Year: 1868

QucuCCsOl CAcfCloc III tuc flSIb Ol oulkIa4S.l
He has intelligence and sense enough Co.
knew that political equality ia one, thing
that can DE defined, and in a manner bereg-
ulatsd by law, but that social cQnalityis an
other and very different thing which M tu-I
name lawscan regulate and control B These
objections are unworthy of consideration
upon 50 grave subject as that upoh which
we are to day deibersting Sir, allegiance
and protection it is ssid are. 1recipfocal
rights and duties, and the one may INT he
denied unless the other be withheld ffutcc-
tions is the means of securing allegiance
which is essential to nationality, 10 national
existence and perpetuity. But projection ii
means furnislieflsthe citizens by TIE i,aiiHt
which creates, limits, and cantrels its N.sser,
-andlths ssis;ksn WHO is tleSsss - "a .-


OF feels THAT, he is without adequate means
to protect life. liberty and property; SUCH
an one may justly Withhold his allegiance.
and will withhold it unless force prevent.
Can the culored men of the State be reason.
ably expected to long maintain that loyalty
to the government both State and national,
for which they have been conspicuous. if
long denied the ballot-the surest and safest
means of protection / fear not Then |
would vote for this measure for the sake of
increasing and preserving the national secu-
rity and peace. as well as strength. An
opinion is entertained among intelligent and
loyal men. that suffrage ought to he limited
by some line of property or intelligence I
regard property and intelligence both as a
valuable element of national strength and
security; aisC virtue, or what is the highest
virtue in State, considered with reference
to the preserving and administering the
Government-loyaity or patriotism, but
am not satisfied that all these may not find
their hest protection through the means of
universal suffrage, "a man can he loyal with
out either property or education, as the last
few years has demonstated.) Every man in
this country of ours seems tn feel and think
that political power is his birthright. The
consciousness of its possession cnnobles him
as man. stimulates his pride as citizen.
and prompts desires for increased usefulness
and influence for good And it compels him
to seek knowledge and virtue and property
as means of personal and political advance
ment. On the other hand man deprived
of such power feels that he is dehased as
criminal or imbecllc, or an unworthy and
useless inhabitant of the State Why not
let the colored man use and enjoy this sacred
power2 1t will ennoble him as a man and
stimulate him to new desires for the attain
ment of property and knowledge and virtue.
1t will lead him to hetter and higher degree
of civilization, than that to which his polit-
ical enemies-the opponents of universal
suffrage-would magnanimously desert him,
into retrogade and become worse than the
slave ever was. In vain may the colored man
be promised protection in all his civil rights
while political rights are denied him he
will distrust the sincerity of his professed
friends in this respect. Protection to his
right to acquire and transmit property, to
educate himself and his children. and to en-
Joy the means of happiness pointess eat and
prescribed by law, in whose making he has
hand, may be graciously conceded to him,
but the only means to secure all these bless
ings and rights is the ballot. which shall and
will be granted to him. Reason must dis
pei prejudicc-truth must and will pre-
vail over party errors, and right will for
ever triumph over wrong. Universal suf-
frage alone can stop the conflict. This is
the great issue btween the political parties
of the day, and it must be decided, it will
be decided in favor of human rights. rather
than according 10 party eXpediency or
opinion. The opponents of suffrage. who are
temporarily disfranchised on account of
participation in the rebellion, are daily teach
ing the colored man how dear is freedom of
the ballot, and how annoying not to say
degrading, it is To be even for a time denied
or withheld this power. Let them do unto
Others as they would that they should do
unto them, and as the majority report will
do unto all, and the time will surely and
shortly come, when universal suffrage shall
protection of all men, without respect to
prejudice, or policy, or plans OF political
parties $50 -e- I'd of y, i-..r..


Mr. President, after ALL the true question
is, are not the colored people, as matter OF
justice, entitled to the ballot 2 The answer
springs from the heart that pants for free
dom, and beats for others happiness the
mind untrammelled by prejudice, perceives
the justice OF mans right as man, and assents
readily to the principle of equality, or po-
litical rights, to use all the means of happi-
ness that the government which is framed
on the will, and derives its powers from the
consent of the whole people can give. l
shall vote for unrestricted suffrage to all our
people as a measure of simple justice. which
may not be, ought not to be longer delayed
from more than seventy thousand of the
col"red men of North Carolina, who have
under most trying circumstances. shown
themselves worthy of American citizenship.
l sha! vote tor it as a measure necessary to
onstruction-essentia to restore the dis


organized relations of the State with the
National Government. and indispensable to
reconciliation. peace and security in North


Carolina, and as the best measure of true
and permanent relief to her distracted and
Impoverished people. Let US do justice to
all our people, and if we aie~ assailed by
party, and party presses for political pur-
poses, the time will surely come when future
generations will bless us for this great meas
urc of universal suffrage, by which equal
political rights are secured to all our people
.--


We rejoice to see that Mr. 'Trumbull YES


tcrday reported to the Senate, from the Ju-
dietary Committee, bill providing that
any future election held under, the recon
struction acts shall be determined as elec-
tions are determined elsewhere-bv the ma
jority of the votes cast. 1t also contains a
provision that at the elections in which the
question of the adoption or rejection of any
constitution is submitted, any person duly
registered may vote in any part Of the State
in which he shall have been registered,
where he may reside at the time of such
election, uponpresentation Of his certificate
of registration, under such regulations as the
district commanders may prescribe. A'i.'e4
This bill is offered as substitute for the
House bill passed several weeks ago. 1t
seems to meet the main requirements of the