The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-09

illustrations; but the main position of the
World was, that the platform had better be
silent on the negro suffrage then newly forced |
upon the South, because, owing to the great
Republican majority in the Senate aud the
long terms of the Senators, the Democratic |
party was powerless to change it. The whole |
reasoning of the W01Jd assumed that it was |
desirable to reverse the odious experiment if |
it were possible: that it was inexpedient TO |
attempt it only because the endeavor would |
be abortive.
The chief pivot on which our arguments |
turned on that occasion was the cardinal doc
trine of the Democratic party, that the regu-
lation of the suffrage belongs to the States,
and not to the Federal Government. Before
negro suffrage existed in the Southern States !
adherence to this principle would have pre-
vented its introduction; but after it had been
introduced, it equally forbade the inter
ference of the Federal Government for its re-
moval. In the state of affairs then existing
we could neither ward off the evil nor redress
it; it was too late to assert the doctrine of
Federal non-interference for a preventive
purpose, and impossible to so change the
political complexion of the Senate as to leave
the Southern States free to remedy the evil
for themselves We therefore advised acqui-
escence in an odious and abominable system,
on the ground of sheer necessity; thinking
that, since the Southern negroes were certain
to vote, it was wiser not to interpose obsta-
cles to their voting on our side.
public journal must be stupidity obtuse
or thoroughly dishonest to charge us with in
consistency and insincerity because we are
still willing to prevent negro suffrage when it
can be prevented, though we counselled
acquiescence in it in the Southern States on
the ground that there was no practical re-
medy AS if a farmer were compelled, in
consistency, to set fire to his house, because
incendiaries had got ahead of him, and made
it impossible to save his burning barn.
Negro suffrage cannot be prevented in the
Southern States; and even those States which
stood out in the most persistent opposition to
it, have at last concluded to acquiesce in the
inevitable. But negro suffrage in the State
of New York is not inevitable, and is certain
to be defeated. If, unfortunately, we should
prove to be mistaken in this opinion, we shall
quietly accept the result, and forbear further
opposition when opposition shall have be-
come manifestly futile. Our position now is
precisely what it was in June, 1868 when, in
one of our articles on this subject, we said:-
"Had our New York Constitutional Convention, last
year, completed the draft of constitution and SUD
mtted the question of negro suffrage to the people,
the Democratic party of this State would have OPP
posed it with all their might. But it, in spite of all
| we could do against it, it had been adopted, we
should probably have regarded the question as set
| tled and have made no attempt to reverse the de-
| cision.'
| To acquiesce in negro suffrage when we
must and defeat it when we can, has been
the uniform counsel of the WO1Rd to the De-
mocratic party, through all the stages of this
tedious and now nearly obsolete controversy.
We expect to defeat it in New York as State
| regulation and if the fifteenth amendment
should fail, as we confidently believe it will,
the regulation of the suffrage will remain
with the States, and cease to be a Federal
question. We congratulate the Democrats of
this State that the negro question will this
fall be presented as an issue in our elections
for the last time The tears all lie in an
onion that will be shed at its burial.
THE WELL-SPRING OF MORMONISM.
From the NJ Y. Times
Not very long ago Mr.. Hepworth Dixon
wrote a book to prove that the morals of the
American people were falling into a sad con-
dition, and in support of his statement he
referred to the existence among us of Nor
mons and one or two other eccentric sects.
His object being to produce sensation, y
without much regard to other considerations,
he neglected to inquire where the Mormons
originally came from. We believe his atten-
ton has since been called to the fact that
England and Wales constitute the great re-
cruiting-ground of Mormondom. Future
writer's who follow in Mr.. Dixons steps will
do well to make note of facts ignored by the
author of Spiritual Wives" On Monday
for instance, 400 Mormons arrived at this
port. About half of them are women, and
there are also many children. They appeared
to be under the impression that it is only
wicked invention which includes the practice
Of polygamy among the articles of Mormon
, faith. This faith is very carefully nurtureG
! by Mormon agents abroad-in most of theil
sermons and public addresses they assert that
a man is not allowed to take more than one
. wife. They would never entice so many
. honest women to Utah but for this pretext
: But the point we wish to impress upon Mr.
, Dixon and his imitators is this:-Neary al
a the 429 emigrants who came bound for Utal
this week, were gathered from various part
! of England and Wales. Wales is strong
: hold of Mormonism. The Mormons emigrat
) to Utah because hitherto they have foun
. greater seclusion and cheaper land there thai
: England could afford them. Why not. then
treat Mormonism as a blot upon Englis
: morals Why make America responsible fo
it There are more Mormon Westinghouse
4 in Wales and England than could be found i
q all the United States. But if Mr. Dixon ha
9 written a ''spicy" book about his own cour
4 trymen they would have been able to detet
y his exaggerations. He pitched the seer
! 1900 miles or so away from England and hi
= romance is taken as a sort of new revelation
= In the face of facts like that just mentioned
~ it may be doubted whether any respectab
! writer will repeat Mr.. Dixons daring e.
- pertinent.
N GOLD GAMBLING.
d From the N. Y. Herald.