Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-09-02


members Of the Brownsville District Con-
ventiou arc bound by the negro suffrage
plank adopted there. We voted against
/, and disapproved iss adoption, and
have expressed ourselves adversely TO II
through these columns. We had there
fore supposed We were acquitted from all
promises on this subject for the future
But this iptimation that members OF the
Convention are bound by It's action i'm
plies 90 idea Of obligation TO which We
cannot by silence oven appear to consent
We should not deny that we we're bound
BY the action Of that Convention as to oil
matters properly before It. aud by taking
the chances for the adjustment Of which
all should be bound to its conclusions.
But we understood the delegates care
fully selected for that Convention to be
sent there for the purpose Of making
nominations, and no other. Indeed, as
the result ofprevious meetings, ofrefusals
to instruct, and an express refusal,
as we understood II, to authorize the
making, in part or whole, of any new
platform, when we were already bound
BY our State and National platforms, we
regarded the delegates as not only not
instructed to vote for or againsta suffrage
plank, but as positively instructed to
pretermit the subject altogether. That
was at least the view which We had indi-
vidually taken Of this matter. And we
are free to say, not only that we do not
hold ourselves bound in the premises,
but also that in our judgment no man OF
that Convention, or other person, is
bound, except as by his own individual
choice he has chosen to be so.
We do not regard the franchise as any
boon to the negro. And we do not believe
he will regard it so longer than may be
necessary to convince him by the expert
ment. If we give him vote wei give
him nothing. But if we give him all the
blessings of an intelligent, honest white
mans government, with full protection
to life, liberty and property, we give him
everything. /
If heis to act as pilot Of the ship Of
State, or is to choose the pilot, without
knowing who to choose, shall we not
likely 20 on the rocks, and all be wrecked
togetherf And now that he is to SO great
an extent misled, and likely to be misled,
BY dishonest, crafty, selfish and design
ing men, and has not even intelligence
enough to avoid being 50 led about, or to
know that be is so, how can it be other
wise than q disaster 10 him, as well
n to the whites, that be should !
rave a hand in the government 1t
8 the greatest evil which could befall T,
lin. And his enemies, the white
Radicals, oil know il to be so. He
will know it, too, ons of these days. We I
oppose his enfranchisement for bis good /
IS we'll as for our own, for "the greatest
,ood of the greatest number" and be-
ause it will result in the ruin Of the =,
,tate. If we were compelled to choose /
,etween The present triumph of Grant
nd perpetual negro suffrage, we should
hoose the former. In one case there !
night remain lingering hope of coming !
ay. In the other we should be plunged Z
D the thick darkness of perpetual and
ternal night. \.
What we think on this subject we say ,,
andidly, and on reflection think it :
,isest to say candidly. Black men will {
{ least know there is no combination to
eceive them, when all speak their differ >
Mt views. And If ever they find white e
Democrats any thing but their friends, T
hey will first know also it is because
hey would have it so. The suffrage is I
lready sufficiently extended in this f
ountry. The majority of the American n
eople oppose its further extension. as =.
oding evil to all. The constitutional q
overning power of this nation, =" the r.
eople," is the white race. And c
ince the black will be happier
nd better of, being free, under the gov 4
and protection of that race, even Il
e has DO rational motives for grsspiug &
be reins of power. tits problem not !.
ct solved whether the republican sys- :
EN- of government can be both stable and o
ene6cent. And when negro suffrage ia A
ugrafted on it, if not before, that pro. a
lem will be solved adversely. :.