The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-06-20

How Democratic Editor swallowed
Negro Suffrage Three Months Ago.
How He then walked Erect and
Looked upon the Stars.
AStrOng and UnanSwerable Argument
s.The Charleston Platform Smashed
,aeg by its Author W
FnWR lie Wheeling Register Of February %, 1870.
--- SHALL WE FIGHT FIXED FACTS? q,
We presume the people of no State in
this Union have more earnestly and con.
sistently opposed the cnfranchisement OF
negroes than the people of West Virginia.
The opposition has been confined tono
party and to no particular section lthas
been general and dccp.rOOtcd, md soncar-
" implacablc, that throughout the entire
agitation OF the negro question, not even
the most intensely Radical politician has
deemed it safe to avow himself in favor
of comforting the ballot upon the blacks.
II is therefore not without fair under
standing of the responsibility before us
that we propose this morning to lay be-
fore our readers some reflections upon this
sub ubject-reflectons Of possibly unpleas-
ing character. .ni ggy ~ B7.hlA
The passage by the House Of the Flick
amendment 70 the Constitution, anamend.
ment recognizing the enfranchisement Of
the negroes, and providing for restoring
the ballot to the disfranchised white citi-
zens of the State, has OcCasioned no little
stir. The interest has not been lcssened
by the fact that the amendment was urged
by Democratic speakers and adopted by
Democratic votes That any Democrat,
true to the traditions of his party and
faithful to the dignity Of his race, should
admit by his vote that the negro's power
at the West Virginia Dallot-box now
equals his own, may seem surprising and
llnaccOuntable; but that twenty out Of
the twenty-four Democratic members OF
tho House Of Delegates should declare by
their votes h0negrO suffrage question to
be practically settled, is an incident that
has sounded every note OF astonishment
US well rs some Of CONSERVATION. Not
withstanding the course Of these members
may seem to be somewhat out Of the line
of Democratic propriety and precedent,
We believe that they will be ultimately
sustained, not only by the Democratic
party Of the State, but by tine great body
OF the people Of the State, and we further
believe, as firmly rs belief is possible, that
their action was not only the best that
could be taken under the circumstances,
but that it was probably the only alterna-
tive by which TO secure the ultimate re:
storation Of tile ballot to the many thou
sands Of ds!ranchiscd citizens in OR
State. "H''.'S ' ..''.'.'
Granted that the Flick amendment
does conccde the fact Of negro suffrage.
Can any man with eyes open to current
history deny that the fact does exist? Can
any observer Of the political events Of the
last ten years doubt that, whether we
deny, it or not, the fact will find practical
Illustration ut the polls in October next?
We may shut out the light from our eyes
and proclaim that all is dark. But that
docs not drive the daylight away; it
merely obscures our Individual vision.
And so with truths thRtwe seektO avoid
by ignoring. We. prefer not to grOpc,
Whatever may be said under the impulses
and dissatisfaction OttOday, there is. notra
man within the limits of the STATE, Demo
crat, Republican or rebel, who will not
practically recognize and acquiesce in the
existence of negro suffrage beiofe another
year. Many of them did it in 1868, when
their votes were casti with the negro
votes Of other States at an election fol
President Of the United States. 'Allwill
do so in the present year, by the simple
act Of paying taxes to be appropriated to
register and protect in the exercise Of lht
elective franchise, the negro voters Of tht
State, ,lnisE |yrFE EEEfTy gEiJIl~ =
ACQuiescence in negro suffrage is al
that can be charged against the Democrats
Of the House. Having admitted what they
could not deny as TO the negro, they put
in process of repeal so much Of our Con
stitution rs disfranchises white citizens
And here Is tile point where thoy rcCOg
ni2ed the heaviest obligation. They vert
not bound to further any useless OppOsi
ton TO the Fifteenth Amendment. Bu
they did feel bound TO avail themselves o
the only opportunity presented to bring
back, TO the rights Of citizenship the dis
ffanChised white classes Of the State
They declined to say that while the negro
had become an element Of political power
white man suffrage should not be made
general and free Admit thRtit would have
been better to have presented the lattcl
issue simply and left the Fifteen Amend
mcnt to take care of the negro. 1t wa!
found impossible to do that, and the bes
that could be had, had TO be taken.
SO much for the Flick amendment !; 81
much for the recognition Of the Fifteenth
Amendment by the Legislature. Now
what course is 10 be pursued by the Dem
ocrats OF the Statel Shall we start OuI
swearing that We never have, never can
and never will acquiesce in negro sui
ffage, and end two or three years llmlet
in acknowledging its cxistencc?' Thafs
exactly the course effectively ChArgct
upon tlswith regard 10 the new State, thC
Thirteenth Amendment, the legality o
negro testimony, the Fourteenth Amend
ment. and other fixed facts Of the war
' We have continued to battle upon deal
issues too long. No party can succeed
which cannot make its. fights upon tn
living questions Of the hour ~ Wv
Whether we wish it or not, the expert
hent of negro suffrage Is about to bt
tried. All the time VIC occupy in proving
the ncgro's mental or moral disqualified
tion, or the questionable character Of thl
measures under which heNotesT l4 YiN p
i rOting. II was. once proved by tho mos
exact method Of scientific calculation
that no steam vessel could Cross the A.
lantic, and the calculation was hardly
complete bOforc steamer did cross. w
may prove in the most satisfactory man
nCr that neither in law nor in fact Is th'
negro entitled to vote, and yet at the vell
: next election we will find him Mt thu
polls. He therefore ceases to be re
2 garded as n candidate for sulTrAge Nnl