The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-04-20
sUFFmAGE.

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3 II being an established fact, that the
privilege of voting has been conferred
upon freedmen, without any property
qualification, and that, in Ills respect,
colored persons stand on level OF
equality with their late masters, we
embrace this occasion to submit few
more thoughts in reference to this
very important subject.
Whatever may be thought of unre-
stricted suffrage as 1t existed in the
United States before the late revolu-
ton, all observant men were well
aware of the fact, that a considerable
portion of white voters in every State
and county, did not possess the re-
quisite qualifications to enable them
properly to exercise so important and
delicate a privilege. Many of our
white voters, in times past, were ignor-
ant, uniformed, low and grovelling,
having no clear perception of political
4 principle, and having no comprehen-
sion of our theory of government
This class, although "sovEREIGNs, "were
but the tools and instruments of poll
ticians and demagogues. All reflec-
tive men knew and felt that this class
of voters constituted serious obstacle
to the wise and efficient administration
of the general and State Governments,
and their weight at the ballot box was
looked upon with serious apprehen-
sion, by real patriots and citizens of
intelligence. But, there seemed to be
no mode of avoiding this admitted
evil. No one advocated a property
qualification for voters. Many per
sons, no doubt, were convinced that
there ought to be such qualification
but no political party would stake its
prospects on such an unpopular prin-
ciple; and, accordingly, the whole ma
ton let the doctrine of universal suf-
frage operate without opposition
What fruits have been gathered from
such principle, it is not for us to say
We have now anew order of things.
The sovEREIGNs of the land have |
been multiplied by millions Those
who, but esterday, were slaves Of the
Southern people, are not only freed
men, but they are voters. Each one
of them has as much weight, at the
"polls," as his former master. This
new acquisition of voters has been
forced upon the South. They are
voters. That is fred fact. Are
they competent, as class, to the dis
charge of this most delicate and i'm
portant prerogative of freemen
Unquestionably, they are not. A few
individuals of the race-those who
are intellectual and educated-are
pretty well qualified, we admit. The
great mass are infinitely less qualified
to vote than the lowest class of white
voters. Can it be expected that a
people, essentially ignorant, animal
and low minded, by the force of cir
will be able, as they now
are, to use the elective franchise adj
visedly and properly But, they have
the right to vote, and Mey eoiH cote
1t is obviously the policy of the
Southern people, to enlighten freed
men as to their duties and response
bilities; to encourage them in the
work of mental cultivation; to en-
all educational schemes for !
he improvements of their children to 4
rive thnn, rood aduioa. tn admnnish y
hem as to their personal. demeanor !
md conduct; and, by all proper means,
i'd in cementing that bond of sympa-
by and good will which should exist, 1
nd which really does exist, between j
he freedman and his former master
'hus, we may somewhat qualify the o
resent generation of freedmen for d
oting, and in course of time, so ele- q
ate the coming generations of their b
hildren, in moral and literary i'm q
rovement, that, at least, no great
lischief shall result from this vast W
lcrease of the voting population, AT it
] events, we can thus make the most ?,
this new feature in the administra- m
on of government. di
The blacks will dwell in the South. BIZ
hey are natives to the soil. Their I a1i
cal attachments are strong There lea
no inducement for them to emigrate. t tb'
the Northern and Eastern States pr
ey would be miserable, poor and OBJ az az
essed, We need the blacks in the its
nth as laborers They need us as rea
ends and employers. The people of Of Of
J South are the real friends of freed she
n. This, they will soon discover, UNI
they do not know it now. There eau
ght to be between the two races, uni ma
of purpose and unity of interest, anc
l the prevalence of good will All