Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-16
Ths Ext.n,ion Of sufssgs.

The more candid and considerate see
that it is wholly inadmissible. The New
York Round Table, which, though q
literary paper, has heretofore been re-
puted a journal of decidedly Radical
leanings, is now fully awakened to the
Importance Of this subject, and from il
we extract the following:
Nothing is more certain than that the
lower the average intelligence Of its cleo
tors, the lower will be the character Of a
representative assembly. The character
of our National Government has been
sinking for quarter of century in ODE
dience to this law. The Congressional
standard Of morality, intellect, and cul-
ture has deprecated in about the same
relative degree. Ignorant immigration,
the corruption of cities, the universal and
debasing pursuit of mere wealth-in the
absence Of other attsinsble objects of am
bition-are among the causes Of degen.
eracy which intelligent people cannot
fail TO see, and which, if candid, they
freely admit. At this juncture, when the
weakness and dangers which subtract
from the benefits of our system, are
already augmented to an alarming degree
"a degree which leads many Of our
wisest thinkers to despair of the per-
manent success of that system-it
is deliberately proposed to take a
step, which, by vastly increasing
the collective ignoi ance ofconstituencies,
promises to aggravate in a similar ratio
The evils thus deplored. II is proposed
to admit to the franchise something like
a million of colored men, most Of them
emancipated slaves, and to leaven our
already de,eriorating national assembly
with the elements such measure is CAL
culated 10 produce. That this can be
done. and the national edifice still hold
together for some time longer, may be
possible enough. But the instincts OF
race are strong, and with the uneducsted
they are apt to run into bitter prejudices.
The more we lower our representative
assembly-and the process seems q
graduated inevitability-the greater the
risk that this prejudice, now half SUI 9TH
cred, will burst forth into angry flames.
White men will never consent, in the
long run, to be ruled by black men aud
the conflict once begun, where will it
end, snd howl
Among certain classes of the commu-
nifty, hatred of the negro is a universal
psssion--a passion which at one time un-
der strong and misguided excitement led,
in New York, to deplorable excuses
Whether right or wrong, this passion ex-
lists. It may be a salutary instinct, it
may be an unreasoning prejudice, but
be this as it may, the sentiment must be
taken into account by those who would
rightly calculate social forces or con-
struct political innovations. Suppose,
now, to the population of New York
should be added an equal number of
negroes, or, to perfect tho intended
analogy, a greater number in some wards,
q lesser in others, so that On the whole,
the two races should be numerically bal
ancee. Suppose, further, the franchise
to be conferred equally n nccs ell. The
political result would then be what it is
proposed to bring about in some Of the
States of the Union. How long would 1t
last in one case; and how long IS 1t
likely to last in the other? Mr.. Lincoln,
with his homely sagacity, perceived all
the difficulties of reply. He has left
upon record distinct and explicit warn.
ings against the concession Of the sui
frage to the black race. He knew the
question must arise; that its decision in
the affirmative would be strongly in
the interest of the dominant party; that
such decision could never harmoniously
and peacefully be carried into effect; and
to escape the difficulties Of the problem,
he even contemplated Wholesale deporta
ton. Are our present Republican lead.
ers wiser than he2
The number of people who hate slavery
without loving the negro is probably what
II was Eve years ago-no more, no less.
The specious pea that the black man
must be armed with vote for self-pro-
lection is perhaps more generally believed
in than heretofore; that this means the
protection of the Radical party may be
less commonly suspected. Our own con-
yiction has been, and still is, that just as
slavery did more harm (f less wronR) to
the whites than 10 the blacks, go will the
franchise in black hands do more harm to
the latter than the former. The expert
ment may not end, as some predict, in the
absolute destruction Of the negro race;
hut SO long as whites and blacks are what
thew are on this continent, so long do we
believe their permanent and peaceful as
ISOLATION upon the basis OF enforced social
and political equality to be utterly hope
less and impossible.
Why, then, can We not educate the
nerro9 The question 10 natural, piausi-
BILE and humane. Why notf The OBJ
lection lies 10 one Of the most amazing
discrepancies that has ever existed be-
tween theory aud practice. IL is said
that we can form no just idea OF the
negro's capacity for development be-
cause Of the protrasted oppression TO
which they have been subjected. This
seems rational enough; but we cannot
forget that for centuries theAfrican race,
master Of its own destinies upon its own
continent, has made no progress what
ever, bet remains sank ia the very
lowest depths Of barbaFism. All that
can be said 10 this is, that contact,
association, mingling with higher
race. will produce different results
Bat morally, intellectually, and physi-
cally, this contact, while only tempo
rariiy a benefit to the inferior, seems
invariably 10 be q deiriment to the sape--
rior race. Are nations 10 be expected
collectively to submit 70 = degradation
from which individuals are justified in
shriukiugl The condition Of the mon
grels in Mexico is 4 solemn warning
sgains, an admixiure which ends only in
distraction. Il is true that opposite
races are not compelled TO inieruarry
becsuse they vote together; Jet this,
Which sounds conclusive, means little o.
nothing. The Spaniards sufficiently
desrised the Indians At the tine Of the