Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-12-13

be worse than the military despotism
under which they are now suffering. IL
was believed beforehand that the people
would endure any amount Of military OPP
preston, for any length of time, rather
than degrade themselves by subjection Ii
the negro race. Therefore they have been
left without a choice. Negro suffrage was
established by act Of Congress, and the
military officers were commanded to SUI
perintend the process of clothing the negro
lace with the political privilege to govern
white men. The blacks in the South are
entitled to be we'll and humanely governed
and to have the protection of just laws
for all their rights to person and property.
If it we're practicable at this time to give
them government exclusively their own,
under which they mig manage their
own. affairs in their cwif Nsy, it would
become a grave question whether woscught
to do SO, or whether common humanity
would not require us to save them from
themselves. But under the circumstance
this is only speculative point. 1t is not
proposed merely that they shall govern
themselves, but that they shall rule the
white race, and make and administer
State laws, elect Presidents and members
of Congress, and shape, 10 a greater or less
extent, the future destiny of the whole
country. Would such a trust and power
be safe in such hands? Peculiar qualities
which should characterize any people who
are fit to decide upon the management Of
public affairs for great State, have sci =
dom been combined. 1t is the glory of
white men to know that they have had
these qualities in sufficient measure to
build upon this continent great political
fabric, and to preserve its stability for
more than ninety years, while IN every
other part of the world all similar expert
ments have failed. But if anything can
be provided by known facts, if all reason
ing upon evidence is not abandoned, it
must be acknowledged that in the pro-
gress of nations the negroes have shown
less capacity for Government than any
other race Of people. No independent
Government of any form has ever been
successful in their hands. On the con-
trary, wherever they have been left to
their own devices they have shown a
constant tendency to relapse into barbar-
ism. In the Southern States, however,
Congress has undertaken to confer upon
them the privilege of the ballot. just
released from slavery, it may be doubted
whether, as a class, they know more than
their ancestors how to organize and reg
ulate civil society. Indeed, it is admitted
that the blacks of the South are not only
regardless of rights of property, but their
voting can consist in nothing more than
carrying a ballot to the place where they
are directed to deposit it. | need not
remind you that the exercise of the elect
i've franchise is the highest attribute of an
American citizen. and that when guided
by virtue, intelligence, patriotism, and
proper appreciation Of our free instltu-
tions, it constitutes the true basis of
democratic form OF government, In which
the sovereign power is lodged in the body
of the people. A trust aruheially created,
not for its own sake, but solely as means
of promoting the general welfare, its in
fluence for good must necessarily depend
upon the elevated character and true alle-
glance of the elector. 1t ought therefore
to be reposed in none except those who
are fitted morally and mentally to adm in
lister it we'll. For if conferred upon per-
sons who do not justly estimate Its value,
and who are Indifferent to its results, it
will Only serve as means of placing
power in the hands of the unprincipled
and ambitious, and must eventuate in the
complete destruction of that liberty Of
which it should be the most powerful
conservator.
have therefore heretofore urged upon
your attention the great danger to be ap-
pretended from an untimely extension Of
the elective franchise to any new class in
our country, especially when majority
of that class, in welding the powers thus
placed in their hands, cannot be expected
correctly to comprehend the duties and
responsibilities which pertain to suffrage.
Yesterday, as it were, four millions Of
persons were held in q condition OF slavery
that had existed for generations. To. day
they are freemen, and are assumed by law
to be citizens. 1t cannot be presumed
from the previous condition of servitude,
that as a class they are as well informed as
to our Government as intelligent foreign
ers, who make our land the home of their
choice. In case of the latter, neither a
residence of five years, and the knowledge
of our institutions which it gives, nor
attachment in the principles of the Con-
stitution, are the only conditions upon
which he can be admitted to citizenship.
He must prove in addition good moral
character, and thus give reasonable
ground for belief that he will be faithful
to the obligations which he assumes as a
citizen of republic, where the people,
the source of all political power, speak by
their sufIrages through the instrumentality
Of the ballot box. 1t must be carefully
guarded against the control Of those who
are corrupt in principle and enemies OF
free institutions, for it can only become
to our political aud social system a safe
conductor of healthy popular sentiment.
when kept free from demoralizing inau-
ences controlled through fraud.
tsurpation, by designing anarchy and
despotism, must inevitably follow In the
hands of patriotic and worthy citizens our
Government will be preserved upon the
principles of the Constitution Inherited
from our fathers. 1t follows, therefore,
that in admitting to the ballot a new class
of voters not qualified for the exercise of
the elective franchise, we weaken our sys-
tenn of government instead of adding to
its strength and durability. | yield to no
one in attachment to the rule of general
A 4. .s.. ~. -.