Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1868-01-28
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION.

The Radical Republican party
needless Of the warnings conveyed
to them so repeatedly Of late, through
the elective voices of the opposing
masses that surrounded them, persis
in their blind suicidal course of pan
dering to negro suffrage i'll the Soutl
and ignoring that Of the white race
except in a few cases,-in the hope
of perpetuating, by such means, theil
dictatorial power and policy. The
reaction which has been going OIL
for sometime past in the North, the
East and the West, is evidence DOW.
erfully condemnatory of such unjust
Partially, and viewing that reaction
as an earnest of what is to come, we
are led to believe that, this very
question Of sulirage,-if there were
no others wanting,-must. Of itself,
work to the final overthrow and IT.
revocable discontinue of Radicalism.
Under the head of "suffrage-
Universal Or Impartial" the New
York Times, commenting on certain
remarks of the Tribune, let's in some
light as follows, fol eshadowing the
probability of defeat to the Radical
party on account Of its suffrage
policy:
The Tribune's "pet phrase" is
impartial suffrage; but in spite Of its
disclaimer, it supports and advocates
uniuersal suffrage for the negroes in
the Southern States. 1t upholds as
just, necessary and permanent, the
law of Congress on this subject
and that law DEGREES uuiGerSm negro
suffrage in the South, aud forces the
Southern States, by military power,
to adopt it and engrait it on their
Constitutions as the condition prpcp-
dent to their re-admission to the
Union. 1t makes very little differ
ence what the opinions and prefer
ences of the Tribune may BE-, 50 long
as it upholds Congress and the party
in enforcing policy which discards
and scouts them.
We believe that Congress ought
to adopt policy on this question Of
negro suffrage which will command
the assent of the States which are
to be most directly and seriously
affected by it-one, we mean, which
the great body Of the whites in those
States will accept as substantially
just as in accordance with the ne
cessities Of the time and consistent
with the public peace and prosperity.
The Radical element insists upon
policy which shall encounter the hos
tIlity of those communicating
insist on regarding the whole ques
ton as one of force and conquest, not
Of concert and concurrence and any
policy which the Southern States
would accept, would encounter Mew
opposition from that very circum-
stance. This is not the road to peace
nor to reunion. 1t tends directly to
conflicts, alike of races and of sec
tions, and is far more likely to throw
the nation into tie chaos Of a fresh
civil war than to repair the losses,
and secure the results, of that from
which it has just emerged.
An impartial rule OF suffrage-a
rule which should require certain
qualifications for the exercise of 20
liticaI power, and confer that power
upon all who should possess them,
would, we believe, secure the assent
Of large part of the people Of the
Southern States. 1t would, at all
events, be just, benificent and wise,
and would be much more likely to be
accepted by the South than the rule
prescribed by Congress, in which
suffrage for the blacks is universal
while for the whites it is clogged |
with conditions which effect large
Now we agree with the Tribune in
believing that this question is to
enter largely into the Presidential
1t cannot be "evaded or
ignored"-nor have we any "device"
Or purpose of trying to do either.
But we should like to see it pre-
sented in shape which will make
it defensible on principle, and at the
same time stand reasonable chance
IF success. AS it stands now the
position Of the Republican party has
neither recommendation. 1t is ut
5erly impossible to vindicate, upon