New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-05-03

| AAAhG3f GU SOVh U sSh W uss# 1Ou Isl
my "best Judgment what is to flov
from and be the result Of extending tht
elective franchise to the blacks of tn,
Southern States 2"
answer never in the history of thu
world has any race of human beingi
improved so much in centuries as tina
race has in these States since tho
Inauguration of the rebellion. Ant
what has done this ? 1t is the inspira.
ton sent down from Heaven enun,
ciated in the Declaration of Independ.
ence by our fathers, and that inspired
the blacks to shed their blood so freely
for the Union and rights of citizen
ship-the ballot-box, the equalizer
and grand elevator and guarantee
against Questioning aristoeracy, des-
potism, and oppression of the masses
of all races of men.
You would be astonished could you
see what citizenship, schools, and as
ISOLATION with our race in political
meetings, clubs, and political ros-
trums have done andis to do for them.
Many of them now in Imagination and
oratory on the political stage vie with
our ablest men. In fact. that race in
these States are now as capable of
duly exercising the elective franchise
as the greater number of that class
denominated the white trash" by our
aristocracy-would-be aristocracy-
men and women who have been living
on the sweat and blood of human
beings without just compensation, de =
nying the race the privilege of educa-
ton or reading the word of God. If
more heavenly reasoning do not in
spire our people to avoid further sin
of slavery severer judgments and
greater calamities are certain to over
take the nation.
In 1894, in Mr.. Redfeld's bookstore
in Syracuse, our old friend V. w.
Smith and several gentlemen alluded
to the project of the New York and
Erie Railroad, and all of them dis
sented-in fact, said it was impossible
to build railroad over that rough
country. l said to them, "Gentlemen,
you are mistaken. Politics will build
that railroad" and politics did build it..
As sure as politics have done that
as sure as politics have opened the
ballot-box to the Germans and Irish,
will politics secure to the colored
citizens of this State and nation the
ballot-box as long as free government
endures, and no majority party will
ever venture to cuTtail it.
1t is the virtueus and sanity men
and women and virtuous press, who
are wisely and surely working out the
great problem of universal freedom
and higher development of all races of
human beings-one language, one
universal brotherhood. If, then, your
Northern and Western people believe
God made all peoples Of one flesh and
one blood, let the dry bones of good
men, and christians shake who de-
priVe a citizen of the ballot-box, of
freedom and progress and nobler man
hood here, and higher hopes of happi-
ness in heaven.
Freedom and the ballot box are the
schools of progress, the fulerum, the
Archimedean lever of our republic to
raise the world.
1t is not for New Orleans or the
blacks of our Union, but for all the
races of human beings on the wide
globe, for whom my soul sympathizes
and would ask the attention of your
people to the golden rule found in the
book of books. You little know how
painful it is for good Republicans to be
tainted with the fact that your States
labor for and desire the extension of
the franchise to the blacks here and
refuse them the boon there. without
which boosted elderly and free
DOM are but terms of moekery.
Our revolutionary fathers ignored
the law of primogeniture in Justice to
every member of the domestic family,
to check the dangerous tendency of
aristocracy, and elevate the masses.
God has been seourginS cur nation
to prepare it to do justice to every
member of the national family: to
make man truly man. answer yours
asking my best Judgment in this
matter. 1t is that the Inspiration sent
down from Heaven to our revolutionary
fathers is penetrating the hearts fthis,
and l hope your people, that equal
freedom to both races to the
ballot-box is imperative and des-
tiny. God S will is in it, and
such States as do not secure the honor,
and that power, will give it to the
Democratic party in tive years from
now, and | repeat no majority party
will ever dare to curtail It. Colored
men have been most valuable ele-
ment in saving the country once: arm
them with the power to vote. and they
will be equally useful and faithful in
defending the Union-not a white
mans or a black mans government,
but government of the people,
Fear not then, dear sir; ere long all
will be well, and the republican OPP
pressed from all lands will come to
this great and grand republic to live
under the egis of the declaration Of
American independence, and our glor-
ious flag wave in far-eoming time the
beacon of freedom to the world.
With great respect,
Ynnr sinnnra fr;n.a