The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-03-16

gence and beginning TO ENJOY the
blessings that gather around the
homes Of tho industrious poor. They
deserve the generous encouragement
of all good men. So far as my au-
thoritv can lawfully extend, they
shall enjoy the full and equal protec-
ton of the Constitution. The full
and free enjoyment of equal suffrage
is still in question, and frank state
meut Of the issue may aid its solu-
ton.
FREEDOM OF THE BALLOT.
1t is alleged that in many COM
tnunities negro citizens are practl-
cally denied the freedom of the bal
lot. In so far as the truth Of this al
legation 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 allegations.
SO far as the matter is true, it is the
only palliation that can be offered
for opposing the freedom Of the bal
lot. Bad local government is GER
tainly great evil which ought to be
prevented, but to violate the free
dom and sanctity of the suffrage is
more than evil. 1t is crime which,
if persisted in, will destroy the gov
ernment itself. Suicide is not a
remedy. If in other lands it be high
treason TO compass the death of
the King, it should be counted no
less a crime here to strangle our
sovereign power and stife its voice.
THE DANGER AND THE REMEDY.
It has been said that unsettled
questions have no pity for the repose
of nations. It should be said with
the utmost emphasis that this Ques-
ton of suffrage will never give re-
pose or safety to the States or to the
Nation until each, within its own
jurisdiction, makes and keeps the
ballot free and pure by the strong
sanction Of law; but the danger
which arises from ignorance in q vo-
ter cannot be denied. It covers q
field far wider than that Of negro
suffrage and the present condition
of that race. It is the danger that
turks and hides in the sources and
fountains of power in every State.
We have no standard by which 10
measure the disaster that may be
brought upon Us by ignorance 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 hang the destinies of onr
government, can transmit their Sill
preme authoritvto no successors save
the coming generation of voters who
are the sole heirs of sovereign power.
IF that generation comes to its In
heritance blinded by ignorance and
corrupted by vice, the fall OF the Re
public will be certain and remedies
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 i'm
portance, but the responsibility fol-
!he existence of slavery did not rest
upon the South alone. The. Nation
itself is responsible for the extension
of the suffrage, and is under specia
obligations to aid in removing the
illiteracy which it has added to the
voting population. For North ano
South alike there is but one remedy
All the constitutional power of the
Nation and of the States, and all the
volunteer forces of the people should
be summoned to meet this danger by
the saving influence ofnniversal edu,
cation. 1t is the high privilege ano
sacred duty of those now living te
educate their successors and fit then
by intelligence and virtue for the in
heritance which awaits them. Il
this benefcent work sections anc
races should be forgotten and par
tisanship should be unknown. Lee
our people find a new meaning IL
the Divine oracle which declares
that "a little child shall lead ,them;'
for our little children will soon con
troll the destinies ofthe republic.
I Il - FINAL RECONCILIATION.
Nh Countrynaeaa {: We do not now
differ in our Judgment concerning
the controversies of past generations
and fifty years hence our children
viii not be divided in their opinion:
concerning our controversy. They
Will surely bless their fathers a.!
their fathers God that the Union
| was preserved, that slavery was over
! thrown, and that both races were
made equal before the law. we mag
hasten or aCe may 7etdrd, but ne can
not prevent final reconciliation. Is i
not possible for US now to make
truce with Time by anticipating Of
accepting its inevitable verdict? :? En-
| terprises of the highest Importance
to our moral and material well-beins
| invite us, and offer ample scope fo
the employment OF our best powers
Let our people, leaving behind then
the battle fields of dead issues, move
forward, and in the strength Of liber
tv and restored Union with grand
er victories Of peace.
THE CURRENCY AND THE DEBT.
The prosperity which now pre-
walls is without q parallel in our his
tory. Fruitful seasons have done
| much to secnre it; but they have
| not done all. The preservation O.
public credit and the resumption O
specie payments so successfully at
tanned by the administration of my
! predecessors have enabled our peo
pie to secure the blessings (which
the seasons brought. By the expe
rieuce Of commercial nations in al
ages it has been found that gold anC
silver afford the only safe founda'
! ton for a monetary system. Confu
sion has recently been created BY
| variations in the relative value OF
the two metals, but | confidently be.
lieve that arrangements can be made
botuoan the looSipCr cop, n, orc;ol no,