Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-03-05
Enfranchisement Of the Blacks.

In the March number OF the North Amer
lean Review the interesting and important
questions Ought the Negro to be disfran-
chised Ought he to have been enfran-
chised 2 are fully discussed from the differ
ent standpoints of number Of differing but
clear-sighted, intelligent and experienced
public men. The debate is conducted by
Mr.. Blaine, Mr. Lamar, Wade Hampton,
General Garfield, Alexander Stephens, Wen
dell Phillips, Mr.. Hendricks and Mr.. Blair.
Here we have radical and conservative Re-
publicans and democrats and, in theperson Of
Mr.. Phillips, an independent, connected with
neither party.
Mr.. Blaine, who opens and closes the dis
cussion, lays down two propositions; first,
that the Acknowledgement of the negro is a
political impossibilty under any circum'
stance; and second, that the ballot has been
to the race means of defense and an ele-
ment of progress. Mr.. Lamar says ditto to
Mr.. Blaine on both these heads, but thinks
the Senator from Maine does not fully real
ize or make due allowance for the sudden
transformation, social and political, of the
negro from cbattel into voter. Such
transformation, he argues, could but produce
some jar in its practical operations Its
successful working could be effected only by
experienced and conscientious men, acting
on both sides with good sense and temper"
Speaking for Mississippi and the rest of the
South, he declares that if the question were
again to be submitted, the Southern people
as well as the Northern "would vote for
negro suffrage in the light of experience
with more confidence than they voted for it
as an experiment" Wade Hampton, whose
part in the discussion is comparatively
slight, scarcely runs counter in what he has
to submit TO the creditable spirit which
characterizes Lamars lengthy paper. Both
agree that the situation must be accepted,
and that to go back to the old order of things
would be fraught with deplorable conse-
quences. The negroes must continue to have
the ballot, but, says Mr.. Lamar, "whenever
political issues arise which divide the white
men of the South the negro will divide too"
General Garfield addresses himself to the
question, Will enfranchisement finally prove
a blessing or curse to the negro, and an
element Of weakness or of strength to our
Institutions BY way of answer, he lays
down the proposition that suffrage is the
sword and shield of our law, the best arma-
ment that liberty offers to citizens, coupling
it with the forceful remark that the anxiety
shown by all political parties to prove them
selves his friends shows that suffrage has
done and is doing much for the negro's pro-
lection and elevation. Mr.. Phillips can
scarcely be said to figure to advantage in
the symposium, his contribution to the dis
cussion lacking sobriety of statement and
of judgment. And the same may be said
of the views of Montgomery Blair. These
two gentlemen understand better the art of
haranguing than of debating. of the eight
debaters, Blair stands out in bold, not to
say brazen relief, as the only one who is in
favor of DISTINGUISHING the negro. He thus
attains what Milton styles ga bad emf
nence." As to the other two, Messrs Stephens
and Hendricks, it is sufficient to say, in
the words of Mr.. Blaine in his summing up,
that the former aims to vindicate the course
of Georgia in its relation to the negro, and
latter to gain some advantage for the demo-
cratic party.
The discussion proves, il it proves any
thing, that in theory there is very little
difference of opinion between representa-
tive men of the North and the South touch
ing negro suffrage. But the point remains
that practically the difference between the
two sections on the question is great.