Franklin Repository

NEGRO SUFFRAGE IN THE SOUTH--To the objection that negro suffrage implies negro social equality, the Frankfort Commonwealth promptly responds:

Negroes have voted in the South and yet were in no sense advanced to an equality with the whites. In every southern State, except South Carolina, the right of suffrage was originally exercised by all "freemen." The original Constitutions of Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia, make no mention of color, or distinction between white and black, in their privileges as to who may vote. Till within comparatively few years, negroes voted in Tennessee, in Maryland they voted until 1833, and in North Carolina as late as 1835. Now, did this advance them at all in the scale of equality? Were the schools in those States thrown open to them? Did they visit in gentlemen's parlors? Was amalgamation any more common in those days than it is now? We hope not. Was there, in any sense, the "equality" of which the opposition is now so offensively talking, and with which they are as pertinaciously insulting the common sense and decency of the people? Not a bit of it.

In Pennsylvania colored people voted until 1838. Yet in that State a negro has not the same privileges that he has here in Kentucky. In Connecticut the negro voted till 1817, and yet he had not attained an equality sufficient to preserve for himself the privilege. In New York the negro, if he has the requisite property qualification, may vote now, but he has scarcely advanced one step in the scale of equality. Not even near enough to have the property restriction removed in his case, when it was removed in 1836, as far as it applied to the white voter.

The subjugation of the rebels, in the only sense in which it was ever purposed by the government to subdue them, has at length been accomplished. It proved to be the most stupendous military achievement in the annals of history. The determination of the loyal people of the country to preserve the integrity of the Union, and their unexampled valor effected this result. Now that our armies have performed their mission, comes the hardest problem for the solution of our statesmen. It is not enough that the territorial integrity of the nation should have been preserved and the honor of our flag sustained. It is not our desire that the smitten disloyal States shall be held in an inferior political position, to be governed as provinces by coercion. The feelings of our hearts, as well as the spirit of freedom require that there should be no inequality in the citizens of the Republic, excepting, of course, such degradation as justice demands in punishment of crime. The people of the South must be blended in a community of interests, privileges and sentiments with those of the North. The effects of this bitter war are to be obliterated as soon as possible. The work of conquering the rebels in arms was easy in comparison with the task of restoring them to a brotherly and harmonious sympathy with us, whom they have met with such deadly malice, and whom they have so long been taught to regard with malevolence. The mortification of unexpected defeat in the trial of arms; the humiliation of having their territory overrun upon every acre: their forts, their ships, their arms, captured; their wealth destroyed; their unrighteous privileges rudely abrogated; their sons slain; all prevent a ready and graceful acceptance of the offers of free and hearty fellowship we shall extend to them. The highest qualities of statesmanship are needed to manage this great theme--the utmost wisdom and prudence upon the part of our rulers and people. No unnecessary harshness, no injudicious leniency will serve. We believe the administration will manage this difficult task wisely and well. But they need the support of the people now as much at least as they needed their support in waging war. It is painful to see, however, that this encouragement is not given with the unanimity that it should be. The rebel sympathisers among us, who co-operated with the traitors during the fierce struggle just ended, and controlled the opposition at the last election, seem to feel that their party existence depends upon their making odions, and thwarting the administration, and are busy in impeding and deranging the efforts of the government. They seek to make the people, North and South, believe that the Unionists are cruel and unjust; that they have the simple desire of elevating the negro and procuring him power. And as they apologized for the traitors while in arms, they are striving to keep alive the resentments of those traitors and prevent their cordial re-union with the kindred they so foolishly abandoned and so revengefully fought. The treason of these Northern recreants is no less than that of the overthrown traitors who built up the short lived Confederacy. But we believe, yea, we know, that the evil they are devising will have no power to do much permanent mischief.

The hand of the Almighty disposer of events has hitherto guided us. The voice of mankind has welcomed our triumph with rejoicings. The mission of this Nation is assured, its unity fully and forever confirmed. The right of the people to rule, and the right of all people to elevation and prosperity are maintained. It is a sad spectacle to see our citizens, men whom in their social and friendly relations we respect and love, arraying themselves against the common sentiments of mankind, and setting their faces against the everlasting truth. They know not what they do. They stand apart from the masters of their fellow-men, their feeble voices of discord lost in the swelling volume which sings hosannas to the triumph of their race. It is the men who denied the right of the soldier to vote, who proclaimed the war an unrighteous failure, who opposed the ratification of the constitutional amendment, who are striving to interrupt the harmonious settlement of the perplexities upon us, and seek to keep up the hostility of the people of the South to their blood relations of the loyal States. The most scandalous vilification of the President and his cabinet are circulated greedily to weaken these functionaries in public confidence. The accusations of hasty and testy generals are seized with avidity, and no hero can make himself half so acceptable as when he is using his influence to prejudice the administration. Verily his defeat of the enemy is nearly compensated in the estimation of those men by a raid upon the Secretary of War. It is evident that these factious opponents of the government do not realize the positions they occupy. The jealousy with which we watch the faintest encroachment upon popular rights may for a time save them from the scorn so soon to overwhelm them. But the day will come when the people of this restored and happy Republic will regard as the most dangerous and meanest of its enemies the men who lived in the midst of their loyal countrymen, and labored to cripple its energies, when struggling for its life--the men who, when that struggle ended in sustaining the supremacy of law and order, sought to foster discontent, sullenness, bitterness, and unarmed disloyalty among the people led back by force to their allegiance.

ENLISTED men of volunteers mustered out of service under recent orders from the War Department are to be considered as so mustered out on account of Government no longer requiring their services, and are entitled to the balance of whatever bounty they may at the time be legally receiving. From this bounty balance are to be excepted those discharged who were enlisted under the Act of July 4, 1864, and the call of the President of July 18, 1864, and such as are clearly shown to be discharged for confirmed disability or as pensioners. Veterans who go out of service under General Orders, No. 77, Current Series, do not go out, because their services are no longer required, as they are expressly excepted for operation, under orders for the reduction of the army, only as prisoners of war. Non-commissioned officers of infantry and cavalry volunteers, mustered out of service by reason of being supernumeraries, in consolidation, consequent upon recent orders for the reductions of the army, are to be considered as mustered out on account of their services being no longer required by the Government, and are entitled to the balance of the bounty remaining unpaid.