Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-03-16

permanent QlS1rancnlSeQ peaSantry III
the States Freedom can never yield
its fullness of blessings so long as the
law or its administration places the
smallest obstacle in the pathway oI
any virtuous citizen.
The emancipated race has already
made remarkable progress. With un'
questioning devotion the Union, with
4 patience and gentleness not born oi
of Tear, they have followed the light as
God gave them to see the light. They
are rapidly laying the material founda-
tions of self support, widening the cir
Gle of intelligence and beginning to en-
JOY the blessings that gather around
the homes Of the industrious poor.
hey deserve the generous encourage
ment of all good men So far as my
authority can lawfully extend, they
shall enjoy the full and equal proiec-
ton OF the Constitution and The laws.
The free enjoyment of equal suffrage
is still in question, and a frank stale
ment Of the issue may aid Its solution.
1t is alleged that in many communities
negro citizens are particularly denied
the freedom Of the ballot La 80 far as
the truth of this allegation is admitted,
it is answered that in many places
honest local government is Impossible
if the mass OF uneducated negroes are
allowed to vote. These are grave al
legations So far as the latter is true,
it is the only palliation that can be- Of
fered for opposing the freedom OF the
ballot Bad local government is GER
tainly great evil, which ought to be
prevented; but to violate the freedom
aud sanctity of the suffrage is more
than an evil :, it is a crime, which, If
persisted in. will destroy the Govern
ment itself Suicide is not remedy.
1 in other lands it be high treason to
compass the death of the king. it
should be counted no less crime here
to strangle our sovereign power and
stifle its voice
1t has been said that unsettled ques-
tions have no pity for the repose of ma
tions. 1t should be said with the ut
most emphasis that this question of
suffrage will never give repose or
safety to the nation until each within
its own jurisdiction makes and keeps
the ballot free and pure by the strong
sanctions of the 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 and :he present condition of that
race. 1t is danger that turks and
hides 10 the sources and fountains OF
power in every State. We have no
standard by which to measure the dis
aster that may be brought upon us by
ign Jrance and vice in the citizens when
Joined to corruption and fraud in the
suffrage. The voters of the Union
who make and unmake Constitutions.
and upon whose will hangs the desti-
nies Of our Government, can transmit
supreme authority to no successor save
the coming generation Of voters, who
are the sole heirs Of sovereign power.
IF that generation comes to its inner
itance blinded by ignorance and cor
rupted by vice. the fall Of the republic
will he certain and remedless.
The census has already sounded the
alarm in the appalling figures which
mark how dangerously high the tide
Of illiteracy has risen among our vo-
ters and their children. To the South
this question is Of supreme importance.
hut the responsibility for the existence
Of slavery did not rest upon the South
alone. The nation itselfis responsible
for the extension Of the suffrage. and
IL under special obligations to MD in
removing the illiteracy which il has
added to the voting population. For
the North and South alike, there il
hut one remedy. All the constitution
al power of the Nation aud Of the
States. and all the volunteer forces Of
the people, should be summoned to
meet this danger by the saving innu-
encc Of universal education. 1t is the
high privilege and sacred duty Of those
now living to educate their SUCCESSORS
and fit them by intelligence and virtue
for the inheritance which ayUits them.
In this benefcent work sections and
races should be forgotten and partisan
ship should be unknown. Let our
people find q new meaning in the di-
vine oracle, which declares that: "A
little child shall lead them, for our
little children will soon control the des-
tinics Of the republic.
My countrymen, we do not now
differ in our judgment concerning the
controversies Of past generations, and
gftv years hence our children will not
be divided IN their opinions concerning
our controversies. They will surely
bless their fathers and their fathers
God that the Union was preserved,
that slnvcry was overthrown, and that
both races were made equal before the
law. We may hasted or VIC may
retard but we cannot prevent the final
reconciliation. Is it not possible for
ipating and accepting it's Inevitable
verdict? Enterprises of the highest
Importance TO our moral and material
well being invite us and offer ample
scope for the employment Of our best
powers Let all our people. leaving
behind them the battlc-felds Of dead
issues, move forward and in the
strength of liberty and the restored
Union win the grander victories of
peace.
The prosperity which now prevails
is without parallel in our history.
Faithful Seasons have done much
secure it, but they have not done AZ.
The preservation Of the public credit
and the resumption Of specie payments
80 successfully attained by the admin
istration Of my predecessor, has ena-
bled our people to secure the blessings
which the seasons brought by the
experience of commercial nations in oil
ages il has been found that gold and
~ IN. ~. f.. la Ia n