American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-08-21
-Ti,e Tennessee Election.

cessful solution of vexel problem. 1t
is the satisfactory conclusion of grave
experiment. 1t is the achievement Of
an important revolution. The rights
and the capacities of race, on the one
hand, and the submission and obedience
of class, on the other, were involvei
The question was, whether class would
submit to the deprivation ofa long enjoyed
privilege, and quietly witness its passing
into the hands of race hitherto held in
subjection, and whether that race would
enter upon its new sphere wisely and
we'll. The discomfort naturally ielt had
found expression in turbulent and riot
GUS demonstrations The frequent ebul-
litions of passion had given grave reason
to fear terrible collision Croakers con-
fidently predicted, aud with relish as
if they would like it, that terror and
outage and riot would mark the day.
And the friends of freedom feared the
worst realization oftheir dismal prophecies
Custom was being disturbed to its deep
est foundations. Prujudice was being
trampled upon in its most sensitive re-
treats. Society was being outraged in
its most exclusive prteensons. The ne
gro was to vote. Horrid thought. The
white man was dlsfranehised. Sacrile-
eious act The loyalty of the one and
the treason of the other had no weight
with those who have wrapped around
themselves the venerabler obes of super
ority. To deprive race of its rights,
on account of its color, or ancestry
where the color was wanting, seemed a
religious duty to those who could con-
| ceive of no crime in the white class,
deep aud dark enough to deserve and de-
mand censure or punishment. And yet
that color cursed race was secure IN its
rights that skin.blessed class was sutf
ering for its wrongs No wonder the sa-
cred ground rocked at such daring
deed no wonder that all creme de Ia
creme. of the Democratic circles, convul-
siyely shuddered; no wonder that ca
lamities. the most direful were threaten
ed as the inevitable result of such a
high. handed act.
But, after all, tho dread consequences
have not followed. The negro has cast
the ballot for the candidates OF his
choice. and the disfranchised Rebel has
looked on and seen him do it-all wlth~
out word or blow And this fact Is
not to be accounted for by attributing it
to military intimidation, or Brownlow
despotism. We are informed that neith-
er the United states troops nor the
Brownlow militia we're near the polls.
They were stationed at distauce, aud
there was not the slightest reason for
their presence where the voting was goe
ing on. The electors deposited their
ballots without the least intermeddllng
on their pert Even negroes voted the
Conservative ticket without any restraint
And in the many election districts where
there could be no adequate military
force, the same order prevailed. And
what has been done in Tennessee, can
be accomplished in every State IN the
South, aud will be. Aud when once
done, can be repeated, until eoiored voN
| ting shall become as common as white
voting, and cause as little commotion.
Thus it is that negro suffrage, from be-
ing a problematical experiment, has at
once become an assured fact.
AS we look back and see with how
little of outbreak this revolution has
been wrought in Tennessee, we can but
wonder. 1t is no slight thing to break
down the barriers of prejudice, and
overthrow the scustoms of ages But 1t
has been done. There will be IN the
other Sonthren States the came exhl6I-
ton of restiveness. more or less marked,
the same final submission to the inevi-
table, to be followed by a quiet adapta-
ton to the new order of things and a
few years will call forth expression OF
wonder. that it was ever thought 10 be
So dread thing to award civil and po-
litical rights to any because OF a ditte.
euce 10 eoler.
And new we hope that the Tennessee
Radicals will be actuated by an enlarged
craftsmanship rather than by an unwise
indictiveress. The paci6cation and
prosperity of their State can be best Sc
cured by wiping out every vestige and
remembrance of war, and reiustating in
political rights every citizen just so rap
idly as it can be done consistently with
the security and perpetuity of freedom
and the Union. Let there be no malice
or vengeance; but simple frmness,
moderated by magnanimity and forbear-
ance.
In dealing with the South, not one
stripe should be inflicted in mere ven
geance for tho past, nor one jot yielded
from ample security for the future.
Thus doing, firm and immovable shall
be its well>done work of reconstruction.
Germaatocn Teleg, dph.
ADvERTIsING.-T There is comparatively few
business men who understand the art of ad :,
yertisinp. Some men advertise for n short