The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-09-08
The Suffrage Question.

VI Solie time past we have urged on leading Con
servatives and Democrats the Importance of conced
ing and proclaming in favor of qualified suffrage to
| the colored man; and we know that many Conserva-
tives endorse views, although no authoritative
declaration the subject has yet been made by the
party.
An able writer in the Raleigh Sentinel favors thi.
view, and from his article we make the following
extract:
''Let the Democratic and Conservative party in
these States divest itself of the passion very naturally
engcndered by the heartess tyranny practsed on
people these last few years; tyranny xamped
i'll the history of the civilized world Let them for
get the manner in which certain undoubted and
strictly logical results of the fearful struggle
have been inaugurated These effects natural
and ineyltable and would, beyond peradyenture,
have speedily suggested themselves to the good
sense of people, had they been left their
untrammeled and voluntary resolution, to which
alone they exclusively belong. Let not, then, the
sense of natural justice, the dictates of far seeing
craftsmanship, be warped from their healthy, vigo
rous divine impulses, by a spirit of yindictive
venge against those who have usurped our rights
and prerogatves. Let the whole party, to man,
accept of the political equality of the races
settled fixed fact. Such concession, fraught with
untold good to ourselves, children and the whole
country, cannot possibly, by the most ingenious
distortion, be productive Of harm or even inconven-
fence to
The colored people, themselves have long earnest
ly desired it, not with the view OF securing to them
selves power for sinister purposes but for the sake
of uniting with their former owners, the intelligent
and property owning masses of these mlsgoverned
States for the general good They do hesitate to
declare even to their Yankee patrons, that they much
prefer and most naturally those amongst whom they
have been born and reared to the exotic refuse now
making use of them as an element of power, for
their own most selfish ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. How could
they heretofore unite with US? We met them at the
threshold with denial of the first distinguishing
qualification of a free BY singular fatality
many of our leading men have blindly overlooked
the great political value this part Of our pOpulatIon
"a part, which, from physical causes iii other)
can never be got rid of, and which every motive OF
self preservation, well as other departments OF
self interest, admonsh to conciliate. Many
thoughless persons even take foolish pleasure III
ctecting their arrangement by the qualification of
some Of the lowest instincts of our nature, in many
it is true matters Of trivial Importance
but which that sensitive people (more sensitive be
cause lgnorant) feel most keenly This Is not WISE
There some, too, who think such policy danger
GUS to white supremacy. Ii this were SO, 1t would
be better have them for friends and separate
them from their Yankee allies But the fact is far
otherwise. In numbers they never be source
OF apprehension in this State; and the recent i'll
stance of Alabama shows how easily they can be
utilized. With such concession, then blazoned on
our flag, victory would flow to us i'll overwhelming
numbers.
Gen. Wade Hampton wrote a letter to Democratic
meeting i'll Chester, s. c., from which quote the
Ill relation as Delng more
statement of his position than be
obtained the printed reports Of his speeches
I'VE declare that Congress has right to touch
the question OF su!ra ge, and claim for ourselves
the right to regulate this matter. But must meet
the practical question that is forced upon and
that is that the negro will in the election
SO convinced am that the interest of the two races
in the South Identical, that believe we can by
patient reasoning convince the colored that his
only hope of prosperity and safety lies i'll his ata
ton with the white man of the South. Let strive
to convince him of this, and shall find in what
the radicals hoped to make weakness, source
of much strength. Deal justly, kindly and friendly
with the black race, assuring them that in tri
umph which viii surely come will accord to them
all the ri gifts they fitted to exercise Among
these privileges l am willing to grant him suffrage,
under educational and property qualifications. This
will bring to support the most intelligent of that
race, and those who by industry have acquired some
property. Those who will not listen to reason who
refuse to accept proers of friendship, we must
make understand are to look to for employ
mcnt, aid encouragement. Those who not
for against us, and if they cast their destiny
with the radicals to them and not to must they
look for support
The question Of comforting the right to vote on the
colorcd man, in form. must be met by the De-
party sooner later and if
such Gen. Hampton is willing to concede
qualified suffrage at once, the sooner it is endorsed
by party the better.