indiscriminate and all en-
racing extension Of popular suffrage must
nd at last IN Its overthrow and destruction.
repeat the expression Of my willingness
"a foiu in r.lan H. -.,--.-