The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-27
General Frank Blair Woman SaTraxe
and Negro Suffrage.

and Negro suffrage.
At the great democratic mass meeting at
Indianapolis the other day the distinguishing
feature of the proceedings was the carefully
prepared, learned, thoughtful, profound and
unique speech of General Frank Blair On
woman suffrage and negro suffrage. The
speech was read from the manuscripts, so that
the radical newspapers could not nsrepresent
it. 1t is a terrible speech against the suffrage
policy of the radicals-that of universal suf-
frage to negro men and the universal disran-
chisement of white women. Says General
Blair
The devout creed OF Wade, Wendell Philips Ger
rit smith. Lovejoy, Pomeroy-all who believe IN uni-
yersal suurage-held II sacred as the right of wo-
men, ~ the falrest and best OI our species. Now
this whole party have abandoned this doctrine. Al
though they have been absolute in Congress for
eight years they have not cOuntenanced the slightest
motion IN favor OF this grand religious idea that
rose with them above all party politics. above all
manhood assumption of sehshness. Now It il
all turned 10 manhood snil agcl How thi,
changer Has this radical fanatic sect turncd
MohanmedanS Have the women, the iaIr-
est portion Of creation, ceased 10 have
souls TO be savcds Have they rights in society.
no cOniuga rights, maternal instincts or duties
10 protect or have they no minds, gifted with in
iceciua power, to combine their suffrage as a-sale-
guards In this land OF heroic, magnanimous men
American women have from the foundation OF our
freedom as colonists In the New World, held a.
their prerogative to send their husbands fathers,
brothers, ~ their representatives,, to pass Through
the conflict Of parties in the canvass before the cleo
ton and the struggle at the polls IN
the Legislature, the Judicia forums aud
the executive councils when the last ap-
peal of arms became necessary then the
spirit OF true manhood appeared In the gaantry
displayed by the softer sex, which gave life VITA jog
This was the manhood principle that appeared ut
the beginning oi our career. But how have those
who claim the glory of having made II conquest over
the South for the rights oil human nature respected
the rights Of either man or woman In that desolatcd
region? Have they restored the Union Have the
states their original governments with constitutions
unimpaire,i. a. members OF itl Are the men,
their citizenship restored. left undsrurbci
'nST p t"er own are Ge Women es seSurda
In their privilege OF having their husbands fathers
and brothers 10 represent them In their suffrage
and In all the political capacities entrusted 10 them
~ guardians u their freedom ana INTEREST," No; the
INTEL gent or the South, women Us wen as men.
are stripped Of al security for the rights pledged 10y
act of Congress during the war and IN the Capitla-
ton concluding II. And. worse, the negro rcpug-
nant race. of different interests, feelings habits and
desires. is given the power to impose constitutions
and laws on another nation OF people men ana
women, utterly against their consent, and To csa1-
lish them 10y OATH and other conditions 80 absolute
as to make them reversible by the future Suffrage
OF o majority OF the people And this Is the good
faith OF the radical universal equality suffrage
party
Upon this text, from the history of the negro
IN the Olu NOTW anu Tue INtW, NthtIdi Diui
makes out strong case against negro suffrage,
while doing ample justice to the claims OF
white women a. illustrated in the remarkable
powers of various queens and expresses OF
different ages and nations The summing up
of the Generals argument amounts to this
that in this country the suffrage IL debased by
giving it to the negro; that the negro on a
footing Of equality, in fact, cannot continue
long TO live In the same community with the
white race, and that for the sake of peace the
blacks of the United States, en- mdsse. ought
to be colonized in some other country. There
are some convincing facts and conclusions in
this remarkable speech looking to this end
but on the womens rights question (whte wo-
mems rights General Blair becomes as chiv-
alrous as red cross knight of the feudal ages
What pity he had not delivered this speech in
behalf of women's rights against negro suffrage
in the late Democratic National Convention
instead Of the Brodhead Letter, az his platform
Now we are afraid this stirring and powerful
speech comes too late to help the Generals
cause; but for all that 1t shows that Genera
Blair Is deep thinker and philosopher
on the negro question Of the Jeffersoniar
school.