Year: 1865

Manhood.


The theory that suffrage is a privilege ac
corded by the governing power, and not a
right inherent in manhood, seems to prevail
very generally in this country. This princi-
pie is derived historically from the monar-
chies and aristocracies of Europe. where the
elective franchise has been granted and ex-
tended from time to time by the governing
power to a privileged few, who have thus ac-
quired voice in the Government. Till now,
at the present day, about one-third of the
men of England are entitled to the franchise,
and accustomed to vote for members of Par
lament Thus it happens that aristocratic
England is governed by the few by the mi
nority, who hold the majority at their mercy,
and have the power to exclude or to admit
whom they please to the privilege Of the cleo
tive franchise


II certain portion OF the men OF country,
whether a minority or majority, have the
right TO decide who shall or shall not be vo-
tiers. then they constitute an aristocracy, and
the majority - their body may exclude the
minority from the exercise of the privilege of
suffrage on the same grounds that they, out
OF policy, grace and favor. admit outsiders to
the privileges of their close corporation.-
And, as matter of course, the great mass of
the non-voting people, as well as the minority
OF those enjoying the privilege Of franchise,
are at the mercy of the majority Of this close
corporation. Such system, while it may
answer the purposes of monarchy or an ar
istocracy, will not do in republic. for the
simple reason that it is at war with the f.nda-
mental principles Of equal rights which con-
stitute the foundation of all sound Democratic
Republcanism.


Our fathers, in discarding the kingly gov
ernment Of Great Britain and announcing
the abstract principles of liberty and equal
rights TO al men, failed in some instances
u put their principles into practical ope-
ration. Many of the Southern States, and
some OF the Northern States, clung to the old
theory OF regarding the franchise as a privil-'
ege rather than right, and still insisted n 40
property qualification as the condition of the
exercise of the privilege of voting. But al
timately. under the principles of JEFFERSON
and the pungent, illustrative augmentation OF
FAANKLIS, the practice of the country has
been brought into very close conformity with
the principles Of our fathers. except in the
little ohgarchy Of South Carolina, and possi-
by another Southern State or two which fol-
lowed her example, and suil insist on prop
erty qualification.


The same anomaly found q place in the
practice of the county, III violation of the
grand declaration Of our fathers. holding all
men entitled to liberty, and yet practically
keeping large minority of'the inhabitants OF
the country in the bonds of slavery. This
dlsloyaity TO principle in the practice OF. the
country resulted eventually, under Prov.
dence, in the terrible rebellion of the slave
holders, from the effects of which the country
has already suffered fearful retribution. But.
as a result OF this rebellion, slavery has been
exiirpated from the land by the progress ofthe
war, the proclamation of the President, and
the will of the people.


And now it happens, as a consequence OF
the general emancipation Of the slaves, that
the other question rises again into Immediate
practical Importance, and the failure of the
people and the Government TO conform our
practice Oh this subject to The principles an
nounced by our fathers in the declaration oil
human rights, may eventually bring upon the
country calamities no less fearful than those
from which We have just emerged, for history
and observation. no less than the word of God
itself, establish the great fact that individu-
ais and nations are held amenable under the
moral law and under Providence, to practice
the principles which they profess, and to live
up to the light that they enjoy. Men may
not profess liberty and practice slavery; may
not make boast Of equal rights and deny
such rights to their fellow men, with mpuuity,
any more than man may profess to be a
Christian and live the life of an infdel, or a
nation profess the worship of Jehovah and
bow down to heather idols, without the cor
rection of Gods Providence. And nature
and society are so constituted, that whether a
man acknowledge Providential interposition
or deny 1t. bad consequences do follow from
bad conduct, and the violation of sound prin-
ciples, morally and politically, result in evil
to individuals and nations.


This war has lifted the negro race. in our
country, out of the slough of bondage in
which they remained, despite our national as
sertion, that all men were entitled to liberty.
And now the question stares US in the face,
shall we deny these free men the equal rights
which our national declaration asserts they
are entitled to by the fat of the God of ma
ture, who is none the less the God of Revala-
tiong The negroes enter into the cou l(u-
Etional inheritance of the title, people of the
Emitted States, by the act of emancipation,
and by the theory of our Republican Govern
ment. Being native born inhabitants, they
are entitled to the common rights of man.
hood, among which, one principle Is the right
Of suffrage. Nor can We conceive : 1ngle


u