The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-01-02

| Is IS difficult to argue with a blind, be-
i i :offssd prejudice, grounded IN ienorance
| and fortified by self-conceii. Devoid Of
reason, it is hardly amendable to reason.
But millions who would listen unnov ed
to appeals based on Justice and Humans
| lty can be stirred by facts which affect
their own interest and safety. The
naked truth that every Southern State
RECONSTRUCTED on the White basis is to-
day RebelFState- shaped and ruled sy
men who exccrated Lincoln's reluctan Mt
and tardy resistance to the Rebellion as a
causeless and criminal Aggression. and
! profoundly rejeieed over Bull Run as
their victory prove invincible, if
we can but bring it home to the appre-
hension of every loyal voter. There is
| no paramount question of good faith Or
gratitude to the Blacks. Their votes are
| as necessary to the prepouderance of
White loyalty as to their own protection
and security Reconstruct the South on
| the White basis, aud every one of the
fifteen States which held slaves in 1860
will be intensely, overwhelmingly Cop
pcrhead hence1orth and .evermore. Al.
low to-day the plea thi.s the Blacks are
ignorant and degrad I'd, and those whom
you thereby clothe with power will take
good care that the plea shall be as valid
and weil-grounded century hence as it
now is. Public Education aud Civil
Rights for the Freedmen can only be
achieved and maintained through the
ballot 'sWe are for Negro Suffrage
the aoay they suffered IN Neso Orleans,''
was the inscription on banner borne in
the late Conservative Or Democratic pro
cesslon In Baltimore; and the spirit
which dictated that avowal is still ia
pant In the South. But for what is stig
matlzed as Military Despotism, it would
daily avenge by outrage and inaiction
what 1t deems negro treachery to the
Southern cause.
IHE TRIBUNE has declined to be llred
or turned aside from the Main Question.
Ii has perslstentiy refused to swell the
G,amor Tor vengeance on the defeated
hebeis, whether by execution or bv con
gseatlon; and one Of its Strong reasons
TOT THIS course IS a conviction that no
drop or Rebel blood could be coolly. de-
iloeratejy shed without essentially cloud
ing u tue prospect OF securing the Right of
Suffrage to the Blacks Dety;ng the
madness OF passion and the blindness of
short,slghted misconceptions, it has de-
manded Reconstruction on the basis of
Universal Amnesty With Impartial Suf-
trage, in perfect consciousness OF the fact
that it thereby alienated thousands who
h ID been its Jealous supporters ana ife..
long patrons. The hour Of its its complete
vindi :ation cannot be far distant. : . g.
As for the man who is to be tie chosen
standard bearer Of. the Repp,t..ii3an hot
IN the impending contest, while we avew
our deliberate preference of Chief Justice
Chase as the ablest and most eminent of
our living statesmen, TIE TRIBUNE ";
will render hearty, cheerful, determ ned
support to Gen. Grant, or Senator
Wade, or. Speaker Colfax, should he be
nominated and supported on a platform
which afflrms and upholds the equal po-
litical as well as civil rights of all citizens
OF the Republic. We donot contemplate
as possible. the support by Republicans Of
any candidate who does not stand on this
platform, And we do not apprehend
that the candidates who, IN orr approach
ing struggle, shall represent genuine
Democracy IN OPPOSITION to the neane.t
phase OF Aristocracy can be beaten if
proper means be Systematically taken. as
they must and will be, to enlghten aud
arouse the American people He2