The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-07-01
From The Independent.
THE GREAT NECESSITY.
BY HENRY WILSON.

BY HENRY WILSON.
Universal suffrage is evidently the
goal to which the nation is tending
The Fifteenth Amendment will receive
the sanction of a sufficient number OF
the States, and will soon become All ar
1icle ofthe Constitution. There are also
indications Of Il growing interest in the
matter of NVoman's Suffrage, and it may
not be long before she Will have the
ballot. With the African and woman
eniranchised, the step is not Il long one,
as compared with the immense strides
already taken, TO inciude both the Chi
nose and the Indian Especially II the
Presidents benign policy toward the
latter can be made succeSs) in the same
category. Such ut least seems to be the
drit of things and that without much
if any specific and organized effort for
such a cunsummation. Like emancipa-
ton, it seems to be one Of the logical
sequences of the war-coming unhidden,
the one as IA military and the other as Il
political and social necessity many
votins for it and acceptingit it AS some
thing rather of providential than hu-
man purpose. lndee,., it seems destin-
ed soon To become an accomplished fact,
independent alike of any desire or APP
prelleusion concerning it.
The main and the most practical ques-
ti"n now is, "What are you going to do
about it ?' So large an infusion into
the body polite must change very ma
terially its character, and modify very
much our interest in it aid our obliga-
tons toward it. The enjoyment and
bes,owmeut of political rights are any
thing but mere sentiment. They are
something more and other than Il sim
pie boon, to be bestowed as II favor or
welcomed as privilege. 1t involves
grave dangers aud serious responsihili-
ties, both to those who receive and the
nation that conttrs it. Argument seems
hardly needfui for the support of such
an allegation. However earnestly men
may have sought or labored for it, aud
however strong their conviction of its
necessity, the most sanguine must ad
NIT that with the prerogative of voting
there should he preparation for its faith
full and intelligent use. In theory the
people are sovereign, and the voters are
rulers. IT, now, in the primitive state
OF society of Old Testament times, when
both its duties and its dangers We're
comparatively few and simple, it was
necessary, as the Scriptures declare, that
rulers should be ''just,' "able,' should
fear Cod aud be "men of TRUTH"
VIZ, tlStI Nv" lHoIe iiHl
that the ''sovereigns' of this govern
ment should possess like qualifications
With SO many important, profound,
and difficult subjects constantly coming
up for adjudication and decision, EN-
barrassed too by the conflicting interests
and claims OF persons aud parties how
essential is it that they should be both
mentally and morally prepared for an
honest and wise choice of the men and
measures which receive their suffrnges
and support. With every precau,ion,
we are liable to mistakes, and often have
occasion to appreciate the force of the
inspired proverb, that great men are
not always wise" How shall the null
ttudge be saved from constant errors of
judgment and conduct? At all times
such All inquiry would be pertinent !;
but much more so now that the war has
left or eitaIied upon us 50 many prac-
ticai and perlOus problems which some-
body must solve and settle.
1t has been very prettiIy and poetic
ally said of the vote:
+ "The weapon firmly set,
And better than Il bayonet-
weapon which comes down rs still
AS snowfiakes fall upon the sod,
But executes the freeman's will
AS lightning does the will of God
But then there must be a"will'-and
what Is of more importance, a will ut
once intelligent and reasonable. But
how can the voter have such n will on
the many great and confessediy difficult
questions at issue unless he be prepared
in some degree to entertain and com
prehend them? The South needs re-
construction, it is said; but is there not
need Of a good deal of reconstruction at
the North? How are these new and
difficult questions to be disposed of by
this enlarged constituency? We have
no king, governing class. whose pre-
rogative it Is to dispose of such questions
OF state. The wave of revolution which
swept over the land has borne away not
only slavery and caste, with their kin
dred denominations; but, from the South
| at least, class of men who, with all
| their faults, and they were many and
grievous. We're ''able' and experienced
in the details of public atfairs-men
whom Gov. Andrew characterized as
the natural leaders of the South"
Born TO command, !" "making poll
ties trade it is not to be concealed
that they brought to the public service
much practical skill. which is missed
now that they are gone. True, they
were disloyal, and treason should he
made odious," If the traitors life be
spared. Ignorant loyalty is better than
intelligent dislnyaIty. Aud yet the
State needs something better than zig
norant Ioyalty"; and the question is
still ringing in our ears. "What are you
going to do about it?" How and by
whom are these practical and perilous
problems" to he solved aud settled:
The reply that occurs to most minds
is found in the fact that the country Il
divided into parties to which voters vii!