...to some that the elective franchise is not given to the colored man. I would myself prefer that it were now conferred on the very intelligent, and on those who serve our cause as soldiers. . . ." But, he declared, "The question is 'Will it be wiser to take it as it is, and help to improve...

...delivered at the White House what came to be known as his "last speech," the first occasion on which he (or any American President) publicly endorsed black...The speech was typical of Lincoln — an attempt to maintain public support and party unity by moving partway toward the Radical position on black suffrage,...

...African-Americans the ballot, he declared that he shared their discontent: "I would myself prefer that it were now conferred on the very intelligent, and on those who serve our cause as soldiers." This was an opinion Lincoln had previously expressed in private, but never before had any American...

...Stevens. In his last address, in April, 1865, he advocated the conferral of the elective franchise "on the very intelligent, and on those who serve our cause as soldiers" among the "freed-people" (AL, 8:403). Yet, as ever, his priority was the restoration of "the proper...

...Emancipation Proclamation. All that was lacking, the President said, was the conferring of suffrage "on the very intelligent and on those who serve our cause as soldiers."69 But he implied that this privilege would eventually be entrusted to them. Chase was disappointed...

...government of reconstructed Louisiana] is not given to the colored man. I would myself prefer that it were now conferred on the very intelligent, and on those who serve our cause as soldiers."36 Booth was enraged. "That means nigger citizenship," he said. "Now, by God! I'll put him...

...to some that the elective franchise is not given to the colored man. I would myself prefer that it were now conferred on the very intelligent, and on those who serve our cause as soldiers. "Still, the question is not whether the Louisiana government, as it stands, is quite all that is desirable....

...to some that the elective franchise is not given to the colored man. I would myself prefer that it were now conferred on the very intelligent, and on those who serve our cause as soldiers. Still the question is not whether the Louisiana government, as it stands, is quite all that is desirable....

...the Louisiana government for not giving freedmen the vote. "I would myself prefer," he said, "that it were now conferred on the very intelligent, and on those who serve our cause as soldiers." Given this history, it seems quite likely that, had Lincoln lived, the Reconstruction of the South...

...radicals, however, he acknowledged that the right of suffrage should belong to certain AfricanAmericans, "the very intelligent, and on those who serve our cause as soldiers." We began this chapter with a reflection on the term "conversion." Usually, the term is positive in...