New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-11-28
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

While we have ever shaped our course by what
we regarded as Democratic principles, we have
never yet ranked in party acceptaton as Demo
crat, nor cared 10 90 so. 1t has seemed to Us
more important to be democratic than to be ae-
counted 30. For Democracy in our view, is the
reputation Of Caste, the recognition Of Political
Rights as inherent in every human being. No
constitution, no law, can make the simple man
the perfect equal of the wise the ignorant man
fully equal to the knowing; but Republican Con-
situations should and must refuse to reinforce
the natural inequality by an artificial one. Lee
every man have his equal vote, aud the able
and sbrewd will nevertheless have more power
than the feeble and stupid. You need not e:ter
the broken.leRged to enable the sound and MIN
ble-iOoted TO outrun hin. And, since party De-
mocracy seems based in good degree on iaequal-
ity-on the debas, mtnt and disfranchsement of
the Negro-we have net been able to reconcile
its advocacy and support with our allegiance
TO genuine DemOcracy-that which afhrms the
Equal Rights of Men. Not that we hare or ever
professed - have, any special regard for Blacks
our concern is for Humanity, assailed through
the denial of their Rights-for essential Dem0c-
racy betrayed and pierced to the heart by her own
recreant sons.
So with regard to Ameiicanism. We have no
special n gard for any country but this. Our an
cestors were all here long before the Revolution,
snd were all among its most Jealous supporters.
We see no other institutions equal to ours with
sll their faults. We would see American Lltera.
ture, American Industry, American Art, fos-
tered and promoted by all practical means. But
when We are asked TO support invasions,
aggressiOns, sdbjugations, on the platform of
"Our Country, right or rrOng," we draw back
and resist. We regard that as un-American as
well as uDgodly-a revival here of the Pagan
msxims and notions which Europe is outgro wing.
In our view it is the first duty of every citizen to
take care that his country is just if she is wrong
in the sight of heaven il is idle and mad to wish
her 10 be successful.
When, therefore, it is grsyely proposed as
Amercanism that those who have come hither
from Europe to find home blest with Liberty
aud Plenty shall be permanently excluded from
Political Rights here including the right to be
chosen whenever a msjoriy shall see fit to choose
them, we resist the demand as eminently and
profoundly un-American as well as anti Republi-
can. If our political fabric is not one gigantic
lie from foundation to turret this exclusion is
monstrous and suicidal. A principle is tested by
cases-take this one: There are within the United
States several large settlements of Germans al.
most exclusively, one or two of Hollanders, and
so on, each containing not more than half dozen
voters of this country to one hundred times so
many immigrants. Now establish the Native
American principle, ard this half dozen natives
are made absolute de,pOts ever the great ma
jOrity Of their neighbOrs and townsmen-may
elect each other to two or three Office, piece.
fix each others pay and allowances, tax each
others bills, contract with each other to build
school houses, sc, at exorOitant prices, hire
each others cons and daughters to teach school
on similar terms, and tax the helpless. multitude
for ninety. nine bundredihs Of the amounts thus
squandertd. You may say this is an extreme case;
but it Is one to which the principle Of Ma
tvi.m inevitably tends. The experience of the
Black Race among Us ipcOntc,tbly proves tia.