The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-10-08
UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE.
letter from Horace Greeley.
The Whole Case Admirably Stated In
Brief Compass.

From Tie DuTtldneNe Times, Or ATkdnIdR.
1t Is with great pleasure that we call
the attention OF the public to the fol-
lowing letter from the Hon. Horace
Greeley, on the question OF suffrage,
addressed TO the editor OF this paper,
and published with the consent Of the
distinguished author. The great tai
enls OF Mr.. Greeley-rendered morere.
splendent by their devotion to the ma.
tlonal goodwill procure for the letter
which we subjoin that thoughtful con-
slderation ut once the due ofso eminent
II publicist and 80 important theme.
"NEw YORK TRIBUNE,
NEW York, Aug. 30, 1860. J
"MY DEAR SIR-I am at variance
With some Unlonists, yourself, judge,
among them, as 10 the wise and safe
course TO be pursued with regard TO
those dIsiranchIsed for active proml-
nence in the rebellion. Differences are
inevitable and not wholly undeslra Bile,
but II is well that We should under.
stand each other. Here are the heads
Of my propositions:
~. believe In government by the
people-the whole people. Some OF
them, know, are grossly ignorant,
others sadly dopraved; some secretly
banker after monarchy and other for.
hidden fruit. What then2 Shall none
have voice In the Government but
those who think rs do, or are as right as
| think l Am7 That Ia arlstocracy-th
government Of the best, perhaps good
form Of government, but not ours
not that inaugurated by the musketry
Of Concord, or the cannon OF Bunker
Hill; ours is government OF the whole,
and abide by II.
"2. do not doubt that many OF the
late rebels are bitter, revengeinl, hate
ful, malignant. Those who kept out OF
the ranks, and so escaped being whip-
ped, are OF course the worst. assume
II WIS well-iI you please, essential
to deny tho right oi suffrage to some OF
these persons. But even you admit
that they can not he kept dlstrAnChlsed
forever-that time must come when
they should be allowed to vote. in-
sIst that tune has come. Our difference
ls one OF time and circumstance, not OF
principle. Let us reason together.
"3. 1 think you will not deny that II
the rebels are 10 be enfrRnChised, It were
better that this should be done by the
Republicans than over them. Virginia
and Tennessee show Us what It will be.
II fdlsiranchlsement could endure any
where, why not In Tennessee She re.
constructed herself during the war, In
utter independence OF Congress. She
had been fought over inch by inch
nearly all her men had been In the one
army or the other, majority OF them
In the rebel; and It was clear from the
outset that Acknowledgement lmperlled
the Union ascendency; and the very
legislative acts designed to render reb.
el restoration impossible, have served
to render II complete, overwhelming.
Can you not discern the signs OF the
tlmcs.'"
~. You may believe, az scarcely
think you do, and as do not, that
continued rebel disfranchisement 10
desirable. only the more strenuous
~ insist that II Is impossible. History
and the genius OF the nge forbid It.
"5. l do not doubt that the rebels
would have denied the right Of suffrage
TO Unlonists, had they triumphed-de-
nled It for years-perhaps for q genera
tlon. But insist that ours Ia higher,
u more humane civilization than theirs;
that they could do many things that
we can not. l know there are blood.
thirsty men among us. don't believe
our safety is 10 be secured by hanging
them.
"G. Shakespeare says:
"'We teach bloody instructions,
81 Which return 10 plague tho inventor"
"If we, being uppermost, prescribe,
they who will yet be uppermost are
morally certain to do likewlse. We
can not expect them 10 do better than
we do. II we proscribe rebels so long
as we may, they will In turn prosoribe
Radicals. Wesshall have the factions
Of Marius and Sylla over again.
"There Is more excellent way, and
we must pioneer it. There Is nothing
safer than magnanimlty. We can hold
over by showing that ours Is the higher
and more humane civilization.
Let US have peace
Yours, truly,
HoRACE GREELRY.
"Colouel Fl. L. MCCONNELL"