The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-04-06
Liberty, order ana Prosperity.
BY HORACE GREELY.

is prepared to aequisce in and uphold that
great measure Of pational justice and ma
tional safety, the enfrenchisement of the
blacks throughout cur union, must have
derived that impression from other facts
than those which are presented TO my
vision. ] know that there are indlvld-
ual Democrats who wisely ask, IVY hat
use in fighting over again battle ire
vocably lost. Why net frank ~ and
heartily accept the situation and fight
our next battle on the issue OF free trade
against protection, or some other not
already decided ?" Sagacious and earn
est they may be- numerous and con-
trolling they are not, and arc not likely
to be. As body, TIE Southern Dem
ocrats still smart from the wounds re-
ceived when Nashville, New Orleans,
Eicksburg, Atlanta, Savannah, Charles
ton, Columbia, Richmond, ETC., were re-
stored by human victories to our whole
country their hearcs are sore with the
recollections Of Fort Donelson, Gettys,
Any pacifcation that leaves the negroe
humiliation. They will endure it as
| jew sitting in the king S gate, and not
otherwise. And the Northern Democ-
racy is now, as formerly, mere echo of
| the Southern.
IF the united strength had been and
were to be signally, thoroughly over
borne in the state elections throughout
| Grants term, it is just possible that
| some glimmerings of sense should be
beaten into their heads by the middle of
1872. But such has not been, such
| probable will not be, the case. Many
thousands Of Republicans only vote at
| Presidential and other elections in which
| they take deep interest. At others,
| they are too busy Or too lazy, or at plac-
es too remote from their homes; so the
aggregate poll is light, the falling off
being mainly on the, Republican side
and, in spite of repeated disappoint-
ments, the Democratic masses exult-
ingly infer that thee are sure to choose
the next President, and they naturally
protest against sailing under false colors
when no danger impends- "SiDce we
are to win anyhow, why not win victo-
ry worth having? Why not say just
what me mean, and achieve a triumph
whereof the Completeness shall be in
disputable p The mistake is in their
premises, not in their natural, legitimate
deduction therefrom. IF they were max
| ing a platform after they had chosen a
President and Congress, they would
doubtless make such as the majority now
dictate.
The greenback plank in their national
platform was not approved by the candi-
date for President whom they proceeded
to place thereon. He knew how it
damaged them. with sedate, considerate
men OF substance but the majority felt
that they could not call out their rank
and file without it. Two thirds of them
would much rather repudiate the nation
al debt than pay it, even IN greenbaeks !;
they could realize that any Democrat,
however moderate, should consent to
its payment in coin. They blundered,
Of course; but with their feelings
they could scarcely have done other
wise.
So with regard to negroe suffrage. Not
toregard this with disgust and detestation,
is not to be a Democrat Tin any party
sensel at all Having stoutly main
tanned from the outset that the Federal
| Constitution could not be so amended
as to confer the right of suffrage on the
blacks ofTeslsting states, they are per-
foctiy consistent IN maintaining that
this has been efectually done. Men
who for a generation have been urging
|
beings end and AIM Of the Federal
Constitution is to keep the negro in slay-
cry, or at least as near that condition as
may be, cannot now realize that he
has been enfranchised by that very In
strument which they have so long re-
garded as the seal Of his degradation. As
a matter offact, the great mass of the
democrats do not believe the blacks Of
| the Democratic States legally euf,an-
| chised.
But then The black vote: What
shall be done with regard to it? Giving
up South Carolina, Mississippi and
Louisiana as hopeless anyhow, can the
Democrats carry the residue of the
Southern States, or three fourths of
them. on platform which plainly de-
clares Negro suffrage a usurpation and
a nullity, which a national triumph
OF their party must subYert and con-
clude
Manifestly, there is hazard in taking
that position ; but there is hazard in
any declaration that may be made on
this subject. IF black suffrage be ex-
plicit or tacitly recognized as achieved,
many thousands Of democrats will pro-
test that there is nothing of moment
left for Democracy to struggle for. Most
OF them will declare that they have cast
their last Democratic vote; some Of
these may adhere to that declaration.
This cannot well be afforded; [ predict
that it will not be undertaken. The
next Democratic National Convention
will either declare the XVIII Amend
ment nulllty. or will speak of it III
riddles, or will say nothing on the sub
ject.
In either case, the essential rights, the
precious liberties Of our four millions of
American people will be again involved
In the issue of a stirring Presidential
contest. Whatever we may wish,
or hope Or dream, that is all but inevita-
ble
The Republicans may greatly desire to
hang up their dinted armors and enjoy
| the blessings Of quiet but this is not to
| be. The struggle of 1860 decided that
slavery should be no farther extended
that of 1864 proclaimed that slavery
must die; that of 1868 affirmed the
equal rights OF men that of 1872 will
determine that the enfranchised blacks
shall nevermore be degraded below the
common level of OF American citizen
ship. Other grave questions are in
VOWED; but the right of the enfran-
chised to remain enfranchised must be
the paramount issue. Domestic peace,
industrial prosperity, internal develope
nent-all these are important, and
must command measure Of attendance,
tut Liberty must precede Tranquility,
aud Prosperity wait on Right. When
the American people shall have explic-
lily decreed that the Equal Rights of
native and naturalized citizens have been
placed forever under the broad shield of
Constitutional Law, so that faction will
valnly assail, and no party triumph can
lmperll them, then shall agitation fail
to alarm, and our people enjoy once