Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-03-17

WV ncSto laSO aiOm lSidfcI W Tie 1ull
rights of citizenship is the most, impor-
tant political change we have known
since the adoption of the Constitution
IT 1857. No thoughtful man can fail tC
appreciate its benificent effect upon our
institutions and :, people. 1t has freed
US from the perpetual danger of wal
and desolation. 1t has added immense
lY to the moral and industrial forces oi
our people. 1t has liberated the master
as well as the slave from the relation
which wronged and enfeebled both. II
has surrendered to their own guardian.
ship the, manhood of more than five mil.
lion of people, and has opened to each
one of them career of freedom and
usefulness. 1t has given new inspira-
tion to the power of self-help in both
races by making labor more honorable
to the one and more necessary to the
other. The influence Of this force grows
greater and bear richer fruit with the
coming years. No doubt the great
change has caused serious disturbance
to our Southern community. This is tC
be dsplored, though it was unavoidable
but those who resisted the change shonld
remember that under our institutions
there was no middle ground for the ne.
gro race between slavery and equal eiti.
zenship. There can be no permanent
diSranchised peasantry in the United
States. Freedom can never yield its
fullness of blessing as long as the law
or It's administration places the smallest
obstacle in the pathway oof any Virtuous
citizen The iemancipated race has al
ready made remarkable progress. With
unquestioning devotion to the Unien
with a patience and gentleRess not born
of fear, they have ,@fOllowed the light
as God gave them TO see & the light
They are rapidly laying material foun-
dation 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. They
deserve generous encouragement. So
far as my authority can lawfully extend,
they shall enjoy the full and equal pro-
lection of the Constitution and laws.
The free enjoyment of equal suffrage
is still in question, and a frank state
ment of the Issue may aid its solution.
1t is alleged that in many communities
negro citizens are practically denied the
freedom of the ballot! In so far as
the truth of this allegation is admitted,
it is answered that in many places hon
est local government is impossible, if
the mass of dHeducated negroes are al
lowed to vote These are grave aliega-
tions.p So far as the latter is true it is
the only palliation that can be offered
fofiopposfiig the freedom of the ballot.
Bad local government is certainly a
great evil, which ought to be prevented,
but to violate the freedom and sanctity
of suffrage is more than an evilAit is q
crime which, If persisted in, will destroy
the Government itself. Suicide is not a
remedy. If in other lands it is high
treason to compass the death of the
king, it should be counted 70 less a
crime here to strangle our sovereign
power and stitie its voice 1t has been
said that unsettled questions have no
pity for the repose of nations. Itshould
be said with the. utmost temphasis that
this question of sufffzge viii never give
repose or safety to the States or the Ma
tion until each within its own juridis-
diction makes and keeps the ballet free
and pure by the strong sanctions of law.
But the danger which arises from igno-
rance in voter cannot be denied. 1t
covers q field far wider than that of ne
gro suffrage and. the present, condition
of that race. 1t is a danger thlt turks
and hides in the sources and fountain
of power in every State. We have 10
standard by which to measure the dis
aster that may be, brought upon US by
ignorance and vice in citizens when
TO
frage. The voters of the Union who
make and unmake constitutions, and
upon whose will hangs the destiny of
our governments, can transmit their su-
preme authority to NO successor, save the
coming generation of voters, who are
sole heirs of sovereign power. If that
generation GENES to its inheritance blind
ed by ignorance and corrupted vice, the
fall of the Republic will be certain and
remediless. .1..'..', l,..,of.....s. r..r .s...
The census has already sounded the
alarm in appalling figures, which mark
how dangerously high theltide of litter
acy has arisen among our voters and
their children, To the South the ques-)
ton is of supreme Importance; |; but the
for the existence of slave
ry did not rest upon the South alone. The
Nation itself is responsible for the ex-
tension of suffrage, and is under special
obligation to aid IN removing the Hitter
acy which it has added to the voting pop
ulation. For the North and the South
alike there is but one remedy. All the
constitutional power of the Nation and
of the States, and all theeYolunteer for
ces of the people, should be summoned
to meet this danger by the saving infiu-
ence of universal education. iI 1t is the
high privilege and the sacred duty of
those now living to educate their success
sors, and fit them by intelligence and.
virtue for the inheritance which awaits
them. In this beniieent work section
and race should be forgotten, and parti-
sanship should be unknown. Let our.
people find new meaning in the divine
oracle which declares "a little child shall
lead them," for our little children will.
soon control the destinies Of the Repub-
lie. .Yinl
j My countrymen, We do not now differ
in our judgment concerning the contro-
yersies of past generations, and fifty
years hence our children. will not be di-
vided in their opinions concerning our
They will surely bless
their fathers and their fathers God that
the Union was preserved that slavery
was overthrown and that both races
were made equal: before che law. We
may hasten or. we may sretand, but we
cannot prevent the final reconciliation.
Is it not possible for US to make truce
with time by anticipating and accepting
its inevitable verdict ? Enterprises of
the highest Importance to our moral
and material well-being invite US and
offer hmple scope for the employment
of our best powers. Let all our people,
leaving behind them the battle fields of
the dead issues, meye forward, and in
strength of liberty and u restored Union
win the grandest victories of peace. III 4
The prosperity which now prevails is
without parallel in our history. Fruit
full seasons have deneo much to secure
it, but they have not done all. The pre-
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