The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-18

Republicans cannot afford to betray the blacks
or deny them the rights of manhood We do
not believe those ofMaryland or of Kentucky
really meant to do so. They only said to each
other, There Is strong prejudice against
negro suffrage, which we cannot afford TO
brave just yet let us rest on emancipation for
the present, and advance to enfranohisement
by and-by, when it will be easy and safe to do
So" Pope's xpression-"binding Nature
fast in Fate"-hits their case very closely.
They considered only when they could afford
to be just to the negro; not suspecting that
such justice was as necessary to themselves as
to him. When they woke to the actual con-
dition, they were fetteIed and completelv in
the power of their adversaries. They waited
for more favorable time to enfranohise the
blacks; the Democrats did not delay for an
hour the eniranchisement of the Rebels; and
now their States are ruled as with rod of
iron by the paroled soldiers of Lees, Braggs,
and 10. Johnston's armies. Tennessee was
warned in time by their fate; Missouri is pre-
pairing to follow her example; West Virginia
seems inclined to hold off; and if so, will soon
be where Maryland and Kentucky now are.
A party which dare not be true to itself has no
right to endure.
Two years ago, one-quarter Of the Republi-
cans of Connecticut fancied that they could
afford to deny the right of suffrage to the
two thousand colored men who reside in their
State. Last spring the State ticket and two
members of Congress were beaten for want of
those two thousand votes. This was a right
eous retribution, so far as the Republicans who
voted against manhood suffrage were con-
cerned. And like results may be confidently
expected in every State which evinoes like
spirit.
'But good many Republicans are hostile
to negro suffrage"
Certainly. There were good many Repub-
licans hostile to emancipation. They con-
demned the public requirement of it at Presi-
dent Lincoln's hands as untimely, unwise,
perilous. Again, when the blacks were sum-
mOned to bear a manly part in the war for the
| Union, they croaked that Kentucky would
| secede, all the Border States would follow her,
| and the nation would be no more. Their pro-
| phecies were defed, and thus the republic was
| saved.
The party which saved the Union by daring
to be just and faithful may lose few State
| elections by persistent fidelity to the vital,
vivifying principle of equal rights for all men
| 1t may even fail to elect the next President.
| But while any course has its perils, and the
results of great political struggles are seldom
| obvious from the outset, we shall any how
4 verify the Irishmans axiom that "The best
\ way to avoid danger is to meet it half way
| If we triumph on our most advanced line, our
\ victory is conclusive; if we fail there, we shall
| soon recover; but if we seek to ignore man.
hood suffrage and are still beaten, we shall
| probably go to pieces.
] Whether an act of Congress could operate
| to establish manhood suffrage throughout the
whole country, we will consider in its order;
| but, whether in one way or another the right
| of each citizen to voice in making and modi.
flying the laws under which he lives, must be
affirmed in our platform and maintained in oul
canvass In a struggle for that principle, we
| should have at our command the whole armOry
of Democracy as it is understood by publicists
and defined by photographers; we should have
the hopes and prayers of the four millions
whose rights were at stake; we should have
the active sympathy of the Republicans OF
Europe, the approval of our own consciences,
and the respect of our adversaries. Better
even defeat on such a platform than success
won by paltering and trimming. But as
emancipation and arming the blacks, though
each was at first an offense to weak brethren,
led to victory and safety, SO manhood suffrage,
heartily accepted, frankly avowed, and fear
lessly defended, will bear us on to grand
enduring benefcent triumph, not for oui
party alone, but for all humanity. ..-