The national Republican., 1868-11-30
W. ] MURrAaH Editor and Propristo,
MANHOOD SUFFRAGE.

1t Is now certain that Congress, early in the
session, which begins next Monday, will pas, q
Constitutional amendment regulating suffrage
in all the States; and We trust 1t will be uni.
form, and when 1t is adopted that 1t will apply
equally In all the States. Anything less than
this will be mockery and sham. II any
thing Appertaining to this suffrage question or
to the laws regulating the political franchise
is to be left for tho States to determine, by
local and State law, then everything should be
left to them. These half. way measures, which
some propose to incorporate into the Consti.
tutiCn, will never give satisfaction, because
they settle nothing.
1t is time that American statesmanship rose
to the dignity and grandeur Of the occasion.
1t should meet the demands Of the hour, and
grapple with questions like this wo are now
considering and settle them at once, and settle
them right. There must DO NO compromise,
no hssitnting, halfway policies, which
always work to mischieyous ends, as nothing
is settled by this sort Of tinkering
Tho war has learnt US something; the light
of tho age in which we live Is teaching US much
1t Is time, therefore, that our statesmen under.
stood that compromises are at an end. The
Government and the nation has been nearly
destroyed by the compromises which our
fathers honestly but unwittingIy made. Let
US have done with all this, and in our future
building up Of great nation build wisely. All
our principles, policies, and constitutional
amendments should be devised and quadrated
by the laws and principles of righteousness.
justice, and truth, and 10 full accord with the
genius Of universal liberty. Anything short Of
this Is unworthy of American statesmanship.
There Is not and there cannot be in this country,
where principles liberty which must inbere in
good government are in question, any such word
as compromise" There are, to bo sure, many
things in the policies Of government upon which
and about which we may cOnpromise, but
never in respect to human liberty and the rights
of man. All civil, political, and religious
rights must be guaranteed not to enc class but
to all men, irrespective Of color o. condition,
except for crime.
We know 1t /, said that this question Of
manhood suffrage Is q difficult one for Con.
gress to grapple with and settle. 1t is even
so. All questions of vital reform in govern.
ment are difficult. So much the more need,
therefore, for true statesman.like boldness and
courage OF digging deep. and of laying the
foundation sure. We have seen enough, and
have had enough Of the attempts to compro-
mise 10 respect to great principles which en-
brace In their range tho rights Of man. Let
US be wise, therefore. and with our new consti-
tutional amendments settle the question right
this time. II wa can't do this now, don't let
US botch it.
We know that It'll, proposed tha. the amend.
ment should have this extent, that all men be
allowed to vote for President, Vice President
and for members Of Congress, and that the
rest may be left to the States. We mos,
emphatieaHy object to any such proposition
1t can only work mischief. It does no. meet
the question. It shows timidity and want
Of faith in the righteousness of manhood suf.
frage on the part Of those who enact such q
policy. It Is weak and unsatisfactory, and
would be de,pised and rejected as 1t ought to
be.
Think for a moment Of men being allowed
to go to the polls onse in two years or once in
four years to vote only for part Of tho OH.
GERS voted for, say for President and Vice
President, and for members Of Congress. bu
not for Governors Of States, members OF Stat,
Legislatures, and municipal officials Such a
man is but half q man It would be th,
very worst form Of class legislation that can be
conceived Of 1t makes q man q citizen Of the
United States, but not ofthe State in which he
lives. lie has no part in the local government,
and can only take an interest in national af.
fairs. Such distinctions arc obviously wrong
and cannot be maintained for any length Of
time in any community. 1t will produce, to
use the language Of Petroleum V. Nasby, 4
"ehroHie ORpleaMniaeJ', such as he tell
now exists at "tte Corner"
It may bs said that the States would soor
adopt this policy of the general Government.
Perhaps SO But why not have 4 Constitu
tional amendment broad enough to cover the
whole ground, and thus settle 1t at once
Now Is the time and we must not fail to d,
our whole duty now.
The jew. DAVIS TRIAL.--A special dis
patch from Washington to the New York Ere,s
ing Post says "The Government has de
cided to enter motion for the continuance 0
I.T. -. r. L.. -. h.