Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-12-12

J
when guided dy Writ e. intelligence patriotism
and a proper app ec,ation OF our free ins,itu
! tons, it coustifut, he true basis Of deIao
cratic form OF government. in W hich the SOW
erelgn power is lodged in the body Of the peo
pie. trust arifcially created, not for its
! own sake. but solely N, ans OF promoting
the general welfare. It's influence for good
must necessarily depend upon the elevated
characi er and true allegiance OF the elector -
Il ought, therefore, to be reposed tn none ex
cept those who are f:ted morally and mentally
10 administer it well for if conierl ed upon
persons who do not justly esi innate its value,
ana Who are indifferent as to its results, it will
I only serve as means of placing power in the
hands Of the unprinoipled anu ambitious, ana
mast eveni,late IN the complete destruction Of
that liberty Of which it should be the most
powerful conservatory have. therefore, here
iofoIe urged upon your attention the great
danger Ito be unprecedented from an unimely
extension Of the elective franz hlse to any new
class IN our country, especially when the large
majority Of hat class, in welding the power
thus placed in their hands. cannot be expect, d
correct y 10 comprehend h duties ant rcspon-
>lbiitita which pertain to suffrage. yesterday,
as it were. four millions OF persons We're Id
IN n condition OF slavery that hld existed Tor
! ecu rations to day they freemen, an are
assumed by law 10 be CITIZENS. 1t cannot be
Presumed, from their previous condition Of
seryiIudc. that rs a class, they as well in
i formed as 10 the nature Of our Government as
the intelligent foreigner who makes our land
! the home ct His choice. In the case of tie
/ Iatte', neither a residence Of five years, and
the knowledge of our rstitutions which it
gives. nor at achment TO the principles Of the
Constitution, are Tie only conditions upon
! wi Ia adn 81. i'm, T.,
must prove, in addition, good nor, Il cAarac-
ter, and thus 2.ve reasonable ground for the
belief ti;t hesw III be faithful to Tie OBJ. cations
whlch he assumes rs a citizen OF the liepubIic
| Where people-the source Of all political
| power-speak, by their SURFACES, through the
| instrumentality OF the ballot tox. it must be
carefully guarded against the control of those
WHO are corrupt in principle and enemies of
Tree institutions, for 1t can only become to our
political and social system safe conductor of
! healthy popular sentiment when kept fire. from
demorallz ng Influences Controlled through
| fraud and usurpition by the Designing
arcny and despotism must inevitably follow
IN the hands OF The patriotic and whorthy, our
Government Will be preserved upon the prn-
| pies OF the Constitution inherited from our
| fathers. 1t follows, therefore, that in admit
ting to the ballot box a new class of voters not
|
c,iise, we weaken system of government,
instead of adding to its Strength and dur ,hil-
| IT," Il yield to no one in ttlchment to that
| rule of general suffrage which distinguished
our policy rs nation. But there 8 = limit,
| wisely observed hitherto. which makes the
! ballot a privilege and a trust, and which re
! qulres OF some classes time suitable fJr pro-
baton and preparation. 70 give it indscrim
inaiely to II new class, wholly unprepared, by
! previous habits and opportunities, to perform
lie trust winch it demands, is to degrade it
and finally to destroy its power; for il may be
safely ass umed that political truth is bet
| ter establised than that such inIiscrminate
and all-embracing extension OF popula" suf-
trage must end al last in It's overthrow and
| destruction"
repeat the expression Of my willingness
to JON III AIRY plan within he scope OF our con
slllu'ional authority which promises to better
the condition OF The negroes in h. South, by
encouraging them in industry. enlightening
Their minds, improving their morals, and CIV
ing protection TO all their just rights IS freed
men. but the transfer of our political inner
ltance to them wouli n my opinion, be an
abandonment of a dutr which we owe alike
10 the memory OF our fathers and the rights of
our children.
The plan Of putting Southern States wholly,
and tbs General Government partially, into the
hands of negroes, is proposed at Il time pecu
llary unpropitious. The foundations of soci-
ely have been broken up by civil war H.
dustry must be recognized. justice reestab
lis ed, public credit maintained. order brought
out Of confusion. To accomplish III sc ends
would require all the W sdom and virtue Of the
| great men who formed our institutions origin
ally. | confidently believe that their descend
ens Will be equal TO the al duous task before
them, but 1t is worse than madness to expect
that negroes will perform it for Certainly
We ought not to ask their assistance until we
despair Of our own competency.
The grea. difference BET Eeen the two races
| in h. steal, mental, and moral characteristics
will prevent an annals amation or fusion of them
/ TO e her iii on3 homogeneous mass If he in
| ferior obtains tae ascendency over the other
J 1t VIII govern with reference only to its own
| lnierests-tor II viii recognize no common N
| terest-and create such tyranny as this con
tn nj has never yet witnessed. Already the
negroes are Influenced by promises Of conf sea-
ton and pldnder, They are taught to regard
r. an enemy every white man who has any
respect for The rights OF his own race II this
kcontinnes il must become worse and worse
until all order will be subve rted all industry
Cease, anu tie fertile fields Of the South 81 W
up mo Il WiiuefueSS. vi Ill the dangers VIII CHI
| our nation has YET encounIe red none are
equal to those which must result from the
success OF the effort now making to Africanize
half OF oar country.
would not put considerations of money in
competition with justice and right. But the
expenses Incident TO ''reconstruclon" under
.he system adopted by Congress aggravate
what regard as the intrinsic wrong of the
measure itself. Ii has cost uncouuted millions
already, and if persisted in will add largely TO.
the weight of taxation. already too oppressive
70 be borne without just complaint. aud may
reduce the Treasury of the nation to condl-
ton Of bankruptcy. We must not dalule our
selves. 1t will require scrong standing army
and probably more than two hund ed millions
OF dollars per annum, to MAINTAIN the suprem-
acy OF negro governments after they are estab-
lishpd. The sum thus thrown away would if
properly used. form sinking fund large enough
to pay the whole national debt in less than Is
years. 1t is vain to hope that negroes will
maintain The ascendancy themselves. With
out military power they are wholly incapable
of holding in subjection the white people of
the South.
submit to the Judgment Of Congress wheth-
er the public credit MY not be injuriously
affected by system of measures like this
With our debt, and he vast private interests
, which are complicated with it. we cannot be
too cautious of policy which might. by pos