New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-03-10
IMPARTIAL SUFFRAGE IN THE PRESI-
DENTAL CANVASS.

DENTAL CANVASS
Turtles can walk about and apparently
enjoy life after their skulls have been ire
panned and their brains scOoped ont with a
| spoon, but political party cannot long exist
after it has excinded and thrown away its
! principles. All his smartness and dexterity
cannot win for dishonest man the permanent
confidence he may desire, and no amount OF
political shrewdncSs can keep the life in a
double faced party. We mean these remarks
for the Republicans who are afraid of Repub-
hcanism, and seem inclined, like The Times, to
bow the knee to the Democratic Baal If the
Republican party is nothing more than a
political machine, invented to elect certain
set of men to office, and to keep another set
in a perpetual state of hunger and rage, we
could not cOnscientiously call THE TRIBUNE a
Republican newspaper But this appears to be
all that some Republicans consider it. Every
forward step they oppose as risk. When the
amendment TO the Constitution prohibiting
Slavery was proposed, III the war, Mr.. Raymond
opposed it on the ground that it would divide
"the party" And if it had divided the party,
what then Could the Republican party have
been divided on the question of Emancipation,
it would have been best that all should have
known it. Don QuixOte, before he started in
quest of adventures, made himself fine helmet
of pastebOard, and tested its strength with a
terrible blow of his sword The helmet was
smashed. Then the Don made another helmet
of the same kind, but carefully abstained from
putting it to another test. This is the Con-
sentative idea of the night way to manage a
party. Risk nothing. But Emancipation made
Republicans unit it gave the party inspira-
ton and purpose.
The Albany Convention did wisely when it
| placed Impartial Suffrage in the amended Con
stitution. Not TO have done so would have
been cowardy. Ever since the end Of the war
! the Republican orators and journals have been
proclaiming the gospel of freedom equal
! rights for all men, and have claimed
/ them especially for the colOred men of
| the South, who, by reason OF their
! long suffering, seem entitled to generosity as
well as justice. We all demanded that the
| freedmen should vOte-frst because ii was
! right and, second, because it was expedient.
/ The first reason was sufficient, but the second
seems to have been the most potent with the
mercenaries of the party. In obedience to the
people Congress declared that no Rebel State
should resume its lold relations to the Union
until it had in its Constitution forbidden any
distinction on account of race OF color. That
this was not special legislation TO insure a
Republican majority in the South Is proved by
the law passed 10y Congress prohibiting any
distinction in the Territories. Again and again,
not only by Oaths but by acts, the Republican
party pledged itself to Impartial Suflrage-nOt
as mere measure, but as principle. Take
away Impartial Suffrage, and what is left of
the party? Partsanship, and little else.
Congress did all it judged right to do, when
il enforced justice in the Rebel States and the
Territories. Ii did not assert any authority
over suffrage in the loyal States, though Mr..
| Stevens urged SUCH action IL Lis bill Rgolbit'