The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1868-05-13
ORIGINAL.
Democratic Doctrine of. sufrag
, ron tFE sournhRx Exrrnrui.t;.

ssSg0 = -
Democratic Doctrine of. Suffrage.
.Jfessfs. ,Bditoys y The Democratic view~of
tho question. OF sufrEage is, that the right TO
vote ia not a natuIal and inalienab,e right
but priviloge--a privilege eG be exercfsed
only by those to- whom it an~Le- Safely en-
trusted, and whoN&re competeng 70 exercise it
for the best interests OF the State; and for
this, reason the privilege of voting Is denied to
WOMEN, to young mon, under. twenty -one years
of ago, and toforsigpers, no matter how ,welI
they may besqEai6ed in, other respects. The
question as TO whom the privilege of voting
shall be extended, is matter for the States
themselves to decide, and not for the decision
ofths United States Con grcss, aud all dictAtion
or legislation of Congress for tho sts.es is
psufpation and tyranny, and in violation of
the Constitution. s q, =
The white men of-this State haze always
-bscn .eonsiaefcd quaIiaed to vote, and no
matter what may be, the opinions of few
indiEiduals, the great Democratic party will
{ meyer poEscnt that Tho white men heretofore
enjoying this privilege should be .debarred
from Il, There -aro as many, and probably
: many more indiyidud Radicals in the United
Stsies, than those who are Democrats, who
.thiut tha, mono should be allowed to vote
~ithout certain property or educational
qusliheations.s Indeed, tho Democratic party
has aiways Been the. peopto's party, and In
fsvorof sxtepdiug'to them moro liberal rights
,-and privileges than any otber party that has
svsrs arisen. In 5thes upited States In South
Cafolihps tho Demoefatic party Is almost a
Unit sn fhesqpestistt ofrunssstrieted sutIfsec.
TO tho white men of tbs seountry bptSwe are
not in Sfavorsof -thes ssams to the negroes,
bcdause we shink. .thatraee Ia yet sufficient
=. ~ advanced : in the knoslsdgo OF Laws, and
gossrnnent to, be; entrusted Bith so high q
priyiiess, eopsisfently With tRe safety and
good order of, the, State. We declare ON,
= settled eonyictlon tbat the axerciso:,of this
: prisiegs by the negro cannot benefit him, and
is frsashg With great danger. 10 both races
bat.ws arc willing land tLis is- the dec elsration
Of the party lately arsembfcd IN convention
In columbia, } to al how him tsgdte, ON precise
'ly the same conditions thai, no IS silomcd Ia
vote at tho Nerth. In sonse ef fhe WoRtiiern
statos he il net permitted sto' .vote nj ail
whether qualified or not, I'M regard .eo proper.
II and education {; brt we are wiling Cor him
to have the same pris iiege hero as he has In
thaso Northern States In nbiehs he isallowed
to vote, and u is!anroasonsbIs t5,e1pect mqro.
Fred. Douglas, rho Is cersainiy one. Of tho
grsasest:o Of hring .negroes and WIN ,hss labor.
cd 80 long In tho abolition eauas; ia late
speech % the coiorsd people, at Aknor, Ohio,
told them .sthat these oysrnmsst, ,snraneipated
Zoo negroes as "a matter Of policy, and no,
frcm'sny Christian motive OF light or iustlcs
and that they had no. moye sreason TO be
thankful 10 the 6ovorameiit for their fteedos,
than bad tho Esbsews % feel fhankfuI "a
.fhsraoh for iheir delivesanoe from bondage
Douglas said That = although " was possible
that natarsll5, De eelorsd men wero equal
: 10 the whites, they were sos so practically,
end that they must rise through their own
exsrtions TO much higher degree of intelli.
80.