Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-12-30
MR. BA YARD TAKING A IVA y RIM
PEOPLES RALI(lJ,S

Our Senators in Congress. Messrs. Sau,s.
pury and Bayard, and our Representative,
MIR. Biggs, have all been making speeches.
on the Georgia Bill, and Mr.. Salisbury like.
wise argued the bill to restrict the iurisdic.
ton OF the u S. Supreme Court. In one
respect these speeches are admirabla-they
are brief. That of Mr.. Blggs would occupy.
II printed In full, not much over two.thirds
oil column, and the others are short euouph
10 permit good portion of the Go-efte,s
and Detdudred1is readers, to study thcm
out before tie arrival of the next weekly
issue.
Ihe argument Of Senator Bayatd upon
the Georgia Bill is not powerful effort. and
1t contains, indeed, nothing that cannot bc
conclusiycly and completely answered. while
some OF its expressions betray that shirt of
aristocratlc opposition to Democratic eov-
eminent, which we have heretofore bcen
called upon to notice and rebuke. The in
famous resolution, passed by the two State
conventions Of his party, in 1865, affirming
and re-afiirming that voting was privilege
granted, and not right belonging. TO the
people, was one of Senator Bayard's No,
ideas. And now, in his recent speech. he
still further iavors us with an insight into
his views. because the ideas are his thew
are not consequently valuable, but since.
through the political misfortunes of Della
ware, he occupies 50 elevated position,
a 4.
they acquire iactitious consequence which
entities them TO remark. Thus, in his argp-
ment, he said:
u am one of those who lave long heliav-
ed that already the suffrage in this conntrv
was lar too widely extended that alreadv
me ignorant and the corrupt of our nation
nave voice which is very unfortunate for
the people that they should have. These
are no new views with me, nor are they
newly expressed. What good can come IN
the people Of this country from enlargin,,
lhe mass OF ignorance, compatibility. and
weakness, and giving that the great govern
mental power, is more than can see
Now, who, do you suppose, is to draw the
line OF ignorance, beyond which the SUFFRAGE
is already far too widely extended n We
presume, Of course, that as Mr., Bayard
coolly decides that some voters must give I'm |
their privilege, he, himself will Indicate |
VINO are the individuals. FIRST, naturally.
all colored men. True, all cuored men are
not ignorant, but then by Mr.. Bayards
views, mot new" with either himself ar
his family, they ought to be, and the Barnard
laws have done their best to make and kecn
Them SO.
Then, perhaps, Mr.. Bayard would disfra,-
ihlse all foreigners, for many of them had
no public schools open to them at home
Certainly when he complains Of '',hc mass os
ignorance, compatibility, and weakness. ~
must refer to NV York, generally # M,
specially, and We know, as well as he ,ho,
minority only of the people Of that civ
were born in America
And who next shall give up their sntlroo.
rerhaps the poor men, for they are not nm.
frequently lacking in knowledge of Greek
Literature, and even unfamiliar with IN.
Lalin' II, then, Mr.. Bayard fears to leave
suffrage IN the hands of the uneducaied and
believes 1t is so far too widely erten1ed
ne VIII doubtless take up their privilege
from the hands Of the several millions If
poor men.
fihaiiy, where will hestopf HOW learned
must man be, in order that Mr. Bovord
snail admit him to help make the Laws
winch he must help support, and helm nav
Ior ferhaps he will have TO be instructed
q mercantile calculations, and in the ,nvs,e.
80 '.s u 'ne law perhaps he must he pro-
mathematlcian' OF learned linguisl.
Perhaps like Mt Bayard, he must have
good opinion OF himself, and be particularly
almost exclusively-iamiiar with his
OWN VIEWS and be fond of telling them 10
lie pubic because they are his. Perhaps-
,ut why indulge in further surmise? Mr.
'ayard' however nuch he may regret il, Is
lot yet in position to take away the ballo,
rom single citizen, and never will be