The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1869-07-05
CARL sCHURZ ON THE SUFFRAGE
.ftr QUESTION,
From the St. Louis Wesilehe Post, edited by

QUESTION,
From the st. Louis Westliehe Post, edited by
Mr.. Schuz.
Ex-Goycrnor, now Senator Brownlow,
tho terror of disloyalists in Tennessee, has
published in his organ at Knoxville let
ter, in which he pronounces himself unre-
servcdly against the continued disfran-
chisement Of tho late rebels. Although
formerly the most strenuous advocate of
the policy of repression, he now straight
.sorwardly admits that there is no longer
any necessity for disfranciisemeut in
Tennessee, and that the republican party
cannot expect to maintain restrictive
measures iu single State, since public
opinion throughout the country has so
clearly declared lfagainst them.
| This letter of Senator Brownlow is q
sign Of the times. There never was a
more in flexible, unapprochable, memorable
enemy Of all that called itself "rebel"
than he. And when even a man Of that
stamp recognizes the end Of that period,
during which tho disfranchiscment ofreb
els was commanded by the duty of sell
preservation, he must DO removed by rea-
sons to which common sense can no longer
refuse submission In times like ours we
arc accustomed to rapid developments.
But the calculations we base upon this cx-
! perencc, are not seldom outstripped by
changes of circumstances rapid beyond
our expectation. Many of those who
but few months ago discussed the qucs-
ton, how many years the policy of dis
franchisemcns would still be commanded
by necessity and approved by public opin.
ion. find now to their astonishment, that
this policy is already virtually one of the
things of the past, and that the public
mind everywhere is engaged, not in look
ing for ground, upon which to maintain
it. but for the best means to getrid of it,
without delay. And nothing could be
more natural.
The civil war. which once absorbed all
our thoughts, is day after day reccdiug
into deeper past. New wants, new
problems, connected with the future of the
country, press irresistibly into the fore
ground. These problems involve great
interests which are common to us all.
They will soon claim the whole attention
and activity of the public mind. They
will call forth discussions, from which the
old party cries and watchwords will disap-
pear more and moro. These old party
cries will remain the political capital Of
those only whose minds arc too poor in
resources to do justice TO the wants and
problems of to-day and to.morrow-out
that political capital will scarcely yield
any intcrst. We have not quite reached
that point yet, but we are approaching it
with great rapidly, and every sensible
man and good citizen will join us in the
wish: the sooner the better.
OF the questions Immediately sprung
from the war, only three are not yet
solved, 1, the complete restoration Of tho
not yet reconstructed States; 2, negro sui.
frage; 3, the cnfranehiscment Of the late
rebels. The first Of these questions is at
this moment mainly Of local interest. In
a few months Virginia and Nissippi will
be ready to resume their places in the
Union, aud as for Texas, it is to be hoped
that it will not require very long time,
provided the power of the national gov
crnmcnt be welded with promptncss aud
vigor, to hammer some respect for the
laws into the heads of the rowdy element
Of the State. The question of negro suf-
frage also rapidly approaches solution.
ln the late rebel States tho negro votes
already; and the fifteenth amendment is
destined to place the political rights Of
the citizen, irrespective Of color, under
the firm safeguard Of the constitution
everywhere within the boundaries of the
Republic. When that is accomplished,
when the negro stands in our political
community with oil the rights of full, ac-
tive membership, who believes, that then
the late rebel can possibly any longer be
excluded? Thutthe question lef, by the
war, and longer be tolerated by public
opinion? 1t must be clear to every I'm.
prejudiced observer, as it cannot but ap.
pear desirable to every man of sense,
that the enfranchisement of the negro
must be the end Of rebel dsfranchiscmont.
As soon as the rights Of all other classes
of citizens are secured. no argument will
be subtle enough to prove, and no party
organization strong enough to maintain,
that these rights must still be denied to
one. The policy of great and rapidly
developing country cannot be confined to
the narrow guagc Of past issues. 1t has
to deal with the future, and the future be-
longs TO all. We rejoice to see that old
Senator Brownlow, with all his pugnacity
and all lis prejudices, has shown sucl,
eminent good sense in fully recognizing
tho logic Of things Let us hope that
those, who in former days SO faithfully
initiated his anti.robel zeal, will now also
follow the good example Of bis judicious
appreciation of changed circumstances.
GlLMER COUNTY COURT HOUSE.
A week or two ngo We mentioned that
the Board of Supervisors of Gilmer coun-
ty had decided to build new Court