New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-04-22
MANHOOD SUFFRAGE IN ILLINOIS,

| Sundly White Men-sOme of them calling
| themselves Democrats" and others claiming
with about as little reason to be Republicans
| have lately held a meeting in Marine, H., "tO
"protest against the action Of the Illinois Leeis-
"lature and Of Congress in seeking to force
"neglO suffrage on this State, and on our coun-
try, contrary to the known wishes of the great
"body of the American people" The indgna-
ton of these protestants was so great that it
couldn't be adequately expressed in less than
Twenty-Five Resolutions 1t must be admitted
that the fine gold of this exceedingly impressive
Pub. Doc. j. spread rather thin; for every one
OF the Twonty-tw Resolutions is devoted main
~ to abuse of Colored People, and of the friends
and defenders OF COlorcd People. Resolution
One asserts that our Governments Estate and
NationaD are founded on the basis of exclusive
white race supremacy" which is MT true, some
of the oldest aud best governed States in the
Union having for many years allowed Colored
Men TO vote urOn the same terms as White
Men-NIaSsachusctts, for instance. NO State
has right to demand Exclusive white race
Supremacy" because 1t would be inconsistent
with Art. a, Sec. 4, of the Constitution,
which provides that Congress "shall guar
"antee to every State in this Union q
"Republican form Of Government" The
exclusive supremacy Of any race is ir-
reconcabe with what we understand, in this
age and country, at least, to be " a Republi-
"can Form Of Government by which we mean
strictly a Democracy. Now, we must confess,
if Virginia or South Carolina or Georgia can
stand Negro Suffrage, that Illinois has no right
to growl about it. Yet, during the late Presi-
dental canvass there was a constant bidding
in some Of those States for the negro vote.
Young Mr.. Adams went down to the South
and talked to :" the low negro" with unlimited
affection, after which he came back TO the
North, and at Albany made speeches which
were not complimentary 10 those he had been
asking to vote the Democratic ticket. Indeed,
without wishing to do any injustice to the
Democrats, wo fancy that the difficulty with
them Is that the COlored People show an in
clination to vote the Republican ticket-a
pelfecty natural inclination, We think, under
the circumstances.
They can hardly hope to win these
voters to their cause while they keep up such
an abuse OF them as VIC find III these Illinois
Resolutions Some bGlf-a-d0zen times, they
have something to say Of slow negroes"
Equality of races is prOhOunced "a beaStly
doctrine" "The only safety for our Republic"
concludes one Resolution, is in exclusive
white race supremacy. universally enforced in
"every part of our country as the cardinal,
unaltcrable doctrine" And this is what
American Democracy has como to iii the
Ninoty-Iltrd year of the Republic
We do not care TO insult our readers by at
tempting to show that Such Democracy is De-
mocracy at all. 1t set up the vilest and most
shameless Of all possible aristocracies- some
thing worse than on aristocracy of money, Of
| refinement, Or Of brth-a skin-deep aristocracy
which says to the Negro: "You shall never
" rise in the social scalel Always and forever
"you shall he n Pariah! Ignorant in the
midst Of enlightenment, poor in the midst of
plenty idle while Labor is in demand-you
land your children and your children's
children 10 tao latest goneration!" Now. we