The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-12-26

| to advocate al ideally perfect scheme OF r%epresen-
| tation, but quite another to insist upon giving the
| elective franchise to o mass OF ignorant negroes,
and at the same time withhold 1T from the poltl-
| cally- educated whites. For this tic country Is
| not vet prepared. The Republican party must ex-
| pect defeat if it insists upon the adoption of negro
suffrage in tho shape that it has assumed in the
| Southern States. What, then, must it do to carry
| the next Presidential election!
/. 1t must nominate Ulysses 5. Grant as ITS can
didate for the Presidency.
| 2. 1t must thoroughly reform our Internal Rev
| enue system; must reduce the tax on whiskey to
ono dollar a gallon, so as to remove tho temptation
to defraud the government; 1t must pass laws
throwing open positions In the Revenue Depart
| ment and Customhouse to all applicants, without
regard to party, after competitive examinations;
in other words, it must pass some such Dill Tor the
reform of our civil service rs that proposed by
Mr.. Jenckes at the last session Of Congress.
8. Concerning reconstruction, it must adopt
| something like the following programme and
apply it to the States which will ask admission
under their new constitutions co Universal am
races before the law. (c) Impartial, not universal
suffrage. (d) An educational qualification for
voting, such us the ability to read and write and
solve a problem by the Rule OF Three to the salts
faction Ct an impartial tribunal appointed by the
General Government. (e) A provision to be in
serted in every new State Constitution for the
compulsory education of the whites and blacks Ill
the Southern States.
This programme, or one Of similar import,
ought to be satisfactory to the entire Southern
people, both whites and blacks. Universal amnes-
ty would permit all the whites to vote, whereas
great numbers are now denied that right. The
educational test would give the rehabilitation OF the
Southern States to the white majority, with whom
the North, excepting an inconslderable faction,
wish it to be. Equal rights with the whites be-
fore the law would be secured to the negroes,
and, when qualified by education, an equal voice
in The choice OF rulers. Each race furthermore
would be stimulated to educate itself as soon as
possible. The Republican party cannot hope for
success il it uphold negro suffrage, as developed
at the recent elections in the Southern States; at
the same time it cannot afford to be untrue to
itself and renounco its negro wards. BY adopting,
through it's representatives in Congress, and Its
State and National Conventions, such a compro-
| mise as the one just proposed, it will yield no prln-
ciple, will bring the Southern States into full rela-
tious with the Union and secure its success ct the
| Presidential election under The leadership OF Gen.
Grant.
AS constituted at present, the Democratic party
| will find it extremely difficult to take ground that
will be acceptable to the majority OF the people OF
| the North. At its National Convention, which will
meet next Summer, the Southern States, OF course,
| will be represented, q fact the Importance OF
which cannot be over stlmated In attempting 10
forecast the future Of that party. Tho delegates
from these States will PROBABLY urge the nomina-
| ton of some man identified with peace during the
lato war, such as Pendleton, Vallandigham, Thomas
n. Seymour, or, possibly, Horatlo Seymour. AS
regards the platform, their influence viii tend to
prevent tho Democratic party from taking that po-
sition on the negro question which n great many
of the Northern delegates will wish to take, to
wit-eoual rights for all before the law, and the
Willingness to accept an educational qualification
for suffrage. Unable d take this stand, the party
will have to content itself ith q negative platform,
including one plank fayorihs the payment Of tho
national debt in greenbacks-fSc upon this the
West and South will ~insist-anothor, denounc!nG
the corruption of the Republican partysNlnd still
another Directing to negro suffrage in anSshape.
With such a platform, the result Of the ensuing
election would not be considered as doubtful asSl
might under other circumstances.
1t has been the aim Of the writer TO present in
this article n candid estimate OF the prospects for
success oftho Two great political partiesofthe coun-
try at the approaching Presidential election. This
estimate is based upon a survey of public senti-
ment as manifested at the present time, and its
probable drift during the coming Six or eight
months upon thu prominent issues OF the dry. he
is aware that in such an active community as ours
tho scenes shift very rapidly at times, and posi-
bly, new questions may arise WHICH will press upon
the country for Immediate decision, but there are
no indications, at this time, that any such will
overshadow those which have been mentioned in
this article.