New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-01-13

SHOULD REGULATE THR SUFFRAGE or IT'S
PEoPLE-PURPosEs IN GIVING THE BALLOT TO
BLACK MRN--AN AIM TO SUBORDINATE WHITE
MIN TO NEGROES.
70 fAe Editor OF The Tribune
SIR Not many days since | saw in your
paper a communication from the Rev. DR. Bacon, IN
which he pronounces the reconstruction attempted IN
the negro States failure and attributes the failure to
universal suffrage II the attempt at reconstruction Ii
failure, and universal suffrage Ia the canse why not
annul that article OF the Federal Constitution whoh
fayes validity this inoXcusabc biunderf TOT having
insured liberty the freedmen, why should not every
State have the power regulate the snTagos OF It's
,,oo,e On what princ,ple of free government ought
the United States 10 keep standing army TO force "
versa suffrage on people who are sovereign Ill
their respective States for tho internal regulations
thereof Shall we persist in wrongdohS tOat
good may result $3.50
But Dr. Bacon says that that Reconstruction which
makes race or color former condition OF seryiinde
,oson for excluding half the population more OF lcsl
from ship in the State. and from every pocai
right would I've the establishment OF rreconcaoe nos
tny between dominant class and subject class ino
first assumes what has not yet been vofii d. tha',
every State could decide tho question of suffrage for
itself there would be hostility between the whites ana
the blacks again assumes that the regulation "I tao
suare must necessarily part of the work OF recon
st-uction so that the argument 49, that the Hee"o'
whites would conceGe the manumitteh slaves fna
freedom which thoy ought 10 have. and therefore the
first class should be forced TO allow the other CLASS
privileges which 1t ought not 10 have.
DIR BACON concludes that soutl Carolina ia incapable
NJ Enforcement by universal suffrage when cand
date for the office OF Governor for the purpose OF Doing
inaucl,ratcd retires with handful oil cOl0red hou
within barred and boted doors, guarded 10y federai
troope with fixed bayonetS, awaiting Ills command
IAN inauguration indeed uncxanpled IN the American
Papuhlcl lie thinks that the black majority with the
piitia Of the State its command cannot protect lise
against the white minority without the army vi '"o
United States And, like our great ancestor Inc loeia
head of the human race, he lays the blame on other
shoulders he shifts tie responsibility OF the recon
stuction failure from the leaders OF the I'opnDncn
marty 10 tho leaders the Democratic party To say
that the blundei" In reconstruction woud hot nave
been made If only two three Democrats III elmer
House OF Congress had madc an appeal 10 tie hepuo
ncans to give tho recovered States the best praccaDe
government" places the Republicans in Congress III "a
situation like that of the who gets intoxicated win
wire and docs injury his nciehbor and hihSeIt anu
then returns to his home and makes his family re-
sponsb for that which hs done because nc was not
restrained by an address 10 his understandings
While not prepared say that the attempt at recon
strrcon is not failure your correspondent cannot
think "a Dr. Bacon docs the reconstruction in the
negro state. missed its am for the sim OF the lead
CTS of dominant party TO whom the American people
are indebted for This wonderful process Of rcconsrucuoh
was 10 place the power Of governing IN the hands OF
conquered states al the South for the purpose OF s6o
dnating the white men the c0lOred meu in the 20
utica councils II the aim OF our Ia er1al
statesmen Lad been only thai Of the wse men OF tho
Revolution, 10 form perfect unon establish JUS
tce insure domestic tranquility promote the sencfa
welfare and secure the blessings OF hbory to the people
of the United States aud their pOstc;1y, tie people
of the United States would not have now
cause TO blush with shame at the scenes
which are &C ed in this Republic. II required so filc
skill in loCic slight knowledge OF that natural Ia"
hv which effects follow to foreteH the effects OF
This policy should be forced 70 conclude even ii
we iad not their words IT, tDat uie iocl
Of the icsdets OF the Republican parry was not ~ re-
establish State governments ion shoni I'D &c vac nap
lan,ss Of IN, governed object but 10 make up q
party m the south which should increase the count IN
Il The Republican column Mr.. IihddeS stevens VINO
held q osiicllous place il The Republican party ~
IhnS DAYS. not hypocrc or dlSscInDief; ne bhi
lie bdnrSs acknowledge that the policy OF hS party
with the plea OF ncctsstyle argument 81 Satah Wien
be attempted compel the world TO submit To his gov
CTnmept.
To rcG,tabsh republican government ana Tree instt-
tons in the CONQUERED States at the south, II wa. hj'
necessary cXpedcnt, aud was not agrceable 10 lac
spirit of the Government founded ~ INC SdBs OF liz
Revolution or oousonant reason OF just notion oi
liberty place the power of governing ia the hau - OF
100000 uurn zhianed mon just cat OF slavery Inc
men " lo devised the universal suffrage pdn of recon
struciOu knew or they gifted with common ~eEl
that Tho eject ot carrying sUch plan would he 10
nj &c the negro under the sdl"liniculuc} OF Inc
beIuhhcan party. There wero men IKE Foster "a Con-
neccut with elevated principles ana ieenhgs VINO SOL
EMMY protested. hu; III vain. CHAs n OOAhAh
Ae'c-HaceR, Conn, Dec ~ 1870