New-York tribune., 1876-12-30
INTELLIGENT SUFFRAGE.
A DEBATE II THE SENATE.

o,,1UlcATIoN-PREsENTE EVILS PREDICTED.
=. shx Edttor or The Tribune.
CO. The ouestion of educated suffrage Is attract
S,.h 60 attention. President Grant made the SUBJ
of prominence in his message, and Dr.. Bacon.
= communication in your columns on Saturday
-. entitled "White and Black" discusses it at
49, length In view of the present feeling excited
- the snbjeet, brief sketch of the proceedings
~ C,noess on the bill "to regulate the elective
s..ehise =. in the District of Columbia" which be-
- q law during the second session of the
vyYIYth Congress, in the Winter of 1867, may
- soupd interesting and instructive.
This hill was introduced into the Senate by Mr.
uaJsof Ohio. It's principal object was to give the
tacks the right to vote. 1t referred to the Com
;ttoa ON the District, and reported back with
.,osndments not npaiTing the main object OF the
Isu On the 18th of December, 1866, the bill then
hing before the Senate Mr.. Dixon of Connecticut
,0oved 10 amend it by adding the words, Provided
f4 no person who has not heretofore voted in this
district shall be permitted to vote unless he shall be
ohle at the time of offering TO vote to read, and
.lso 10 write his own name" MessTs. Dixon, Hem
a,icks and Foster spSko~iE favor of this amend
menf: Messrs. Salisbury, Cowan, Freinghuysen,
Wilson. Lane, and Sumner spoke against it. MIR.
Dixon and Mr. Hendricks spoke very briefly; Mr..
Fosters remarks occupy eight columns Of The Con-
oressiopdl Globe. The following extracts are taken
from the report of the debate:
Mr. DixoI-I have offered 1.-THE amcndment-not
with the intention of CbstrucnC, but in the hope OF aid
ng the passage of the b intend to vote for IT, thus
whenever AN opportunity has been presented voted to
extend suffrage irrespective of color taus yotea
when the question raised in the territorial bills OF
recent sessions. Once, think. IN the Legislature OF
Connecticut and twice at the polls n3xe 'oSeI @ 70 ee @
State My opinions on the subject have not changed
sill believe that color or race should not De he tst OF
fke % would
v0ting solely on account Of his color but doubt inc
ace or color who has not at least that proof of inte
gence which the ability to read aud write furnishes
fSor OF basiug the right vote upon the intelligence of
into the citizenship OF this District large class OF per
sons who known 60 be very iiqnalned 10 eAcIGise
Tue right of franchise feel 10 be duty in regard to
them to vote for this qualification. wish to make this
explanation before giving my vote. - -, ,.,,,
Senator from Pennsylvania in my estimate of reading
and writing was sorry sr tht tue nonSraOe g onnop
similar TO that expressed by the Senator rom Penn
syvapa and The Senator from Delaware IN regard 10
reading anu Writing O0Ans pAA''i''A'''A -
Now Iagrec that 70 be able simply TO read and write
docs not prove that man either the intellectual or
oral qualifications necessary for voter i'll the United
Siaes - 5S Ias dawn the prSStion that the man who
cannot read aud write is, in MI human pro1abihty IN
qualified perform the duties Of an ccct9r Tue ayegn9
foa the knowledge necessary to qualify one Tor mat
DUTY under those circumstances to be absOnsE
closed to him. we All agfee5tt lcast
hear no one bold enough to deny it, that intelligence and
morality at the basis OF free INSTITUTIONS. On tnl III
cenee and morality, under Got all Tree governments ~
frpe Institutions must rest Why then are not lntein-
rnee and morality necessary attributes in those whom
We admit exercise and enjoy the elective franchise
Why at reading and writing when almost ai INC
tpowledge which the world has thus far accumulated
eap he acquired only by reading; mean substan-
tally all OF course, not literally aud absolutely The
history and history comes 20 through the volumes
which are stored in libraries and we acquire from
te", the wisdom of past ages. Now where man. no
matter from what cause cannot thus become acquainted,
through books by reading with the wisdom OF past as9
nor with be events and occurrences of the day. SAY lie
Is not and cannot be an intelligent and Is not therefore
y wos ,onished also to hear the honorable Senator
fron Massachusetts say that from 1883 to tne present
time We had suffered little IRON lgn3rance;
eit 11is honorable senator would make NJ an Issue
between intelligence the one side, aud perhaps equal
on ereater intelligence the other Ihat was not thc
ienorahce-gnorant led on by men Of disappointed
ambition, willy dcnagogues, evil designing ucn, who can
always Impose upon the ignorant and lead them where
they iist-and true, aud loyal, and Intelligent men,
Now, Sir II must not be Understood that am not IN
proposition that the broader you ean VITA safety make
los basis OF surage the more stable the more nsn S
be the foundation OF your g0vernmeh anu lOi the NUS
obvious reasons If + asked, WCdd You ict every
person vote q reply Yes wGqG @ f e. ever ever Of aap yHSe
Ignorant grossly ignorant men, the mass Of whom be-
cause Of their ignorance viii also ne CRIMINAL 70 exercise
the night Of suffrage believe It cannot Do done "th
safety. . ,.. 49,, -,
for his protection II he eannot read the baioi, wlat %
n
paper Is put into the hands Of man, black OF WHITE
and he cimnot read IT, wha is it 10 hmi What does
he protect himself by iti As wen might the honorable
Senator put the hands Of chIld, who kneT otilhe OF
against bis enemies The Illustration Is by no means
wanting IN fOrce in various IesPeGts tnS @ Siu m f @oa
be likely to endanger bnnset aad MS IieIus
by the pistol than 10 protect himself perfectly lso-
raut man who cannot read his ballot Is much more hkey
10 us n 10 bis own etriment aud to the detTment OF his
country than he Is to use 10 for tho IenchJ Oi ehf
seems 10 me ridiculous 70 talk about putting the ballot
Ia he hapd Of "A
determine the character Of H. whether Ne proposes ~
yse for one man or anOthcT-whether he proposes To
vote yea or nay on auy qurstlOuthe ballot does moi IN
IOrm him. Is there any protection IN thatt submit,
s thai ON general principles witnOu intelligence there
car be no safety in allowing people VOte-thee can be
safety III ignorant suffrage. IL - lhtiiateu tlat
the freedmen VIII vote right on Questions no" pendnT
know enough 70 know thef friends, ana they
will vote right. That means, suppose, that at me
present lime these men wGuld cast ballots such as he
honorable Senator from MASSACHUSETTS ana "ouu casf
II VIC were authorized to vote at the same line anu
place. so far as the results are concerned, at
ing the I,ars OF men who are cicciioneeIing for q
sy IN Il wisdom, which should it strength and
which ent tied at least 50 ar as we can ndg 20 re-
aeru cr,,otiay on our statute-bOOk. Tie African
rseG believe Is peculiarly susceptible to the feeling OF
gratitude; they remember Denens' anu, anu ~ g % ioru & ea
forwerd aud them with justice with kndneSs Win
generosity, they Will he drawn 70 t in1s ~ e as
South Carolina and that VIII be much more eincient
aud much more practical The very men who are nov
TiSdinS fo rlct iIaenccs and wbo VII vote with
those who are voting right, viii be led fear very soon
10 vote w1og and Will be giving strength ana Irresistible
sirentb To power against which tbs honorable senator
from Massachusetts bas been warning Tor many ears oI
his active and usefii Hfe-SOuthcru arstocracy Now
the Hot put ia the hands a tnese men ~ nis uhie
be win md II necessary within few years 10 war WIN
this simc power hereafter, Tear, 20 hls uyhs uy-
which hope Will he very remote. 1Ou increase tle
powcr OF such lgen indefinitely NBel you grant me
eeetye f4,nehSe TO persons ignorant sinplt, eicdu-
ous grateful for kindness ready 10 bsto" IieII CON,
hdcnce they receive kDduass anu ieaoy 10 " lca
n any direction by wDOn theY give thcH conn
dnce In this struggle for innuenee tno senator Hon