New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-01
A VORD WITH DEMOCRATS.


UNE who habitually vote the Democratic ucke''
even though free 1--WE trusD from other bad haoitS.
We do not often trouble them with any speciai
counsel; but il now seems to us that they are
tempted to commit a blunder from which we
would gladly dssuade them We refer to Vos-
ing to perpetuate the invidious discrimination
which requires every COlOred citizen, and only
such, to reside three years in the State anu
own $3.50 worth of unincumbered real estate
over and above all debts, before he can vote
If 80 voting would not only perpetuate this
distinction but extend it over the whole coun-
try, it might seem that party advantage
might thus be secured. But such is by no
means the case. The Blacks are morally GER
tain to be enfranchised, through the adoption
of the XVIII Amendment; and voting that they
shall not be- only tends to make them consider
you the implacable enemies of their rights. ls
it wise to deepen and justify this impressionT
But more: The Blacks already vote in all the
States where they are formidable by their num-
bers They vote in every State that plunged
headlOng into the Rebellion; and your pOhu-
cal allies in many of those States nominate
them as candidates, appeal to them Tor coop
Grafton, and pledge themselves never to seek
or aid their disfranchsement. Those allies
claim to be true friends of the Blacks, know
ing them better and trusting them further than
the Northern carpet baggers" who lead the
opposing host; and they have just carried Vir-
GINA and are struggling, with good prospects,
to carry Mississippi and Texas on that assump-
ton. Is it right that you should embarrass and
weaken them by voting so as to make their
professions and protestations seem hollow and
hypocritcalf Suppose Texas "carpet- bag
"gerr asks one of your speakers whom he
meets on the stump, (Which party at the
North sustains the right of the Blacks there
"to vote H"-how would you have him an
sweredP
In year or two, you will be looking ahead
to the choice Of our next President. 1t is fair
to presume that you consider three successive
defeats sufficient-that you would like to win
next time. But you cannot win without allies
without party in every quarter of the
| Union-and, to secure this, you must have
common platform. You can make no Roadway
with a party that upholds Impartial Suffrage
in the South and clings TO "a White Mans
government" in the North-nay: you cannot
make start with horse hitched to either
end of your wagon and you whipping up both
ways. One section or the other must give
way; and the other can't: so You will have to.
Is it not much easier to keep out OF tins
dilemma than to work out of it'
But again There is a very considerable and
highly respectable class in the North that now
act with the Republicans but sympathize with
YOU on Economic and kindred questions. They
| would like to fraternize with you to-day but
you won't let them. They believe in Free
| Trade but they believe also in Free Men-in
government of the people, By the people, and
"for the peopler-not "a part of them. You force
them to remain with us, by keeping up war
on the negro long after that war had any ra-
tional impulse or justification. While you i'm
Del the Blacks TO fear and hate you, you con
strain thousands of Whites likewise to oppose
and vote against you. Can you really believe
that this course pdysi Look the ground all
over. and judge
The negro is made a central figure in our
politics by your denial of his rights. Just take
your fingers out of his WOOL and he becomes
as insignificant here as he is in Canada. But,
So long as you persist in fighting and seeking
to keep him under foot, other questions of great
moment and urgency must remain in allegiance.
You bar the way to their general cOnsidera-
ton and speedy decision. IL we belonged to
your party, and wished to hasten its return TO
power, We should vote to take the negro out
of politics by making him neither more nor less
than man.