Year: 1865

NeRFO Suuf'6Ses


This question. which has been permitted
to rest for while past in K Kansss. is again
being sgitsted. this time. apparently. by
its opponents. The GArnett Plaindealer.
particularly, seems to be greatly bothered
over it-so much so, that it cannot con-
ine itself strictly to ths truth in its jis
cussions. For example. when it asserts
that the Chief has denounced all men as
Copperheads who opposed negro voting.
it shoots wide of the truth. The Chief
has done no such thing. In fact. the
most we have said about negro Suffrage.
has been with reference to the Southern
States, which never can be made thor
oughly Union until the loyal blacks are
allowed the same rights at the polls as
the rebel whites. However, we have not
the horror of some people against negroes
having justice done them. We do not
think that to slightly elevate the condition
of a negro. would pull us down in cor
responding degree. nor make us recognize
him as an equal.


But we never called any man Copper
head. from the fact of his opposing negro
suffrage; for we know hundreds of such
men who are not Copperhesds. But when
we see a man who is continually abusing
the negro because be is a negro, or whose
entire political capital lies in appeals to
the public prejudice against the negro.
we set him down as Copperhead, or. if
he if he is not, should unite himself with
that party as soon as possible. for that is
his proper element.


We think there is no doubt that ma
jority Of the people of every State are
opposed to negro suffrage. In all the
States where it has been submitted direct.
ly to the people. it has been defeated.
while at the same time the Republican
ticket has prevailed. From what we have
seen and can learn of sentiment in Kan
sas, two-.hirds of the people are opposed
to negro suffrage. In this County we
have made inquiries. and are convinced
that the proposition to amend the Con.
stitution by striking out the word
"white." would be defeated by more than
three to one. In fact. Mr.. Orem was de-
feated for Representative. in the 81 Dis
tIict, upon that issue alone. He worked
with the Convention men, who carried his
District by large majority; but in the
Legislature. two years ago. he had intro
duced the negro suffrage amendment Of
the Constitution this was brought up
against bin, and only day or two be-
fore the election an Independent candidate
came out in opposition to him, and beat
him badly. The same issue wonld have
produced the same result in every District
in the County. The question arises,
would it benefit the cause of the colored
people. to submit the question now, with
the certainty of defeat, and of intensifying
the opposition of the people ? or, would
it not be better to defer agitation until
the people are educated out of their preju
dices ? Our opinion is. that it would be
better to let it rest for the present; but as
we are not running the issue, we shall
not attempt to dictate.


1t is fact Of some significance, that
the effort in favor of negro suffrage is Just
now being engineered by members of the
Democratic party. That they are honestly
in favor of it. no one will believe; but
they know that the Legislature is over
whelmingly Republican, and if the ques-
tiou carries. it will be done by that party
That is their game. If they can fasten
the Republicans on that issue. they hope
thereby to make the State Democratic.
We doubt whether they could succeed,
even then but the Republicans will be
apt to survey the ground, before fully
committing themselves.