American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-08-21
The First of August.


their great day. 1t will be their Pass
over, their Fourth of July, their Saint
Patrick's Day. On the First of August,
1884, slavery became extinct in the
British Wess India Islands By a
strange coincidence, on the First of Aus
gust in this Year of Grace, 1S67-a
generation, to day, as we now reckon
human neutrality-suspicious. of that
race, heretofore held as slaves in the
United States, for the first time exer>
cised the rights not merely of '' freed
men," but of citizens, by voting for
Governor and members of Congress.
This in the State of Tennessee,
Verify the world does move. One
can scarcely believe that it is exactly
ten years since Justice Tauey pronounc-
ed his famous " Dred Scott" decision
wherein backed up by the whole body
of Associate Justices, he laid down as
established law that no person Of Afri>
can descent was or could ever become
citizen of the United States. Let us,
however, do justice to Judge fancy.
He never gave the atrocious decision so
often attributed to him, that the black
race was so far inferior that they had
no rights which the white man was
bound to respect" These words, indeed
occur in his decision. He says that they
had been so regarded for century be-
fore the framing of the Declaration of
Independence and that then no one
seems to have doubted the correctness
of the prevailing opinion of the time"
But the whole context shows that JUS
tice fancy, SO far from formally giving
his official sanction to this sentiment,
had serious doubts as to its rightfulness
He indeed denied to the colored race,
through all generations, any political or
civil rights But he would doubtless
have conceded to them some rights
which the white man was bound to
respect" such rights, for example, as
the amiable Mr.. De Bergh so strenuous
ly maintains for turtles and donkey, ON
nibus horses and ragpickers' dogs-the
right at least not to be starved or bru-
tally beaten.
Many men had the gravest doubts as
to the safety of extending the franchise
to the freedmen. We shared in those
doubts. But concurrent testimony from
thousand Sources con vinces us, as it
has convinced every thoughtful man,
North and South, that our fears we're
grouudless. The freedmen have borne
themselves with dignity, moderation.
a decorum which their best friends dar,
ed not to hope. We have just received
a letter from Georgia planter, the most
intimate friend and associate of Alexan~
der Ii. Stephens, Weep President of the
late Coufederacy. The writer, who
fought during the whole war on the
Southern side, says, in effect that the
South ought, long ago, to have emanci-
pated the slaves and given them the
right of suffrage How the freedmen
came to be found, all at once, in posses
sion of so much real political knowledge
has puzzled US all. Perhaps " Porte
Crapon," in picture in Harpers Mag.
aziae of last January, solves the mystery.
There we have person Of unmistakable
" African descent waiting at table,
whereat are seated several most undoubt-
cdly F. Il. VS., who are clearly discuss
ing politics Colored Person, tray in
hand, is ready to change plates, or re-
plenish the wine or punch glasses bat
his ear is turned so as catch every word
which falls from the lips of the f. +.
VS. In an hour after the Il. T. VS.
have retired from the festive board ev>
cry word which they said will have been
told to score Of eager listeners in the
negro quarters. That attentive - boy
was for the future freedmen not bad
substitute for daily newspaper.
Well, the election in Tennessee came
off on the First of August As we
write, Oh the second, telegraphic reports
thereof come in. Nashville, which
would most likely have been the Con-
federate capital, had the Confederacy
lived, has never been famous for quiet
elections. But now we read that the
polls closed upon very peaceaole scene
There was no lighting, no drunkenness
no disorder Early in the morning long
lines VI udlh ldCCo hCiO lOfmtu dL bHt
polls One by one, in due order, the
dusky new made freedmen deposited
their ballots and departed. In the af
ternoon the whites mainly voted Thai
the election would go in favor Of thC
" Radicals" was foregone conclusion
President johnson himself could hardly
have hoped to find any support in hi
| own State.
This First oS August 1867, will stauc
as the culmnating point of a great rev
olution. On that day co.ored men 70
| the first time fairly voted for Governo
aud memoers of Congress. They dlt
not, so far as we know at this time, vot
for candidates Of their own color. Bu
it is well for all men to understand tha
this will not be perpetual preceden;
The right of voting for an officer imphe
the right of being voted for. Ten year
ago Justice Taney decided that color
ed man could not be citizcr. To.da
he is irrespective of race or color"7
! citizen Within ten years, and probs