The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-21
sPxRxT or rEn RRHss.
Editorial Opinions Of the Leading Journals
upon Current Topics-CompiIed Every
Day for the Evening Telegraph.
THE NEGRO VOTE AS A POLITICAL
BALANCE OF POWER.

THE NEGRO VOTE AS A POLITICAL
BALANCE OF POWER.
From the ~ Y. Herald.
Before the adjournment of the present
session of Congress a law will doubtless be
passed providing for the enforcement of the
fifteenth amendment; that is, in order to
secure the equal right to the black man to
vote in all our political elections in every
State and Territory of the Union. Meantime,
it is reported from Washington that the
Executive Committee of the Union League
of America, Governor Geary, of Pennsyl-
vania and Ex-Governor Newell, of New Jer-
sey, are engaged in organizing a plan of
voting under the fifteenth amendment, with
q view of securing TO the Republican party
the entire colored vote of the country, and
that they have called upon the President and
the heads of departments to aid them in their
work.
But how is it with the Democracy Under
the present aspect of things, and from the
results of numerous local elections in which
this new voting element has been admitted
aimee the proclamation of the fifteenth
amendment the bulk of the African vote of
the North is good for General Grant and the
Republican party. Indeed, we think, that
from the conspicuous part which he has
played in behalf of this amendment and in
behalf Of political equality, regardless of
color, in his official appointments, that he is
good as Presidential candidate against any
opposing candidate for the colored vote of
the North and South almost en- nsdSse From
present appearances in the autumn elections
Cf this year for the next Congress it is proba-
+ le that the Republican party (representing
Grant as he represents the party will, with
the aid Of the negro vote, carry New Jersey,
make some important gains in New York (if
they do not recover the State), increase their
majority in Pennsylvania, and hold their own
in all the other States of the North. Among
the late border slave States they may perhaps
revolutionize Delaware and Maryland, and go
a great way even to upset the forty thousand
Democratic majority which, on the white
basis, is given by Kentucky.
The late Connecticut election has shown
that the fifteenth amendment has caused no
losses to the Republican party Of the white
vote. The Republicans, in fact, are rather
disposed to court Sambo as an ally than to
repel hiza as an enemy. But the question
still remains to be answered, how is it with
the Democracy? They proved last summer in
Virginia what they can do with the colored
balance of power in the South if they try.
The Democracy of the South, embracing the
land owners, planters, merchants, etc., upon
whom the blacks must rely for employment,
have the means in their hands for winning
Southern State in their elections for the next
Congress- Nor can we imagine that they will
throw their advantages away in fighting such
old Southern windmills as war of races or
negro domination. We dare say that the
Southern whites have heretofore looked upon
this thing Of negro suffrage as a temporary
radical punishment and nuisance, soon to be
removed after the restoration Of each of the
States concerned to the full control of its
local affairs. But this fifteenth amendment
ektinguishes all such calculations, and 80,
with the fixed fact of negro suffrage
before them under the supervision of Con-
gross, We expect that the Southern Demo-
cracy will not be long in comprehending the
advantages of political alliance with the
blacks.
Throughout the North we have seen, in the
colored celebrations of the fifteenth amend
ment, that all parties and all classes of the
whites gracefully accept the situation. This
is q very remarkable fact, considering the late
widely prevailing and apparently incurable
prejudices of even our Northern whites against
negro political equality. Among the first acts
in January last of our present Democratic
Legislature at Albany was the resolution
resembling this States ratification of the tif-
feenth amendment-a repeal which was passed
by strict party vote. The other day, how
ever, a resolution making the election laws of
tho State conform to said amendment was
passed by the Senate with but one dissenting
voice. The amendment had become "the
supreme law of the land, and the Democracy
in our Legislature, after fighting it to the last
ditch, bow to its authority as the law. We
have seen, from the recent action of the
Democrats in other places, that where a
chance is offered for winning an election they
are ready not only to cultivate the negro
voter. but to vote for n neprO candidate.
From all these things we may well exclaim,
was there ever so great difficulty SO quietly
settled as this late difficulty of negro suf-
frage?
The Northern Democracy, then, are already
in fair way to win good share of the negro
vote, and as political balance of power they
may neutralize it in many districts in the
coming elections for the next Congress. But
until the party shall have adopted a new
platform, in accordance with the new order
of things, they will hardly be able to shake
the Republican ascendancy North or to gain
any advantage South of any practical value
in Congress. Tammany Hall, after her late
decisive and important victories in the recon-
struction of our city government is in good
position to take the initiative for national
reorganization of the Democratic party, look
ing to the next Congress and the next Presi-
dency; and it would be a good stroke of
policy on the part of Tammany to avail her.
self of an early opportunity to define her
position in abandoning the dead issues of the
past and in accepting negro political equality
with the new order of things, and in meet
ing fairly and squarely the living issues OF
the day.
TOO MANY BUREAUS.
From, the 81. LOttis Democrat.