New-York tribune., 1872-10-07

would have been most auspiciOus to the peace
and well-being of our whole country, no one
had reason to doubt.
At length the Democratic party has done
what Messrs. Smith and Greeley desired that
it should do in 1868. 1t has planted itself
souarely upon the platform of Universal Am
"resty-Impartial Suffrage" and has united
in the support of candidates both for Presi-
dent and Viee-President who have stood on
that platform for years. Had not that party
a moral right to expect Mr.. Smiths emphatic
approval of this step, if not his Jealous CO.
operation in making 1t effectual and finalf
Instead of this, Mr.. Smith persistently abuses
the Democrats more vehemently In their new
attitude than he ever did while they were up
holding and justifying Slavery. Having
taken the step which he urged them
to take, he now rails at them there
for as insincere, dishonest and bypocIlt-
ical. He taunts them with their past devotion
to Slavery and hostility to Negro Enfranchise-
ment, as though a party had no right to grow
wiser or humaneT-he insisted that there ls no
need of Reconciliation except a Reconciliation
of the late Rebels to their conquerors. If this
be so, then why did Mr.. Smith 90 to Rich
mond2 Can he have fOreseen that he would
therefor be praised and glorified, while Mr..
Greeley would be prescribed and execratedT
Mr.. Smith says he does not mean to impeach
the sincerity of Mr.. Greeley, "but simply to
express my sense OF the absurdity of putting
"a ed-in-the-wool Republican at the head
"of the Democratic party" But why is tins
more absurd in 1872 than it was in 1868, when
You heartily favored it2 Do you insist that
those who were once wrong must be wrong
for everP
Mr.. Smith dwels on the past repugnance OF
the Democrats to enfranchising the Blacks, as
though they alone had eyinced such repug-
nance. This is unclndid and unjust. Con-
slider these facts
So long ago as 1916, Messrs. Smith and Greeley,
with many others, worked and voted to en-
franchise the Blacks of this State. The Wings
carried New-YOrk at chat election, yet Impair
tial Suffrage was voted down by IN over
whelmng majority.
In 1860, they tried it again, and, though The
Republicans then carried the State by $4,000
majority, yet Impartial Suffrage was again
voted down by 10000 majority.
In 1865, Connecticut went Republican at the
State election by 1000 majority. Impartial
Suffrage was submitted to popular vote in the
ensuing October, and voted down by some 5000.
SO in Ohio at later day; so in many States.
Even Radical Kansas, with her overwhelming
Republican majority, voted down Negro SUI
frago when submitted TO a popular vote five
or six years ago. There is hardly an instance
on record OF White constituency, no matter
of what party consenting on a direct popular
vote to admit Blacks tOsan equal participation
with themselves in the electoral privileges OF
freemen.
Of course, the Democrats have usually voted
nearly solid on what we regard as the wrong
side of this question. But the Republicans
who voted with them did so knowing that
the Blacks, if enfrdnchised, would vote Nth
them, while the Democrats were equally aware
that at least nine-tenths of the Blacks if en-
franchised, would vote against them. Consid-
ering what human nature is, ought not lib
eral allowance to be made for this fact 7
No doubt, if it were this day question
whether Blacks should or should not be en-
franchised a good many would vote No; and
they would not be Democrats either. But the
Blacks are erfranchised-their right to vote is
firmly imbedled in the Federal Constitution.
whence it can never be expunged Legally
there is nothing more to be done; what Is
still needed is cheerful, hearty aequosochce
on ali hands in the new order OF thlhgS, ana
q conseonont fusion of Whites with Blacks III
different and antagOnized political parties. So
long rs the Blacks believe that the Whites of
their respective States are intent on disfran-
chising and degrading them, they will remain
banded and massed to resist such degradation;
so long as they are thus banded and thereby
bound to the party which perpetuates White
dsfranchisement, they will be regarded and
treated by many Whites as Oppressors and
enemies. From this vicious circle of mutual
reproaches and criminatons, suspicious and
inculpatons, it would seem the plain duty of
such men as Mr.. Smith to labor and plead for
tho extrcation of all concerned; but he
chooses to aggravate insidIous msunderstand-
ings and infame calamitous hatreds Ii is
very deplorable; but the People can and will
Oyerrule it.