M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-09-16
N. III. Van Worries and Negro
Equality.

The Democracy have planted them
selves upon the ground that this Gov
erument was made by ,chits men for
the benefit of ,0hite men, and that,
therefore, they are opposed to negro
equality. To give the negro the
same political rights which white mer
enjoy, will tend inevitably to negro
social equality and the final amalga-
nation OF the two races. Consequent
y, it is the interest Of every white
man who desires to preserve his race
from contamination by mixture with
the negro, to resist all notions and
measures which lead in that direction.
The Republicans deny most bitterly
and positively that they arc in favor
ofnegro equality. Let us judge them
by their actions, which "speak louder
than words" We find, by reference
to the proceedings Of the U. S. Sen
ate, that certain Republican members
thereof, opposed the admission of Or.
egon as q State because the Constitu-
tion which the people of that Terri
tory had adopted, prohibited negroes
and mulattoes from votingl Again,
the. Supreme Court Of the United
States, having decided that negroes
were not citizens Of the .. S. within
the meaning of the Constitution, the
Republicans throughout the North de,
nouDced the decision and thundTed
their anathemas at the Court. Uhe
Ohio Legislature, at that time con-
tanning a large majority of RepubIi-
cans, passed series Of resolutions
condemning that decision, and among
them we find the following:
"2d. That in the Judgment OF this
General Assembly, ,'eOs'y free person
born within the limits OF any State in
this Union, is a citizen Mere0f, and
to deny any such person the right of
sueing in the courts of tho United
States in those cases where that right
is guaranteed hy the Constitution to
all citizens OF the United States, is a
palpable and unwarrantable violation
Of that sacred instrument"
In the 9Th resolution, it is declared
that "the fathers Of tho Republic an.
tenQcdto assert the indeStructiJle and
equal rights Of all men, s0jthout any
exception or reservation aoAaterer!"
These resolutions were voted for by
all the Republicans Of both Houses,
and they are signed by IN. II. Van
Vorhes, Speaker OF the House Of
Representatives."
Now, what do these resolutions
moan3 First, it is declared that ne
groes, (or negroes born in the free
States are Stree persons, are citizens.
What is a citizen of the United States2
Webster defines the word to mean
"In the .. States, person, native or
naturalized, a0Ao has the privilege Of
exercising The electtre franchise, and
of purchasing and holding real es-
tate" 1t is clear, then, that N. II.
Van Yorhes, when he voted that ne.
groes are citizens of this country, de-
clared his belief, at the same time,
that they had the right 10 cote, as well
as all other rights which American
citizens justly exercise! There can be
no question about this matter. 1t is
too plain to be mistaken. But, the
5th resolution "caps the climax" In
that, Mr.. Van Worries declares his be-
lief in the equal rights Of ALL men,
acithOm any reservation or exception
whatever! Mr.. Van Vorhes certain
ly regards negroes as men, for he has
declared that they are citizens ,
According to his doctrine, then, ne
grocs ought to have every right, priv
ilege and humanity which white nen
enjoy, pithOut exception!
We regrst exceedingly to make our