Wilmington journal., 1869-08-13
Universal SUFFRAGE,

Tho people of the South opposed negro
suffrage upon principle. Even those who
were willing 20 accept it were influenced
by considerations of policy in regard to the
reconstruction of the Southern States, and
not because they believed it for the roal
welfare Of the country. We opposed negro
suffrage from no prejudice to them on ac
count of their "color or previous condi-
tion," but because We believed then, as we
believe now, it was not for their own goed
nor the good OF the whites that suffrage
was to be conferred upon them. Our col
umns will bear us witness that in our opin-
ion the control of their votes by strangers
would be temporary, and that they would
eventually array themselves upon the side
or their former masters and friends. Con-
sequently we could not have been infu-
enced in our opposition by what we be-
lievcd would be the future and permanent
welfare of the Conservative party. We
have frequently told the colored people
that We believed if sntfrnge was conferred
upon them and established by law, that
the Southern whites would be called upon
to defend that right against the Radicals
OF the North, and that the contest wonld
begin SO soon as the Radical party dis
covered that the blacks could no longer be
depended upon as mere party tools.
We did not expect the inauguration of
this movement so early, or from the source
from which it now comes. Even before
negro suffrage is q fixed fact-when nearly
enough States have ratified the Fifteenth
Amendment to make 1t part and parcel of
the fundamental law-a leading Radical
organ in the confidence and support of the
Administration takes the back track, and
announces that universal suffrage is dan
gerous to the welfare of the country, and
demands of Congress to propose another
amendment. making suffrage Impartial in
stead of unioersdl The elections in Vir-
ginia as is intimated in the following let-
ter, and in Tennessee, to say nothing of
former elections in Georgia, Louis
lana. Mississippi and Alabama. have
opened the eyes of leading Radicals to
the dangers of putting the ballot into the
hands of the ignorant masses. We pre-
dict again, as we did eighteen months
since, that the blacks will yet look to
Southern whites as their chief supporters
to sustain their right of suffrage, and all
othe er rights which will be legally conferred
upon them by the law of the land. Mark
our prediction. .,- ..
We make the following extract from the
Washington correspondence of the Balti-
more Gazette:
It has been observed that, since the Virginia
election, universal" suffrage has become sur
prisingly less popular with the mass of Radical
newspapers, North and South. But it could not
havelbeen surmised that at 80 early day, a
journal known to possess tho confidence Of the
txtl enhe portion OF the present Cabinet would
"go back" upon the very shibboeth OF the Rad-
cal party. Yet such is the cage. 10 an elaborate
article, evidently write under the inspiration Of
authority, and by another hand than the regular
editor, proposed to digrdnchlse ninety nine out
of every hundred negroes now entitled to vote!
quote UegOdtia from the Republican OF this city:
IS The system of putting he ballot bet; into the
hands Of Tie iqn0rdnt nldsSes-1to mater of Chut
origin if continued. cannot fail to lead to very
serious, il not disastrous results. Congress will
be remlss in ats duty to the country if early ac
ton on the subject Is neglected. It is contended
by many OF the ableet men, and with great force
OF argument, that the best suffrage qualification
would be ability to read and write the English
language correctly With this as the universal
qualification test in ell Federal and State cleo
tions, the ballot-box would be protected against
Ignorance. and to very large extent the possi-
bility of corruption.' $50 .t
s4ch sourcel cannot be sufficiently ainired.-
Who put the " "ballot-box IL suppose the au-
thor meant the ballot, but his phrase is literally
correct y" into the hands of the ignor ant mass
sufficient to correct the evil is '' act of Con-
gress." But fe ting some little difficulty in that
way. " sixteenth amendment" is proposed as
means OF undolng the mischief accomplished by
the Reconstruction acts at the South, and threat
ened by the fifteenth amendment to the North!--
The proposition is as follows: ...-
1t is objected that We cannot deprive any pOr-
ton OF our citizens of the right of suffrage ady
granted to them. There is no ground upon which
to base such conclusion but if even the argu-
ment was sound it would afford no plea against
the proposed change in the laws governing the
right OF suffrage Suppose Congress, during the
next session, enacted q SIXTEENTH amendment to
the Constitution, recurring the Qualification of
ability to read and write the English language
correctly, as the condition of right of suffrage
to take effect in one, twc or any certain number
OF years hence that might be agreed upon, and
what State or class of intelligent citizens would
object to the proposition ?" The measure would
be universally popular, as afIording check
and corruption now dreaded in the future by your
wsest statesmen"
The confession by an organ of the Adminstrs.
tion that the fundamental action of the Radical
organization, "if cosatAued, cannot fai to lead
to Ue'y serious, If not disastrous reSltlts" is ina.
portant, and win be hailed as 'the ring of true
metal" Yet the remedy suggested (beyond
looking to the distranchisef,ent Of some eohate
| ooters) is mere running around Robin Hoods
barn." Why not repeal the Reconstruction laws
allow the Southern States to alter their Oonsti
tutions, enforced upon them at the point of the
bayonet, and reject the Fifteenth amendment p
These measures Gf coupled with prudent altera-
tions of our naturalization laws applicable to the
Chinese and other Pagan iMmigrants1 weuld
eectually afford "A check against that control OF
the ballot. box by ignorance, and c0rrstptiOn,"
which has been ihaugurated by Radical rsscality.
and nov bitterly complained of by their leading
presses. ...fF tsHft t.it- -, "a: ! fr.s -
TX is stated that there was heavy frost