The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-06
THE FUTURE.

From the 81. Louis Democrat.
The adoption of the fifteenth amendment
has now been formally proclaimed. Texas,
the last of the rebellious States, has completed
organization upon loyal basis, and gained
admission. Actual disorder in Georgia, with
the efforts of factionists to make the most of
that disorder, keep that State still unrepre-
sented, but we may now hope that Sena-
tors and Representatives will realize the folly
of pretending to fear some denial of the
rights secured to the colored people. With
the adoption of the fifteenth amendment it
becomes forever impossible to deny, and sui
cidal for any party to resist, their claim to the
right of suffrage, and with the establishment
of that right, and of the loyal governments
in all the States, based upon impair
tial suffrage, the General Government has
discharged its duty, and provided in the long
run the best posi- ble security for the protec-
ton of the colored citizens as such. From
this time forward, whatever it may do to pre-
vent disorder in any quarter must be done
not for the negro but for the citizen, ire
spective of color. Whatever measures may
be needed to restore or preserve civil order
ought to be not measures of reconstruction,
for legitimate reconstruction is ended,
but measures for the enforcement of
the law. These great questions, there =
fore, negro suffrage and reconstruction,
which have engrossed SO much of pub
lie attention, are now settled ended,
and forever put beyond the range of intelli-
gent discussion or legitimate political action
The Reconstruction Committee in Congress
ought to be instantly disbanded. It's proper
work is done. 1t has no more business to
exist than the Anti-Slavery Society. If there
are any legislators who have been thinking
about reconstruction and the negro question
so long and SO intently that they are incapa-
BILE of thinking of anything else, they ought
to be called back from completed labors by a
grateful people to the repose of private life.
In this world the man who can do only yester-
days work is of no use to anybody.
What is the work of to-day? 1t is to wipe
out the political disabilities imposed for the
safety of the country during the period of re-
construction and enfranchisement. Until the
negro had been empowered to protect himself
by the ballet; until the Southern States had
been restored with governments based upon
impartial suffrage, these disqualifcations
were deemed necessary. 1t was held that
certain of those who had participated in re-
bellion should have no voice in settling the
| terms of peace, or the questions raised by
| the war. That reasoning is now out of date.
| Those questions are forever settled. Dis.
| franchisement is no longer a measure of
| safety; it is simply an irritant and a cause OF
trouble and danger. The perfect peace which
| all good citizens desire, and which only noXl
Gus demagogues seek to delay, may now be
fastened by the removal of all disabilities
| from those who participated in the rebellion
| We trust that the President may speedily
recommend such measure, and that its sup
| porters, the Republicans in Congress, will be
prompt to propose and to pass it. Take 6
lesson, gentlemen, from the radicals of Mis-
souri,! They do not wait to give Democrats
chance to overpower them or divide them
on this issue, but resolve to take the matter
into their own hands, and to put through, as
a radical measure, the repeal of the disquali
fications which were imposed justly when
they We're necessary, by radical votes. Lei
letter the resolution in the Chicago platform
offered by Senator Schurz, and complete the
glorious work of restoring the nation to peace
| full self-government on the basis of equa
rights for all.