Year: 1867




The actors in the scene have all passed to
that "boune from whence no travclor re
turns" but the recollection of old Daniel
Lount and his matronly wife, are still fresh


in the memory Of the writer.


VIII the Republicans Abandon


thcir Negro Suffrage Essuc


The humiliating defeat encountered last
week by the Republicans continues to occu-
py the attention of their journals, which
are cropping about like Il bewildercd incbr-
ate in the dark, reaching forth for some be-
lriendng lamp-post to supplement his want
of steadncss As yet, they can neither de-
terminc by what support they will try to
stand, nor on what couch of soft grass or
soft mud they will reposc when they fall
The TfLupc still clutches with all its old
oarerness at negro suffrage but the Times
hcsitatcs and fal,ers, and yet thinks that on
the whole, negro suffrage vii! continue to be
the corner stone of the Republican cdi!ce.
| Ii says


''Not one in ten Of the Republicans who
have not voted at this election desires or
would consent to abrogatG any Of the meas
ures by which these results have been bro't
about. No one would dream of setting
aside the emancipation proclamation, the
constitutional amendment abolshing s!a-
very, or the guarantee Of equal civil rights
to the negroes Of the South. Nor do We
think it by any means clear that they would
favor the exclusion Of the cntranc.lscd
slaves from the baot-box. They have, il is
true, in Ohio refused to admit negroes to
the suffrage Oh equal terms with the whites
but their are practical reasons for allowing
negroes to vote in the South, which do not
prevail in the North, and in spite Of the
loud demands made in the name of uniyer-
sal freedom and equal iustccby the apostles
Of ''progcsS, practical considerations have
much more weight ihun abstract principles
in deciding the result Of an election The
negroes in the South are too numerous to be
subjected to the arbitrary control Of the
whites. Their rights Of Ycrson and Of
property demand protection by government
except by participaticn in it. No commun-
ity could long exist in peace where half the
people, more or less, depended wholly on
the other half for the enjoyment of their
rights. Political considerations, moreover,
will reinforce this argument. Republicans
everywhere feel anxious to retain the as
ccndancy Of the party, and they know that
the South cannot now be made Or keep. Re
publican except by negro votes. In Ohio
and other Northern States none Of these
motives have any considerable weight"
We incline to think that the Times, on
maturcr consideration, will modify its opin-
ion that the negroes can find no adequate
protection except by participation in the
government We suppose the Times con-
sidcgs England free country. In England,
even under the new reform bill, majority
Of the adult males will not vote and yet
they will enjoy thc full and equal protection
of the laws. The Times will not dispute
that the iuborirg classes in New York aud
other States were in the full enjoyment Of
all civil rights previous to the abolition of
the property qualification Of voters nor
that our large alicnpopulationis inadequate
ly protected now. Why should thccautious
wisdom exercised by our fathers in extend
ing suffrage 10 the whites be wholly aban-
cd with reference to The blacks The ma
jority of our immigrants are better qualified
to exercise the elective franchise with intel
ligencc and prudence than the majority of
the Southern blacks and yet we require Il
probation of five years before we admit them
to the privilege. As the negroes are not
superior to our citizens, there would seem to |
be fairness, as certainly there would be an
equality, in requiring them to enter through |
the same portals, and by the same gradual |
and successive stages, by which the mass of
nativc-born whites reached the full measure |
of political privileges The universal sul-
lragc Of the colorcd and mixed races in
Mexico and he South American republics
has not been attended by such brilliant re-
sultsin promoting good governments should |
make us very forward to intimate their OK
ample. There is only one country in the
world, and that is our own, where the capac-
ity even of the white race to maintain re-
publican institutions may be considered as
practically demonstrated and even here the
many arbitrary and unrepublican things
which have been done within the last six
years and the widespread corruption which
prevails in our legislative bodies and public
officers, "cust omnious conjecture on our
final success. Why should we still further
cndangor the success Of Republican institu-
tions by the sudden introduction of the cleo
tive franchise of millions Of stupid and ig
norant people Of an inferior race


The only plausible plea for SO rash an cY
pertinent is thp one urged by the Times
That participation in politics is necessary
for the protection Of the negroes. What
ever may be the danger, it surely is not for
midable enough to justify so portentous a