Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-12-19

6QEAly WIN LAle WutlHs III Lub OuF-
ernment Of the country, not one in
q hundred viii fail to condemn the pro-
posed plan OF universal Suffrage as q
most dangerous experiment Itwas uni
EersRIlv considered to have been imposed
as a condition OF Reconstruction, partly
As a punishment to the white race OF the
/ South for tneir general completely in the
/ rebellion, and partly upon the mistaken
/ idea that il was necessary in order TO
Z seeGre the perpetuity of the Union
/ The Constitutional Amendment was
! also eztrem ely distasteful to us, as il de-
Z pTived the people Of the South of the ser
vices of its most experienced and
I trusted men in the conduct OF the Gov
! ernment. #
But the dangers which threatened us
I were so imminent, We were so firmly
! persuaded that with without our as
sistance, the Congressional plan ofrecOn-
/ struetion would be carried into effect,
I that many of our best men hoping to
/ secure such Of the blessings Of good gov
/ eTnment as seemed attalnable under the
system, united themselves with the Re-
publican party, and we're encouraged and
sustained by thousands Of others who
/ did not formally attach themselves
{ 10 it. ...... .-
ThesJ were oheered by the hope, that
I the experience Of the whites in the arts
I Of government, their superior education
and the Just weight which the posses
I sion OF the chief part of the property OF
I the cOuntFy gives to the pTOprietOrs of the
soil. would secure to the white inhabi-
taats q legitimate influence over the
newly eniTRuchised class, which would
| be so exercised as tG guard against the
apparent dangers of universal suffrage.
Bat the Constitution adopted by sthe
I Convention violates the conditions of the
formation OF the Republican party in
l Alabama, by traHscendiug the require
ments Of the reconstruction aets, and
adding features of prescription and dis
frauChisement not found in these
measures. The reconstruction acts pro-
vide that By the Constitution 10 be
framed the sisctiUs franchise shall be
secured to and enjoyed by all tCleO are
permitted 10 register and Uots by these
acts. The Constitution limits the
elective franchise to such Of that class as
are willing 10 accept the theory Of the
majority IN the Convention, that the
elective franchise is q natural right, and
to seal their faith by an oath. Again :
each electOr is required to swear never to
alter his political conduct, even if bis
political views should undergo a change.
The Constitution provides q mode for its
amendment, but each electOr must swear
that be never will seek to exercise that
constitutional right, in q certain direc-
ton
The evils Of universal suffrage may be-
come intOIerable, but he must stCeQr that
be viii endure them, without eveu
. peaceful and constitutional effort at
sneliorstion.
The constitutional amendment appears
to have received the endorsement Of the
popular voice Of the Northern States, but
[. the reconstruction acts, in so far as they
go beyond the demands Of the eonsitu-
tiOnal amendment were not submitted
to the people before their enactment, and
have not been directly acted on by them
since.
Buba more generous anC liberal ssnti-
ment has been Evinced by the people Of
the North in the recent elections. They
indicate clearly that they are resolved
that the power Of their Government
shall not be directed 10 the abasement
aDd degradation of the white populations
Of the Southern land, and thar they will
not sentence a chivalrie and generous
people ia. be the servants OF their former
slaves, even a. q punishment for rebel
lion. They have been aroused to the
conviction that their own progres will
be deleSted. and civil liberty for them
selves will be endangered by the contin-
ued exercise OF a prOcOnsular rule, main
tanned by force, over an impoverished
and ruined people. The proud conquer
ors are unwilling, after 50 mighty con-
test, to surrender that Union, the love Of
which nerved every arm aud inspired
every heart IN the darkest hours Of their
struggle. .s
The southern people admit the thor
OUghness Of the cOnquest-they trust in
the uaagnanimity Of that terrible power
which has overcome their heroic resist
ance aud they appeal to that tribunal
which is the court Of the last resort in
gll rePublics-tbe people.
1t can neither be corrupted nor intimi-
dsted from its approval all laws in this
republic derive their force, and against
its veto no Congressional majority can
prevail. To that great and magnani-
NOUS people Of the North the South, ia
ID is last hour finer need, appeals
But the chief reason which leads us to
conclude that no hope of good govern
meut for o1r State, under the Constitu-
tion framed by the Convention, can be
INDUCED in is, that close observation OF
the course Of the Convention has demOn-
strated 10 US that, under the proposed
system Of universal suffrage, the political
poWer of The blacks is coveted hya set of
political adven torers having no interest
in common with our people, as q 10eapOg
OF Ofcnse, to be welded by them to &C.
cumpIish their own selfish schemes Of
personal aggrandizement; and that this
race viii readily surrender itself to the
arts and intrigues OF such designing
knaves Is viii hatter their vanity and
encourage them ia q Jealous hate Of the
white Inhabitants Of the State.
The drilled phslsnx OF colored dele
gates in the Convention, with one hon
orable eXceptiOB) moving IS subseryi-
eutly at the beck OF their managers as
ever slaves did at the command Of a
master, renders argument upon this point
unnecessary. The subservience Of q gov
ernmeBt framed on this Constitution to
the more ignorant class, may well be
argued from the subservience displayed
towards them by the Convention.
A delegate claiming 70 be the peculiar
cham pi0n Of the negro race, and to have
lAb0red and suffered much for them, in
troduced a section 10 be incorporated in
the Bill Of Rights, following the deelara-
tion Of the civil equality Of all men, and
intended as explanatory of that deolara-
ton, which provided that common
carriers should make no distinction be-
tween citizens Of the State" and, on in-
quiry, we were informed tffat it was de-
signed % secure to cOlOred people the
right to eat at the same table with the
whites on steam boats, to sleep in the
same bertbs, and be seated by them in
the same cars. When this measure
aroused considerable opposition, and
a To-
in the Conventions, its authors and sup
porters-the peculiar friends Of the col
bred peOple-withdrew It; but before be-
ing pernaitted TO do 50, were obliged to
promise them ttst the iseqisldtlire should
and sOOttld carry Il into effect.
Again: the common school system re-
ported by the committee, provided for
the establishment of :" one or more schools
in each school district ih- a -1I-i
When it was objected, that If only one
school should be established in a district
white aud colOred children must attend
the same school, or else one class be ex-
Guided from the benefits OF the school, il
was answered BY one member, Hthat as
whites and blacks set together ia che
Convention, be saw no reason why
white children and colOred children
should not set together on the same
terms IN Jne scnOOlS, tnat Lne8e preju-
dices would soon pass swsy, and the
white people would speedily learn to
accommodate themselves to the new
order Of things" An amendment pro-
viding for the establishment of separate
schools for white and coiored children
was rejected by the Convention, and the
system as reported by the committee was
adopted.
A measure was introduced by Mr..
White, Of Winston, declaring against
the policy Of amalgamStiou. which ha