Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1868-03-26

/ oiI.sc tiipie COilisTIGU III oil eXLFdCG GaK00
/ from the letter Of correspondent of the
New York Tribune, which ought to be
good authority with Republicans in such
matters. This letter has been recently
written and reads as follows, viz:
The elective franchise represents to the
ignorant blacks two shillings and as much
ram as they chooea TO drink on election
day, at the expense of the candidates.
The most worthy and intelligent blacks I
have. met with seldom or never use their
right to vote, not thinking it worth the
cost of the register tax. IF candidate
has 50 much need of their votes as to pay
| tbs expense of bringing them to the polls,
Inc Longest purse would be sure of a ma,
iority X ''The whites of Jamaica
have recently procured theJabolition of the
principle Of government in that Island,
prefcFring to be governed by Council
appointed by the Crown, rather than by
tie representatives ola horde Of ignorant
negroes Thus the extension of the suf-
| frage to the negroes Of Jamaica has natu-
rally led to the abolition of popular gov
eminent in chat Island . fa
The gentleman from Portsmouth. (Mr.
Clemcnts) alluded to the fact that he had
known. 7ehi5e men to be cooped upland
drugged With liquor and with snuff until
rendered utterly incompetent 20 distinguish
right from wrong, and in this miserable
condition taken to the polls and voted -
In the first place, [ would like to know
where aud when this strange scene occur
red? Especially whether it happened in
Virginia? If it did, it was an exceptional
case, and such as I have never heard of
before. %. Grant that it did occur and
that it occurred in Virginia. what does it
prove? Why simply that the right of suf-
frage is some times degraded and abused
among 'ehite men, with all the. advantages
of society and education in the duties of
citizenship which they have enjoyed
If this thing has been hone among them,
"a tortiori," the reason is the stronger
why it may be done among the blacks,
who have not enjoyed the same opportu-
mites of enlightenment and association
If they have done this thing in the green
tree" what shall they do ''in the dry %
''[n all such cases, the possession of the
vote tends to the corruption and debase-
ment Of the man" who exercises it. He
becomes less fit to be voter and more fit
to become the too. of INSCRIPTIONS dema-
gogues from year to year. What is the
result? It is plain aud easily to be seen:
Ills vote not only curses the country and
his fellow citizens but aids in demoralizing
himself"
I hold, sir, that the true theory is to
eleoate, not degrade, this high prerogative
of freemen to make every man who pos
sesses it feel that he is to think, study and
act for himself, exercise Independence of
Judgment, and virtuous frmness of will
Every voter III a free repnblic is a petty
soreyclgn, and to the extent of his sover
eighty ought to rule with wisdom, mode
ration and virtue He not only holds in
bis hands in some measure his own desti-
ny and happiness, but is in large degree
the custodian of the rights ard Interests of
his fellow citizens. Being endowed with
the powers Of government, he should take
heed that he governs sctseln and aceU.
VI I protest against the masure be-
cause it will endanger the stability of the
government With view to break the
force of this position, the gentleman from
Petersburg (Mr. Platte who seems to
have taken exclusive charge and control of
the historical department in this suffrage
question, has delivered to US a long disser-
tation to show, list. That free negroes have
heretofore voted in the different States of
the Union, and, at the time of the adoption
of the Federal Constitution, in all the orig
iaal 10 States except South Carolina; I'd.
That in 1860 there were III Virginia TO-
600 persons over q years Of age who could
neither read or write, and that neverthe-
less the right of suffrage wasextended TO al
these who were males.
To the LIST Of these statements | reply,
LIST That the argument would have been
worth more if he had Informed us how ma
ny free negroes had been enfrancbised by
these several States, and how many of
those enfranchised ever voted [ affirm,
and challenge him to prove the contrary,
that the number Of both was very small
so small as to be almost imperceptible in
their influence upon the politics of the
country; I'd That the fact stated, if ii is
worth anything, is against him; for he
admits that whatever rights of this kind
may have existed heretofore, have been
taken away. except in few Northern
States, where limited negro suffrage sill
exists. Why was it withdrawn We are
bound to presume because it proved not to
be acsse or proper to continue at-because
it was neglected. misused and abused in
the estimation of those who conferred it -
1t is stated in q foot-note in the Debates
of the Convention Of 1929, that during
the colonial period, and up to 1928, the
term used for elector was f'inhabitauts,"
and that, under this general designation.
free negroes, Indians and mulatoes MIGHT
hare u0ted, but it is not stated that they
did cote, and it is very much to be doubt
ed whether the use of the word inhabitant
was not a mere inadyertence, and as soon
as it was discovered, that the class ma
med might base Alright ofsuifrage upon it,
it was repealed.
The same author states that it was repeals
ed in said year, although the right waf
counled with n Yreebold qualification n