The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1869-10-14
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.
Letter from Horace Greeley.

cenousing US for ihe course we have TAX
en- in regard TO cDffnnchisiDg those OF ouI
cillzsus who have been disfranchiseC
because of their participation 10, and
sympathy with the late rebellion, it Of.
for ds us great pleasure to place before
our prosecutors and wouId-be oppress'
os ola large class of good, law abiding
and honest citizens, the following letter
written by Hon. Horace Greeley 10 the
editor of The D1rdeuelIe (Arkansas)
Times. Mr., Greeley is one OF lbe lead.
ing members of the Republican party
we msy say the leader. The letter
speaks for itself, it is uunnswerObIe.-
The whole question is admirably stated
in brief compass. The great talent Of
Mr.. Greeley, rendered the moro reSplen'
dent by their devotion to The country's
good, will procure for the letter we sub.
join that thoughtful and calm considera-
tion, due 10 10 important subject. We
especially commend il 10 the prOscript-
i've Republicans in Mason county, and
TO the editor Of The Ravcp'wood Ncps
We hardly tbiuk the News will charge
Mr., Greeley with going over to the
Democracy"
"NEw YoRx TRIBUNE,
New YORK, Aug. 80, lSG9l
any DEAR SIR Il am OF variance
with some Unionisls yourself, judge.
among them MS to the wise and safe
course to be pursued with regard 10 those
disfrahchispd for active prominence in
the rebellion. Differences are inevitable
and now wholly undesirable, but i; is
well that we should Understand each
other Here are the heads Of my prop.
osiio0s
~. | believe in government by the
pcople-tho whole people. Some Of
them, | know arc grossly ignorant, 9th
era sadly depraved; some secretly hank
er after monarchy aud other forbidden
fruit What then? Shall none lave
voice In the Government but those who
think az | do. or are Os right as | think
! ami That is aristocracy-the govern
mrut Of the best perhaps a good form Of
government, but not ours-nol that in
nugurated by the mu'ketry Of Concord,
or the cannon Of Bunker Hill; ours is a
government Of the whole, and abide
by it.
20. | do no, doubt that many Of the
late rebels are bitter. revpngeful, hateful,
malignant. Those who KEEP, out Of the
ranks, and SO escaped being whipped,
are Of course the worst. assume it
WIS welI--if you please, essentinl-to
deny the right of suffrage TO some of
these persons. But even you admit that
they can not be kept DISTINGUISHED forev.
er--rhat q lime must come when they
should be allowed 10 vote. insist that
time has come. Our difference is one of
time and circumstance, not Of principle.
Let us reason together,
"3 think you will not deny that il
the rebels are to be eniranchi'ed. it were
better that this should be done by the
Republicans than over them. Virginia
and Tennessee shows US what it will be.
II Acknowledgement could endure any.
where, why not in Tennessee? She 70
constructed herself during the war. in VI
ter independence oil Congress. She had
been fought over inch by inch--neary
all her men had been in one army or the
Other, maj rity of them in the rebel;
and it Wps clear from the outset that ctr
reimbursement ,mperilled the Union as
tendency, and the very legislative acts
designed to render rebel restoration i'm
possible. have served to render it com
plete, overwhelming. Can you no; dis
CCrn the signs Of the lines"
"a You may believe, us | scarcely
think you do. and as do not, that
continued rebel disrrauchisemeut is de.
sirsble l only the more Slrenousy in
sist that it is impossible. History aud
the genius Of the age forbid it.
IS do no, doubt rhO, the rabels
would have denied the right of suffrage
10 Uuionists had they triumphed denied
it for years perhaps for Q generstion.-
But | insist that ours is a higher. a more
.humone civilization than theirs; that they
could do many things that we can not
l know there ore blood thirsty men
among US ! don't believe our safety is
10 be secured by hanging them.
&c. Shakespeare says:
owe teach bloody instructions,
Which rctuln TO plague the inventor"
"lf We be uppermost, prescribe. they
who will yet be uppermOst are morally
certain 10 do likewise. We cannot ex'
pecl them to to do better than we do.
4 ,,. ..s-.-.i,, ,aG,,I,,o lana, aa un m a y