Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-09-27
Negro suHrage-1he Right 10 Dis
tranehise,

tranehiEe,
EDITORS LEDGER. The party OF pro-
gress" profess holy horror at the idea
of the whites taking from the negroes the
privilege of voting. Let US look at this
dispaasiopately. Voting is not natural
right. It ia not one Of those rights p"
named by Jefferson as "inalienable." 1t
is not like the rights Of " life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness" It's politi-
oal privilege only-s privilege regulated
by lswi that Law being the expressed will
of the majority OF the people OF State.
| Women and minors and alien citiEens
have no natural right TO vote. The Fed
eral Government has constantly admitted
this In ito legislation about aliens; and
the effort now nsas t9 eopfer the fran
chise upon females also admits It to he
ppiiticai privilege only. Tihhe5 , HE Ike say
other political privilege, it may be granted
or withheld. enlarged or abridged, ss the
public good may require; that public
good slvsys to be the declared will of the
majority. 1t Ia sson this principle pale-
factors and persons convicted OF infs-
mons crimes are denied the privilege"
Of voting. The public good foroids
such men. Upon this principle tho
people of o State, in framing
the organic lsw Of the 5 ste, may confer
the jurisdictions OF voting upon classes
not now enjoying il; or they may deny
| il to classes or races now enjoyingit. Sup
pose the negro vote Of Tennessee should,
in few years, lead to such deplorable
consequences az to make ell government
a mockery, all justice cheat Will any
man say that the people would pot have
the right to meet in convention, reorgsn.
ize their organic laws and take from the
negroes the right to vote and hold Office 7
A man may lawfully kill another who
would unlswfully take bis life, bis liberty
or his property. May not the people of
a State, speaking through their chosen
delegates, in q State convention, dis
franchise pomen, if female suffrage
should be found to be a political evil2
May not the same people, speaking
through the same suthoritstiVe chspnel,
declare negro suffrage to be political
evil, too dangerous to the public safety
to be tolers,ed7 Ia 1895 or Sc, Andrew
johnson went even further ihan this.
Though denouncing eecret political so.
cieties, and especially the " Know Moth
ines," he admitted that if the public
safety required it. the State would have
the right to expel from her limits eitl-
zens deemed inimical to that public
satisfy. This is the pro bono publico
that goyesus States. The Federal Gov
eminent exercised il once, when it took
their lands from the Seminole, Creek,
ChoctsV. Chicksssw and Cherokee In
dams, paid them just what the Govern
ment thought was right, and removed
them, noLens rolens. west of the State Of
Arksnsas, The public good " required
tbis; for, as the whites encroached upon the
Indians, collisions we're frequent and the
public peace 10 constant jeopardy. The
"publie good not only denied suffrage
to the Indians, but pronounced their re-
movsl political necessity. Ifa State or
a nation may actually expel q portion OF
its people because their presence is detri-
mental to the public good, may it not
deny them the privilege of voting and
holding Office, if the public good
shall require sset c remedy2 To doubt
this would simply be to doBbt the an
tbority which our bill of rights confers
upon the people "to alter, modify or re-
form" their goyernment in any manner
they may think propes. JpsIus