The Democratic pioneer. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1845-1853, 1849-11-02
DreSlin'S Address.

ca county in justification OF the course persueo
by the democratic members in the Legislature of
last winter. The Address is good one, and we
1sk candid perusal for that portion of it which
we quote below. It gives some of Mr. Bresin's
reasons for his vote on the repeal of those odions
and damnablc laws which have ever been dis
crace TO the fair name of Ohio-thc Black Laws.
These laws were truly and appropriately cal
led the BLACK Laws, for conceived in tyranny
g. brought forth in iniquity, they have for many
long years disgraced our Statue Books. But
thunks to the progressive spirit of the age and to
the true democratic principles which actuatcd
our Senators and Representatives last winter,
those laws are no longer disgrace to the FREE
and INDEPENDENT State of Ohio.
Perhaps you will call us an Aboitionist. Well
suppose you do. Must we lay down our pen
pin our opinion to the coat tail of some would-be
great man breathe nothing but what he breathes
think of nothing but what he thinks, and give
utterancc TO 10 sentence until we first ask him
whether wc,can or not7 NO; for SO long as we
have opinions and the right; to give them publici-
ty, Just SO long will we give utterance to them.
But in the sense of the Abolition party we are not
an aboitionist, with thcmit is nothing but niger
oloey. They have but one idea and that is all
for the poor Africa n. Had il not been for this
one idea fanatcism, the black Laws of Ohio
would have long since been repealed. If they
(the abolitionists) ever did possess any goodprn-
cpcs their fanatical zeal and love for the poor
black was so strong that of all parties, we verify
believe the abolition party was, we were about TO
say the most corrupt; at least the most inconsis
tent. Hence we lay no q inns to the term abo-
litionist us generally understood, yet we have
time and again spoken In the highest praise of
our Senators and Representatives in voting for
the repeal of the Black Laws.
We here give our readers portion of Mr..
Breslin's Address. Its length only prevents us
from giving cntire but we may refer to ii aguin.
1t has been charged, and repeated in va
rious sections of the county that a negro
could now be come voter. This is so no.
torously untrue, that | fear it may be said
that | doubted the intelligence of the peo-
pie by giving it a denial; but it may be re-
marked that as the Constitution prescrbes
the qualification of a voter, and among 9TH
ers requires him to be white male IN
habitant, it is not probable that any Leg
islature would undertake to annul so plain
a provision of that instrument. The ne
cro's right to vote remains precisely as the
Constitution has fixed il; he has no right
to vote now, and never had; the Supreme
Conrt of this State decided in 1884
that person having pRnpoNDEEANcE of
white blood was entitle to the right of suf
fragc, but for this decision, it is hardly
probable that, after the election, will be
held responsible
1t has been charged that the negro can
now sit upon jury, and that / voted to
give him that privilege. An cxamina
tion of the law will sufficiently explain and
refute this. An act passed February 8.
1891, (swan, 4a9) provides:
That one hundred and eight judicious
persons, having the qualification of elcc
ors, shall be annually selected in each
county, to serve as grand and petit jurors
he ensuing year."
You will here notice that no person, un-
ess he has tie qualifications Of an eleoor'
IAN be selected as juror What are the
constitutional qualifications ofan clector?
He must be white person. Hence you
will discover that negro could not be q
Juror even were the above law repealed,
'ut it is not, as you will ascertain by refer
ne to the laws of last winter. 1t was not
lesigned by the Democrrts that this law
hould be repealed, and therefore it was
ot designated in the original bill which
'assed the House. .but to guard still strong.
r against any doubts which might arise,
n amendment was drawn up by Mr. Arch
old (dem.) expressly exempting it from {
epeal, for which amendment l, together
nth the other democratic members, voted. t
1t has been alleged that now our State I
'ould become flooded with worthless ne $
roes from other States. This charge is c
ne in theory but it will not stand the test j
inquiry. In the first place, no law t
hich prohibits blacks and mulattoes from e
cquiring legal residence in Ohio was t
epealed! If then such law was efficient
| 1848, why is it not in f849! II
The law which made itSthe duty of o
egro to give bond and security for his Is
ood behavior was repealed Judging q
ON the indifference ofthe public in regard n
the enforcement of this law, I presume q
ere were not twenty persons in any coun- G
in the State favorable to its continuance n
oon our stdtute books. Iventure to say 8
AZ T. L