The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-01-17
wATrERsoN's SPEECH.
Intelligent Suffrage
From the New York Tribune, (Rep.)

From the New York Tribune, (Rep.)
The discussion of the question of inteli-
gent suffrage is one upon which neither
party seems disposed TO enter at present
This may be because the Presidential sue
cCssion is the all-abSOrDiug political topic
from which public attention cannot b.
drawn. or it may be because it is n knife
that cuts both ways; neither party having
a perfectly clear record upon il. II the Re
publicans are responsible, as it caunOt be
denied they are, for the extension OF suf-
fiage Unrestricted by any intelligence lest
to the Southern negroes, 80 also are the
Democrats on record in every State In the
North where this restriction has been
sought, in determined and solid opposition
to il. "A nd yet this is obviously the ques-
ticn that lies very near if not nearest the
bottom of all the present political cOmpli-
cation. The most troublesome factor ia the
whole problem, the one that has given us
most anxiety, and has been the cause of the
most bitterness and violence, and perhaps
Of The most corruption and fraud, is ms r0St
mass Of ignorant btdcb U0terS M the South.
What might happen if it should be elimina-
ted is not within the province OF political
discussion at the present time. We have
it, cannot get rid of IL, and may a. well
make the best Of it. If it was "A mistake 10
invest the ignorant blacks with the ballot,
we can correct it now by divesting them,
not of the ballot, but of their ignorance.
That is the only remedy for what is past.
AS for the future, we shall not be wise il
we neglect to take such prudent fore
thought In a matter Of 50 great importance.
rs experience. plainly euiOius. President
Grant in his last message directed the at
tention Of Congress to the subject. After
giving it as his opinion that the remedy TOR
existing difficulties is sin the enlightcn-
ment OF electors he says-and we believe
il is the only specific recommendation in
the message-"The compulsory support Of
8 the free schools and the disfrauchisemcnt
g of all who cannot read and write the Eng
"li,h language after n fixed probation
"would meet my hearty approval" To
this he adds the qualification which ans
wers the obvious objection which would
Immediately arise-'I would not make this
apply, however, to those already voters,
" but ! would 10 all becoming so after the
" expiration OF the probation fixed upon -
This suggestion IN the message has, so far
rs we have seen IL commented on, been
very favorably received. We do not indeed
recall a word Of opposition to IL from
any quarter. The Southern Democrats
naturally enough favor it, and tho Republi
cans are wise enough and s2gacious enough
the intelligence and not in the ignorance Of
the masses.
II must not
be forgotten that the circumstances under
which the acts were passed which conferred
suffrage upon the freedmen with no re-
sUflcLtOn a 70 intelligence tcefe IHF HtVffeHt
from The present. What looks like a blundcr
in the changed conditions Of to-day may
have been, and did seem 70 some Of the most
patriotic and sagacious men In public life
in lSG6-7. The present
discussion, to be practical and useful, must
be directed not 50 much to the question
through whose fault or blunder the present
state of things has come about, as to devils
ing some remedy for it, The circumstances
under lCbich unrestricted suffrage tsQS granted
haze, ace hope, changed permanently altd raat-
nj