Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-03-05

citizenship is the most important
political change we have known since
the adoption of the Constitution of
1887. No thoughtful man can fail
to appreciate its benefcent effect
upon our institutions and people. 1t
has freed us from the perpetual dan
ger of war and dissolution. It has
added immensely to the moral and
industrial forces of our people. 1t
has liberated masters as well as
slaves from the relation which
wronged and enfeebled both. It
has. surrendered to their own
guardianship the manhood of more
than five millions of people, and has
opened to each one of them a career
OF freedom and usefulness. It has
given new inspiration to the power
of self-help in races by making labor
more honorable to one and more
necessary to the other. The
influence of this force will grow
greater and bear richer fruit
with coming years. No doubt
the great change has caused
serious disturbance to our Southern
communities. This is to be deplored,
though it was perhaps unavoidable.
But those who resisted the change
should remember that under our
institutions there was no middle
ground for the negro race between
slavery and equal citizenship. There
can be no permanent disfranchised
peasantry in the Unired States.
Freedom can never yield its fullness
of blessings SO long as the law
or its administration places the
smallest obstacle in the pathway
of any virtuous citizen. The eman-
cipated race has already made re
markable progress. With unquestion-
ing devotion to the Union, with
patience and gentleness not born of
fear, they have followed light as
God gave them to see light. They
are rapidly laying the material foun~
dation of self-supporf, widening their
circle of intelligence, and beginning
to enjoy the blessings that gather
around the homes of the Industrious
poor. They deserve the generous
encouragement of all good men. So
far as my authority can lawfully
extend, they shall enjoy the full and
equal protection of the Constitution
and laws.
The full and free enjoym ent Of
equal suffrage is still in question, and
frank statement of the issue may
aid it's solution. It is alleged that
in many places honest local govern
ment is impossible if the mass of
uneducated negroes are allowed to
vote.
these are grave allegations. So far
as the letter is true it is the only pailla
tiOn that can be offered for depressing
the freedom OF the ballot. Bad local
government is certainly q greet evil
which ought to be prevented, but 10
violate The freedom and sanc.lty of
suffrage is more than an eVil-it is q
crime which il persisted in will de-
stroy the government itself, and sui -
eide Is not remedy. Ii 10
other lands it be hish treason
10 compass the death Of the king, 1T
should be counted no less crime here
ID straGgie our sovereign power and
stif1e its voice. 1t has been said that
unsettled questions have no pity for
the repOse OF nations. 1t should be
said, with toe utmost emphasis. that
This question of suffrage Will never
give repose or safety to the States or to
the nation until each, within Its own
Jurisdiction makes and keeps the bal
lot free and pure by the strong sane
ton of law. But the danger
which arises from ignorance in the
voter cannot be denied. 1t covers a
field far wider than that of negro suf~
frage aud the present condition of that
race. 1t is danger that turks and hide.
in the sources and fountains OF power
in every State. We have no standard
by which to measure disaster that may
be brought upon Us by ignorance
and vice in the ciuZens when
Joined to corruption and fraud in sufa
fir ge. The voters Of the Union, who
make and unmake constitutions, aud
upon whose will hangs the destinies
Of our governmt nts, eau transmit their
supreme authority to no successors
save the coming generation of voters.
who are the sole heirs of the soyeregn
power. If that generation comes to
its Inheritance blinded by Ignorance
and corrupted by vice, the fall of the
republic will be certain and remedlless.
The census has already sounded the
alarm in appalling figures which mark
how dangerously high the tide OF
illiteracy has risen among our voters
and their children at the South. This
question is of supreme Importance,
Aut the responsibility for the
existence OF slavery did not rest
upon the South alone. TIE nation IT.
self is re- ponsble for the extension OF
suffrage, and is under special DOL gs-
on to aid in removing the ilit9racy
which it has added to the voting pops
ulation. For the North and Sou h
alike there is but one remedy,
All tho Constitutional powers OF
the nation and of the STA es, and
all the volunteer forces of the people
should be summoned t. meet this
danger by the saving Influence OF
universal education. L is the high
privilege and sacred duty of those
now living to educate their successors
and tit them by Intelligence and
virtue for the Inheritance which
awaits them. La this benificeut work
sections and races should b forg ttep.
and part sansnip should b. unknown,
Let our people f0d new meaning in
the oracle which declares tnat a it'll.
child shall lead them, for our little
children will soon control the des-
TIMES of the republic,
My cOuntfymen, we 10 net now
differ in our judgment concerning the