Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-07-20
a Whi,. Man.s oevsrnmsnl.

have said, North and South, 10 our 10
tional platform and our State platform
through every Democratic press and OF
every stump, in all corners and places
and by all the means Of communicating
thought, that this government belongs
exclusively to the true, Constitutional
American people--to white native aud
naturalized citizens-to the sous OF the
men Of '76, aud TO those who have adopted
the land Of the free. We have said what
we meant, and what We cannot conceal
with honor, and would not conceal II we
could. Caudor requires the utterance Of
what we think and intend. We can gain
nothing by playing the hypocrite. There
is no wisdom in double dealing. There
is no sensible or profitable strategy in
the cunning Of hopeless and half impo-
tent concealment. What we mean and
intend is tina. white men. and no others,
shall vote and hold all Offices Of the Gov
eminent. We mean and intend also that
the newly freed descendants of the Afri-
oan race shall have all the rights to life,
liberty and property, oil the protection,
and all the privileges that white men
have, except the right to govern,
for which they have not the necessary
virtue and intelligence. We forbid aliens,
thu minor, the woman and the Indian,
not taxed, to vote. And we mean also
TO forbid the African. Under these cir
cumstances he should 90 untaxed, and
be encouraged to industry, virtue, peace,
honor, serfrespect, with property. liberty,
protection, enjoyment and prosperity.
These our intentions should be frankly
expressed in every suitable form. IL scW
be eminenfly satisfactory. The blacks
have confidence in the rectitude of our
intentions, and the fulillment of oil
promises we make. They were never
deceived by us when they were slaves,
and they should not be now that they are
free. Such conditions as we concede are
all they will require or care for. No
man will care much for the privilege Of
voting, who knows not how to vote for
his own interest And the Africans in
our midst will greatly prefer our protec-
ton, and such happiness as wise and good
government will afford, to having one of
thousand of their number in Office, with
so bad government as they see they
now have, while they are governors.
Whether they vote at present or not, the
way to win their good will is to make
them understand the truth as we'll as the
wisdom and benignity of our inten-
lions. For it is not dishonorable to
us that the very men from whom
we have required labor, and pun
ished, it may be, now recognize the
former master as better friend than
they have found the carpet-baggers, who
have made to them such large and false
pretenses of friendship. We intend to
speak this thing out and out and let it be
understood. That sterling Democratic
journal, the Cincinnati Enquirer, in
answer 10 the New York World, thus
announces the true doctrine of the plat
form, of our candidates for President
and Vice-President, and Of the Demo-
cratic party past and present on THE
subject. Written before the Conven-
ton, it expresses the views of the Con-
sentative candidates, and of the party,
as they will be soon in force:
If the doctrine that this lisa white mans
is not Democratic, then there
Is no Democratic doctrine. 1t is the
Alpha and Omega of Democratic faith.
Ii is Democratic theory. 1t is Demo- /.
cratic practice. Save the writer in the
New York World, there is probably not
another man, woman or child In the
United States who would have the efront.
ery to dispute it. No Democratic State
convention ever made constitution that
gave the right Of suffrage to any but
white people, if We except a so-ealled
Democratic convention in New York,
which admitted it with certain qualifica-
tons. No Democratic statesman, no real
Democratic paper, no Democratic as.
sembly, ever inolnded negroes as having
to do with the political State,
But the World says that the Demo.
cratic doctrine is that :" it is the right OF
each State to determine who are the
people qualified for political functions"
But, Mr.. World, the question is, who
and what is the State? Is it the white
people who make up the State, or is it all
white, black. red and Yellow We as
sert-the Democracy asssrt--the past
history of this country asserts-that it is
the whites alone who constitute the State.
For instance, if we submit the question
in New York or Ohio as to whether ne
groes shall vote, to whom do we submit
il? To the white exclusively. has this
been done by the Radical Congress in
the Southern States2 No. They sub
mitted negro suffrage--not to the whites,
bat to the whites and negroes. Thus al
loving the latter to vote on their own
Acknowledgement in advance of any de-
termination in their favor. The World
calls this q settlement OF the matter by
State that has the exclusive right to deal
with it. In so doing. it is guilty Of false
and fraudulent statement 1t is the duty
of the Democracy to insist upon plat
form that shall contain these points, viz:
|. This is a white mans government.
2. The question Of suffrage belongs to the
people Of the several States to determine
for themselves. 3. By the people Of the
States is meant white people, and no
others. They are the State embraced in
the political term alluded to. 4. All de-
cisions in favor of negro suffrage, made
hv narroea vnting in their own hehalf.