The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-04-14
rECoNsrnUCrIou.

The following lstasr on the ssh5d 3
tooal affairs was addressed to -
cent, Esq, Of Tabor, Fremont coana Z II
UsrrD srArF s.sAI. Esa ~
WAsHIsGros, March y,
James Vincext, Esq: 80
DEAR S,s: have received yoo1-
9Th inst.
ths sub5scE 81 Suffrage q oOicre4men. ma
vst i ssquDato hedi6cult, If not absolutely
Impossible - sScnIs reconstrnction II the
ss6sl Geaaae - . uaion Slaitp1 zlhoat
permitting thu UNioa sssn, vheths. White Or
adI = -. Hs.aAnEs slsan 1ses
bsidk A6ness sscsdI onitts, thej would elect
nske and enforce al the laws,
State and National, and would probably -
lect the srnaxtest, keenest, most influential OF
their number-such men % Withdrew rom
h halls OF ConsrS5S, and from the army and
navy Of tho United States, % aid IN destroy
inc the Union. In fact, We are not len 70
conjecture on this point. We know that they
have selected this class of men for Govern
ors, Senators, Judges, &C., de-, 10 the abso-
IN "a IL sssssy Il sSs sspss
lie. And the only mode which has yet been
suggested TO prevent this aid, to secure the
election of Union men TO State and National
off;ces. il 10 permit all to vote, Union and
Disunion, black and white. This will secure
! majority of Union votes il every State ;
and, asa contequencs, the election Ok ma
jorisy d usion - . Offices Of sy~y Do.
scriptioA.
know il is dangerous to clothe ignorant
men with political power; and the colored
men recently in slavery have not had an OPP
portunity to obtain book learning" have
thous ht Of this maturely, and am forced to
conclude that while being able TO read and
write Is favorable to inteliigence-whlis Il
opens up . door or avenue 10 intelligence
aud men and communities, doubtless, often
become civilized and highly intelligent IN re-
lation to al the business relations Of life, who
have not learned to read. This, | am per
suaded, is true Of many Of the colored people
lerthfd MD their in4elliseAe4 tkeif hsascs,
e 10 fTInel intetposixenf Obtained i jusi
prebenSion on This subject. They have
aided the Union men always and everywhere
4 the peril OF their lives, with their humble
charities. They have fought and voted ev'
erywhere. and all the time on the right side.
| This inspires me with grsst confidence in
them for the future.
And, TO require the black man 70 learn to
| read and yriaa bafossyofiDg pnlses appliea.
BILE to White men also, would Be unjust, and
| furnish q motive to the secesh element OPP
| posed 10 their enfranchisement, to withhold
| from them an opportunity to learn. And il
none were Y,ermitted to vote, either white OF
black, who are unable to read, &c., i would
| necessarily create an aristocracy-for it i
true that very few Of the poorer classes Of
whites in thoseSta can read and write.
You will perceive, therefore, that ii is . diff.
cult subject to seitla-that Va ara compalled
toFun some hszseds- -and, on tho whole,
am inclined to think it safer to trust ignorant
people Who are honest and patriotic, than
educated knayes and confessed traitors.
do not think it proper for me to either form
or express An opinion At present on the sub
ject Of impeachment,
remain yours, truly,
Il JAMES HARLAN.