New-York tribune., 1867-02-14
SUFFRAGE.

n REV. HENRY "A''O 49,
FORK THE BRooKLYE FRNTERNfIH'
~. uorrv W a,J Beecher delivered lecture
80, the Rrookyn Fraternity last evening" at Ihe brooN
Evu Academy OF Music. The audlehce was iiVV i'leo
sneaker was introduced by hr Aaron NJ fo"en ,i
sf Fhs Anti Slarery SandaTG az O'"''' ''
cal" IApplause and langht'i1 ,- .o,,i,I,t
a, prr,yvp said propose TO speak to you tolhgh'
t,o .n,ect Of universal Suffrage. BY uriveisai SUI
sraee mean that every citizen who has aua'neo '
nt,naubood ~ be has an interest IN the laws III ' e
eynnent IN the support Of the state ana ID ,ne
.iev has a right influence the state ana JUS Po''!
nd 10 exnress that influence in the potential manner IN
,oved IN the vote Another name for um'eIH'I Sudbo
- manhood suffrage, or suffrage o"Sou "IO" ~
mere fact Of manhood, ana Ho' upon "'S
elass reason. or any supposed preparation VI -"
ness And first, universal suffrage i p'V nv
;, ont 70 the fun OF the tendencies Of oar American
horv Al first the NewEugland suffrage was conIiheu
~ church members This sounds TO us singular bNI IL j
apiv the local application OF principle WDch ubier'"
nateIy vet exists IN force, namely, that only inc S
smaGed have night TO vote II YOU hold that ohy the
well qualified have right to vote You ought not 10 Ino
fslt with any particular Of determining VINO are
the hest qualified Experience mas taught tnat inc
Clarch could the state, but mat IL N's lIsh
corrupted in that whoever wanted TO 'o'e was pilpe' "
the sake of It into church membership B1' We heea Ho
te ashamed Of the IDEAS Of fathers that the STATE Is
something sacred that political duty Is 50 eminent as 10
Yerre the best service. And IL was noble IN them 10
eay real Christian s the best man. He il the Dest
,nap II was weak in them 10 suppose, however 'h"'
church member Christian Of course ana tha'
man of course not Christian, because he was mol
church member Against Their theory IH' aoTIH' iT iT
lurfagtly hut surely and lrTeS Subly inc pOlidI NIH
Susbed back the barrier and wdned the cfce OF NSers
The tendency from the very foundation 0i the colonies
has been IN one way, without itacuOn lelOcessIon "
Snce The sentiment Of anced men OF reflection and
sympathy with American ideas OF goyelnmeht IS SUI M
, favor 0f wider suffrage and al signs snow tEat Ihe
time has come 10 place this subject upon the ground
Of universal paSPGw We IES odyocte G verSa ISn snf
hage right OF manhood ana n9t aS "
HDiy"sSl suffTsee secondly ; the logical result Of
American doctrines of society. AHpoDuci PoWtI pSls
oniy Sy crime and if exist in any other form in
magistrates and GOyernmentS, ~ ls h ueIeEt[!o %
th6se inherent rights Of the people to Officers oi p@tS W
men chosenby the people To represent them custom
may haVe lnagSu ~ @ "y e, % i bnt tbs bTInric is
universal, and can hold that All Govern,
1Ge governed. ana then proceed TO exclude
eli classes of the governed from the nSe ot
shat mower without going 10 the doctrines of aris
IOcracy and had this choice left to CONSISTENT
yeasCnIg logical mind only between me i%o theOEeS @ &
40 nsaE % to the arstacrac ground and say only the
aIsteuty carried ont our own principles ~ Arell&e we
have really proceeded upon the theory that the Govern
ent belong the hest part OF society; in other words
we have given very fractional imperfect rendering o
the truth Though it is true II ought 10 pe III thS
bands educated and moral men 1t ought Dut II Ought
he IN their hands only by educating and reqdGlDg
uOral every man IN IL Whifl very 0nIeleh5 tnlns
from educating class OF society that are educaleG neh
and
State is benefited by their exercising tLem anu ny thS
exclusion of others hold that reason should vote ana
Densabie that reason and morality should be carried
down lust as long as yon can fnd man to ihe very
one way; we have acted another; aud to he
Cchssent WI WI'h u ~" ~ III f ain 1,Oer oiienay
belonged the people al people have nsht To exercise
shat power 4 discrimination in favor Of one class,
whether on moral on intellectual grounds. and against
another, odious and they are neOnssent win ON[
suffrage is intrinsleaiy just aud right as well
sistent with our philosophy and win the Gght OF or
historical development II Is the naLhal Ish ol ever!
have voice in whatever affects his name, bs
haI9hess Ts a iSII Id Ipoiea M d that: and eyerS maf
iherc any such thing natural righteyery man has
fhe laws and policies which affect hhmwhich make the
difference between happiness ana prosperity III me- case
natural right II il this neghborhoodt It is said
society. as distinguished from the peoplel The people
kaVe night te preserve themselves ana TO tear society
after its structural institutions. But society DIS
tnguished from the whole people mas no - Ts sCif c &
whole people, and society, as DISTINGUISHED from me
10 respect IL the whoie people iue ui olhl"h tnat
better that part OF them shall not vote aud that part
tOerstc majority to say that the other part shall not vote
the best men should be employed hut that once made
all the people should receive common and Ike justice be
aud right the benefits of government win become equal
and universal and that there is no need Of universal sui
Srage n the construction OF The laws But answer Grim
inal laws and their administration hut very small
part Of government FOrnstance commercial Ia aws have
lar more to do WIN our convenience ana prosperity iOf
Ibey determine the whole flow OF daily life. Now, t
may be LAID down fundamental canon that no class
Elsss knows own interests and no legislation is just
which all interests have not been fairly represented
aud felt should like know lenders could be trusted
70 make the laws for borrowers Of moneys Would You
the debtor debtors TO make the laws and have
voice over the heads Of creditost Tncy have tsse
allow importers make the laws Tor buyers Don't y0u
Jet both oi them contest until you get an eqni6Tiam
frame policy OF industryf Are we bound 10 let the
employer make all the laws and the employed have nO
vOicef What is the question VI the rebellion Of our
U labor but this. that large class Of men in interest
iirectly or indirectly have been excluded nom deter
Eae6 elSIS sot OF sgs cc si own ?si: 1 - y ko6cdy
elise know them, and legislation be equitable
IN which the whole citizenship has not chance To make
its wants and its interests known We have an eXgager-
ated instance OF this IN the South at the present time
The laws there were made by white men, and made
for white Yet il Is said that in many Of the
fOntheTn states az are aamed 10 e9usl rights under rs
&hte IN the South The laws respecting vagTants we're
made FOR white Migrants aud not for black Inc laws re-
kpectDg orphans and OTpban0ge they made eX-
CIusvey n the interest Of class do not affect an
alike. To admit the blacks, therefore TO equality be
NV S 81 ~ IVY 5is4 ta though S you You give eqaa
administration these laws, II s necessary tha class
voice in the representation also To limit suf.ag is to
fohstitute class interest socie" 10 class Can be
suffrage into It's ff6stctOn. That which is in
The crown and sccpter in England, is in
e vote n AEg$ ReeousS Ree S 'IS p5oc WsG d
The people il is not the less a class IN America think
not one'fourth Of the people vote II you exclude The
which the laws exclude, and all the children and women
a will be found that the whole political power is in the
hands Of about onefoulth part OF its population and
Of this part not more than oneha, upon the average
sur land are settled by than Oneeighh part OF the
population OF the land is NOT this 10 constitute classq
sepd to tie political duties a class, and il it
Sc by law, then i is class constituted y legal enact