The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-12-18

them again. Nor is it possible to conjec-
ture how, or why power nnrestrained by
law, may seek its next victims. States
chat are still free may be enslaved at any
moment. for if the constitution does not
protect all, it pfotects none. It is mani
testify and avowedly the object of these
laws to confer upon the negro the privilege
Of voting, and to dis franchise such a num-
Der of white citizens as will give the for
mer clear majority ut all elections in the
Southern States. This, to the minds of
some persons, is SO important that VIC
lation Of the constitution is justified as a
means of bringing it about. That morali-
ty is false which excuses wrong because
it proposes to accomplish a desirable end.
We are not permitted to do evil that good
may come. But in this case the end itself
is evil as well as the means. The subjuga-
ton of States to negro domination would
be worse than the military despotism un-
der which they are now suffering. 1t was
believed before hand that the people would
endure 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 a
choice. Negro suffrage was established by
act of Congress, and the military officers
were commanded to superintend the pro-
cess Of clothing the negro race with the po-
litical privilege to govern white men. The
blacks in the South are entitled to be well
and humanely governed, and to have the
protection OF just laws for all their rights
to person and property. lit were practi--
cable at this time to give them q GOVERN
4 ment exclusively their own, under which
they might manage their own affairs, IN
their own way, it would become a grave
question whether we ought to do so, or
whether common humanity would not re-
auire US to save them from themselves.
But under the circumstance this is only a
speculative point. 1t is not proposed
! merely that they shall govern themselves,
but that they shall rule the white race, and
make and administer State laws, elect
Presidents and members of Congress, and
shape, to greater or less extent, the iu-
ture destiny of the whole country. Would
. such a trust and power be safe in such
: hands? Peculiar qualities, which should
e characterize any people who are tit to de-
n eide upon the management Of public affairs
+ for great State, have seldom been com
o bined. 1t is the glory of white men to
i know that they have had these qualities in
!, sufficient measure to build upon this CONT
y y nent a great political fabric, andto preserve
!. its stability for mere than ninety years
d while in every other part of the world al
D. similar experiments have failed. But i
y any thing can be provided by known facts
i if all reasoning upon evidence is rot aban
If doned, , it must be acknowledged thatin tn
'ff progress of nations the negroes have shown
u less capacity for government than any rae
u of people. No Independent government Q
i any form has ever been successful in thel
T. hands. On the contrary, whenever the
:: have been left to their own devices the
n have shown, constant tendency to relaps
h. into barbarism. In the Southern States
I'd however, Congress has undertaken to cor
he fer upon them the privilege of the ballo
a. Just released from slavery, it may b
&C. doubted whether, as class, they kno
n more than their ancestors how to organic
VI VI and regulate civil society. Indeed, 1T !
nv admitted that the blacks of the South al
d, not only regardless of rights Of propert
as but their voting can consist in nothir
he more than carrying a ballot to the plat
It'll where they ore directed to despot it.
pes need not remind you that the exercise !.
ex- the elective franchise is the highest attn
au- ute of an American citizen, and that WHIT
70 guided by virtue, intelligence, PATRIOTS
;on and proper appreciation of our free instit
, 'os tions. it consists the true basis OF dem
m. cratic government, in which. the soverei|
.eir power is lodged in the body OF the poop
ate a trust artifcially created, not for its o'
ely sake, but solely as a means Of promote
lie, the general welfare, its influence for go
ted must necessarily depend upon the eleyat
'ess character and true allegiance OF the elect
, lot It ought therefore to be reposed in no
a Srt except those who are fitted morally a
itu. mentally to administer it we'll. For ifct
can ferred upon persons who do not Justly e, Is
eed mate its value, and who are indifferent
be its results, it will only serve as means
it'll placing power in the handsIof theunprir
lout pled and ambitious, and must eventuate
It q the complete destruction Of that liberty
Ih q which it should be the most powerful G
iii III servator.
,,st | have, therefore, heretofore urged ur
/ ofl your attention the great danger to be
gon- pretended from the untimely extension
the the elective franchise to any new class
,bli- our country, especially when amaiority
hieh that class, in welding the powers T
foot placed in their hands, cannot be- expee
q 70 TO correctly to comprehend the duties and
nit NIT possibilities which pertain to suftrs
, ans Yesterday, as it were, four millions Of
h;ah sons we're held ip condition OF slay
hich that had existed for generations. 10
i to they are freemen, and are assumed by
trial to be citizens. lit cannot be presun
and from the previous condition OF seryitl
&c or that as class they are as we'll inforne'
lrity to our Government as intelligent foreign
u f. at who make our land the home Of their che
!, not In the case of the latter, neither 6 reside
, .l!l of Eve years and the knowledge ofour
ev ,n stitutions which it gives Lor attachn
:" to the principles of the constitution, are
,den. only conditions upon which he can be
upon mitted to citizenship. He must prove
how addition, good moral character, and
isdic-. give reasonable ground for belief tina
We in win be faithful to the obligations "
We no be assumes as citizen Of a republic, W
Jus. the people, the source Of all political,
! .n Use er, speak by their suffrages through
o,e sne inst.umentalty of the ballot-box. II
3 I the be carefully guarded against the contf
nted. those who are corrupt in principle
inno- enemies Of free institutions, for it can
the become to our political and social sy
re in a safe conductor Of healthy, popular 6
e por- ment when kept free from demorallzlr
fore, auences, controlled through fraud. /,
J. anu Usurpation, BY designing anarchy
own Owl despotism, must inevitably follow: !
att hands of patriotic and worthy citizen
fonnd Government viii be preserved upoI
seriim- principles Of the constitution inherited
! and our fathers. 1t follows, therefore, tn
Tor Of admitting to the ballot rev class Of i, :
- n IL :