New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-05

i
q man. can not be expected to jump at
once from the abject position Of serfdom
to the upright one of manhood. Subjec.
ton is not the school in which to learn
self-reliance. 1t is not 10 be wondered at,
therefore, that so many Of our recently
enfranchised citizens. even after years OF
citizenship, do not yet fully and practi-
cally understand the duties and re-
sponsibilities attaching to the elective
franchise. Born slaves, that is, beings
without any wlsdged rights but
those which the master race had
been compelled by the spirit of pro-
gress, slowly and reluctantly, to yield
tc them; bred without moral RESPONSE
bility, the will OF the master being THEN
sole rule of right; without any correct
notions Of property chow could they
have such when they did not even own
themselves); without names, except such
designations as are given to the lower
animals, and without marriage, that po-
tent educator; suddenly, in this UMPIRE
pared state, invested with the highest
privilege Of freemen, it is not to be ex-
pected that they should Immediately un-
derstand and appreciate the full weight Of
their new responsibilities, the full dignity
to which they had been raised. Still, as
the continuous use Of an instrument,
even bunglingly, will gradually lead to
its better use, SO those who began SO i'll
prepared, have, by the mere exercise Of
the right of suffrage, increased their
mental capabilities; yet their notions on
the subject are still full Of darkness and
confusion.
Thus it is not to be denied that large
numbers of the class referred to consider
| politics sort of business, something by
which money is to be made, and that in
too many cases their anxiety for self i'm
provement is based upon the fancy that
as soon as they acquire some facility in
the primary branches of education they
Will be ut to ''get place.
One holding such false views WAS not
loug since asked what his business was,
and answered that be was 80 member Of
the Legislature" evidently regarding that
Temporarily representative position as a
regular profession. SUch thorough mis-
understanding Of the duties of citizen
ship as is implied in such an answer
would naturally give iise to other and still
more dangerous mistakes, as, for in
stance, that member Of the Legislature
had right to make as much money as
possible by the business, voting for men
and measures, not on their merits, bu. ac-
cording to the compensation, pecuniary
or otherwise, offered for his support,
species of political prostitution which
merits the brand of perpetual disfranchise-
ment.
Every voter is set up as judge Of
every candidate for Office, and is bound in |
honor not to give the support of his vote |
to an unworthy Person. Being, in a
measure, in charge of the welfare of the |
whole community, he should discharge !
the fraction Of governmental power
which he represents as faithfully as lie |
does his duties to bis family and himself.
No sane man would intrust the care of
his pocketbook or his strong-box 10 a
thief; nor would he place such in guar.
over his family. To do SO
would be to invite the inevitable conse-
quences-poverty and restitution; and
yet 10 help TO place dishones. man in
position of trust is to commit greater
folly; and to do so from mercenary mo-
lives is as base as it is foolish. For, no
man liveth to himself alone, but to
others also, and he who thus misuses his
right of suffrage does wrong to the COM
munity in which he lives, and indirectly
10 himself as member Of such COM
munity. It is mistake for man to
blink his vote is his own in absolute pos
session to do what he chooses with, to
sell or give away through personal par
iality. It is his only as sacred trust,
% be used for the best interests of the
Ignorance even is no
excuse for its misuse, only palliation Of
he offense; for every man is bound to
INFORM himself as well as his education
will permit on the great principles in
,olved in an election, and on the char
.cter of the men claiming or inviting his
upport.
Let the class for whom these remarks
re specially intended lock we'll to it that
hey bear themselves uprightly in the
oming contest, disproving the assertions
# the enemies OF freedom, those who de-
lare that the cclored race never can ex-
rcise honestly and intellisenuy the duties
f citizenship, and justify;ng the action
f their friends, the patriotic and benevo-
emit men who gave their influence during
fe to the cause of emancipation and ell
let every man Of the col
red race remember that he and his race
re still on trial before the world, and cast .
lis vote as if in the actual presence of the
hole country, North and South, we'll
fishers and ill-wishers; as if the thou
ands of Union soldiers who persisted on
be battle fields Of the war in the cause of
reedom were surrounding the ballot box;
} if the piercing gaze OF Sumner and the
lid glance of the martyred Lincoln were
nxiously looking down upon the i'm