Year: 1865

| the idea of negro suffrage is certain
We have already evidence that while
they admit that secession and slavery
have gone, and only ask that in the mat
ter Of confscation and punishment we
should be lenient--even their "Union-
! lists Those at least of recent conyer-
sion cannot endure for moment the
i thought that their former slaves should
vote by their side.


/ Is this reason why the former slaves
should not be permitted to vote; or is it
a reason why they should be permitted ?
This depends upon whether we think the
feeling, the habit, and the condition of
mind and character which make negro
voting SO intolerable to the whites, those
which we wish to encourage, or to sup
press those which we desire to perpet-
uate as long as we can, or to get rid Of
as soon as we can. And accordingly as
man would take one of these views or
the other so ] do believe they would
answer the whole question Of freedman
franchise So, at least, they should an
swer it, if they would be consistent.
While I admit the present unftness
Of the freedmen, attribute it, as have
said, to slavery. Therefore [ hope that
with the absence Of slavery large part
Of this unitness will disappear Habits
Of self-support, Of free labor for wages,
of family relations and rights, and edu
cation, for which they are now so eager,
will inevitably make them what they are
not now. And it is worth remembering,
that if they can vote, the means Of educa-
tion will be given them far more certain
~ and more literally than if they are
dependent for education upon those
whose feeling it will be and whose inter-
est it will be to perpetuate their own do
minions by perpetuating the inferiority
Of the blacks.


Nor let it be forgotten that the pos
session and exercise Ct this right of yot-
ing is itself an education I believe that
history will say, a thousand years hence,
that it has been one Of the most power
ful educations Of mankind May 1t not
also be obliged to say, that we withheld it
as long as we could from precisely that
portion Of our people who needed it most.


The intense opposition to negro suff-
rage on the part Of the whites is one Of
the means by which slavery will seek to
keep itself alive. For slavery, after all,
is not dead had it been dead Lincoln
would have been this day alive; for
slavery was his assassin And slavery
viii be willing to yield to necessity and
renounce its name and hide its face, if
only it may live on in the dark and in
its influence. Thereforeit will offer and
will contend bitterly for all manner Of
compromises and cancellations, And
slavery will be accepted by all who dc
not feel that we have tried compromise
and Cancellation with slavery long enough
and that our duty and safety equally de-
mand that this poisoning influence shall
be exterminated, be its disguise or pre-
tences what they may.


Can any doubt that the former exis
tence of slavery was the great danger
and the great disgrace of our country
But it seems to ne just as certain, and
indeed necessary consequence, that the
great peril Of the present day is the vii
lingness on any ground, or for any reas
on, or in any way, to let that influence
live on and perpetuate itself.


If it be obvious that it is the influence
of slavery on the character Of the whites
Of the South which now makes them alb


hor the thought Of negro suffrage, il
ought to be equally obvious that to with
hold the suffrage from the negroes is The
surest way to indulge and confirm tina
influence. In other words, it is all WI
can do to perpetuate the unftness fol
this franchise, equally of the blacks an(
Of the whites.


It is very important to remember tha
decision now, to withhold this franchise
is a decision not for all time-for inius
tice is never immortal but certainly fo
very long time. For then they canno


vote on this question. They never car
receive this franchise except as the fre'
gift of these who now regard it as th'
only intolerable consequence Of our vic


tories When will the time come tha
!, they will be willing to confer this gift
Can it ever come until the scourge 0
, more calamity and convulsion shall com
pei them and us to learn a lesson, fo


which it might be hoped that both W
and they had already paid enough?
Then it may be said that every Stat
has must have - under our Nationa
Constitution. the exclusive right Of de
: tcrmining who shall have the right 0
suffrage; {; and if we give it now to th
freedmen it may be taken away in year
even in spite of the votes Of the freed
men. But if it could be made an organ
ic condition of the reception of thes
States as loyal States. that there shal
never be a Limitation Of the franchis
{ resting on difference Of color, the tWt
Houses of Congress, each Of which is th
/ exclusive judge Of the election Of it
members, would probably reject member


chosen bv q v0ta which violated this con