New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-29
NEG RO SUFFRAGE.
I'm INTERESTING Research on Racial
INTELLECTUALLY.
TFHoN TIE TRIRrNE RrREAI-.l

stttuttn which guaranteed the right to vote
fo;thefaduIt males among ten million citizens OF
Afrieasl extraction, and imposed penalty on
AIRY s; ate which disfranchised them. is that of
the ntgro's intellectual fitness for the ballot
The American people are soon 10 wrestle again
with tbs question OF suffrage and justice TO ali
couceItaed demands that all the light possible
be obtained II an irreparable wrong TO the
people, CT color is 10 he avoided, any question in
which they have a vital interest cannot be de-
ci&ed Rightly without having all the light that
they blight possibly shed on the question and
This afpljes 5yyith equal force 10 the jurors who
mist Eecidelit-
DanIe Merray. Of the Library of Congress.
has vtitten an exhaustive work on The Litera-
rv Hiftory bf the Colored Race" from the re-
rnotest tirna 10 the present age. showing three
thousand TIDES Of books and pamphlets written
ard rsublisEed By them, with biographical
sketches of sl men Of color who have at any
time hchiev.ed distinction. But he was not
aide Il meet the financial obligation Of publica-
,,5n was suggested that for the benefit Of the
people il be made q government document Iol
free Distribution.
Herr an interesting situation was presented
Sloulf the oolored race be tried on question
as I'd its Intellectual capacity 70 interpret
rightly the many questions from time TO time
submitted for decision by ballot TO the Ameri-
csn r.sopJa when information of an affirmative
cbaras ter was easily obtainable and necessary
20 Elust solution Of the question. but lacked
only tuthority 10 print and distribute? On the
otherfhandi was il fair that the American peo-
pie anxious TO accord justice TO every people
uhdeF the dominion Of American law should De
asked 10 pass judgment on ten million citizens
of A tican extraction without first having &C
cess l. the testimony that might be produced IN
theirs favor? The conclusion was that neither
b5IT lat
shoui7 be made TO have these researches first
-7rintsd as a public document for free distribu-
non khrouahout the land. that the whole coun-
try Night be enlightened. Dir. Murray writing
.n regard TO his work, says:
Ths intensity Of the race question at this time
End khe Likelihood that it viii engage the atten-
lion t7f III: American people TO conslderaD4S
sxtesL during the next few years make such
rlutIiiatioIi of great moment. one that no doubt
1gill soc Of widespread interest throughout me
coursry- The colOred race is entitled TO nave It's
casesand defence thus placed before the amer
:cantpeople through this showing as TO the III
erarg ability and reasoning power in matters IL
TellaEtual exhibited by il under circumstances
lacking every element of E couragernent.
In! the 5000 titles Of books and pamphlets
Srritken ana published by Afro-Anericans the
Country by an examination. could test, as by no
otha; means available, their fitness for suffrage.
In tee first place 10 have overcome tie appalling
diffEulty surrounding them IN this line previous
10 ESQ uIs TO which time il was a criminal OF
feYds in eleven States OF the union for a colored
POSSESSION! indicates an amount OF intellectual
ford that furnishes the best possible proof that
they may he safely trusted with the ballot, ana
that they have the ability and only need me
opri:rtuniir 10 exercise the ballot with keen
s&siuina lion. In all the political contests
Of fhe last decade they have stood for sound
,noEey though blessed with very little Of any
king. No seductive promises nor threats OF
PrEr kind could overcome their support of those
policies which eight years ago hung in the bal
anes and which they could have destroyed, since
al she erd of the contest an examination dis
"a al sF-nr ,lurrfa
feIEnty distributed. would have elected Mr. NC
KiEley's opponent, whose policy the country has
hllFe twice rejected he sC1Iius 1oE SCUM
ngley and for protection, and the country
stsads fer the same What grounds, then, for
fefr can there be as to the presence Of the negro
There are two questions Of momentous i'm
poatance that arc likely TO be under discussion
seftatiou and the wisdom of the Fifteenth
As1endment. One Of the reasons urged by en-
eIties Of the colored race in justification of the
adjudication OF the Fifteenth Amendment is that,
teTe the ColoTed voters numerous, the
white voters are perforce obliged TO stand
EEited. and that they are restrained from divld-
irE on questions of public policy, such
nfanCe, protection OF expansion, since such a
oRision would give the colored minority an OPP
peEtuEItE 10 decide between the divided whites,
ana some urge as a reason that each side would
tsF2ea! 70 the negro for his vote. Wei, what of
ttsltF II constitutes no menace to the institu-
tFns Of The country. its prosperity or economical
administration or material progress in any form.
If. one-haf Of the negro vote is given to each OF
tlte white factions. then, II either be right one
iilf the rolored vote would be similarly placed
Of one thing I feel assured-that from a not
oFerprolJaged examination Of the books and
pamphlets written and published by colored
G3thors that have come under my notice, they
cartainly give assurance Of ability 10 put up a
palter argument Tor an. cause they might
spouse than Is shown IN he reasoning put forth
Above for the solidity Of the white vote in the
fE'hat reasoning pictures the black voter as be-
tSsen the divided whites very much as the hero
3rfs Of tta well known story Of The LADY or
ne TigET2' but takes away from the black
- n the element OF chance in making his deci-
Efn-a chance which every fair mind would con-
ace hing. thus intimating that, matter which
Sae OF me clElded whites got his vote, evil
-Hfluld fellow. Could any reasoning be weaker?
-f3w. n truth the presence Of the black man in
EEe electorate IS Of great Importance, and viii
bs so viewed by every patriotic American whose
u diligence is not beclouded by race prejudice
IRs presence in reality is a safeguard, one which
J5lope tns American people will never need; but
6f9uld HAT hour come at any time, and the
tfrpetuity OF American institutions and policies
II threatened through an attempt of the foreign
eIement N our midst TO engraft, through excess
stVe numbers as compared TO white Americans
Ts3ctcas in government tending 10 complete So
cfalism,i in such crisis there need be no fear as
r the side with which the negro vote viii
stand.
I'm this view the ballot Of the negro &c naaaaa
II safeguard TO American institutions and
yyoseu iiFonl ms progress and literary produc-
fons. gs shown in my photography Of three
fsousa1t1 books, and so forth no doubt should
tstlst IN any quarter that he could be induced IN
i "a VIE any faction Of whites supporting an
g ehlstic or socialistic dogmas.
tMy rfeearches had not in view when under
zen any question Of suffrage, IS Il cues
gen mqptoned in the book, except incidentiy in
9stTlpNon TO exhibit 10 the world the colored
pans status in the intellectual forum forum
II "hlcfl mans color plays part, at least in
Il secffon or the country where intelligence is
NppIeclfled- II so happens that the country fs
gov gTFatly perplexed over two grave rrofIsn1s
.hrst, Pie suppression Of the coiored vote in the
feuih i"hie enjoying the political power that
9rises from their presence in that sec,fon. GO
4ad me immense food Of Immigrants seeking