The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-10-05
NEGRO VOTERS NEGRO JUR0Rs-NE-
GRO OFFICE H0LDERS-NEGROF FRIENDS
AND COMPANIONS. 7s Lgz .i,-,

tive of many, if not themajority of party lead
ers. Dut aside from this, there is always a
prominent, leading ideasiR every party. There
must be such. In its ABSENCE the masses, who
ara strangers to the selfsh intents of their lea
ders, could not be retaiaed in sufficient combi
nation. They would 5sunde ide-fall
apart. In the event OF attaining power, this
idea, whatever it MAY be, must be made prac-
tical realization Those who have been elected
| to Office by reason of its advocacy, must make
performance, or the masses will desert and leave
them powerless. Th6irI very selfshness will
prompt some degree Inconsistency, of faithful
ness to promise, in order to retain the position
| they have achieved. eilf -a1
| What we now propose, is to ascertain what
is the future policy of the Republicans and
what we may expect tc be the future policy.
Reduced to its simplest expression, none can
deny that the NEGRO, In some relation, for
some purpose, is the staple of the Republican
organization. Aside from such pretentious
| eeneralities as "Purity of Administration"
ECONOMY of Expsndikure, y" Welfare of Coun-
ltry," &C., which common to all parties, and
therefore distinctive Of none, We can discern
nothing in Republicans Platforms, Speeches or
Editorials, but the NEGRO. We say this in all
candor aad every intelE gent and honest man.
must admit the truth Of what we say.
For example, Mr.. DeGn:son, the Republican
hours in length, at Wilmington; and of the one
hundred and twenty miautes which he con-
srmed, one hundred and fifteen were devoted
to the NEGRO. This proportion obtains in all
| the speeches and platforms, and in the litera-
ture of all sorts of the party.
But specifically what of the negro? What
is the relation of the Republican party to the
African? What paust they do to vindicate
| their consistency, and ensure tho continued
support of the majority of electorsY
! We reply The leading idea of the Repub-
lcan party is the Equally Of the White and
Colored races and the eonsumation of their
purpose can be nothing else than the A6roga-
tion of all Distinctions, political and social, be-
tween the two races.
They mean this, or they mean nothing.
Republican leaders know, and the masses of
the party are beginning to learn, that Slavery
in the States is forfeited in such manner as
to forbid assault, so long as our present consti-
tuition and form of government endure. They
therefore disavow all purpose of interference
with the institution of any State in the Union.
Whether Slavery in the Territories was or
was not subject to prohibition by the Repre-
sentativcs of the people at large in the Federal
| Legislature, WIS, until recently, open ques-
ton But the Supassme Court of-the United
: States, the tribunal TO which the Constitution
of our country delegated authority to decide
the question, has declared that such power
E does not exist.
: The action of the Republican party cannot
therefore affect Slavery, either in the States, ol
e in the Territories of the United States.
By these climinations, we have so narrowed
t the possible purpose of the Republican party
that it can only relate to Free Negroes.
But in their behalf, something of moment il
proposed. Long years of incsssant agitation
: constant lamentaton over the Negroes wrongs
o denunciations of his oppressors; the press, th
pulpit, the rcstrum-the best intellect, tn,
. highest attainments consecrated to the assertion
r of what are said to be, in equal degree, tn
f rights of all mankind, inclusive of the oppress
e ed negro, must have an end commemorate, il
c some degree at least, with the means employ
e ed.
r Who is to deny what we say here? No
a Republicans surely, for if they do make denial
! if they should plead that all this agitation, al
S this excitement, all this philanthropic preten
j. sion, had no ulterior object in view, they a
a once confess themselves to be the greatest hy
n pocrites, tie most unconscionable poltica
# scamps that ever infested q community.
They make no denial They can make none
l. They propose to do something for the Free Ne
n gro. What?
d Let us see, in the first place, what rights an
l. immunities the negro already enjoys. Wewil
y then know better what additional rights an
l. immunties it is possible to confer. We wi
l. take for an example the Free Negro of Ohio
It He is already protected in his person and i
II his property. The remedies of our Courts ar
II open to him. He has his schools and hi
l. churches. He enjoys the rights Of the whit
l, man completely and fully, save only that h
. cannot vote, nor hold office, nor sit on jurie.
he is subject, besides, to few social disabil
ties, which result from usage merely, and d
II not rest on positive law.
e, It necessarily follows that some one or a
II of these rights and privileges from which h
-e is now debarred must be intended for him
h Now which one of these rights or privilege
A. are the people willing to give? Consider.
d Besides, which one can be given, and tn
l. remainder withheld, even with the shadow {
< consistency!
r Suppose, for example, he is made eligible
or the jury-box. You thereby confde to his il
a tegrity and intelligence, the life, liberty an
property of the citizen. Could you deny |
re such man the right to vote, or to hold an o
e. fee, which by no possibility, directly or ind
" rectly, could involve interests more precious
te Or suppose ycu concede social equality to hin
e, is your companion and friend, the man WI
f. sits by your freside and partakes of your boar
ne not fitted for Office as well, as.yourself?
a If the reader has given us his attentio
in he must, we think, share our convictions an
at assent to our conclusions. We have shown
p l. That the Negro constitutes the leadin
a and prominent feature of Republicanism.
~ g. That Slavery in the States and Territ
er ries being beyond the reach ofsany party %
ar ganizations, Republicanism can only have re
ct erence to Free Negroes.
u 8. That something of moment is to be effe
ng ted in behalf of this class of people; ethe
wise, we cannot possibly account for the e
ccssive zeal with which his rights are assert,
of and his wrongs deplored by every voice, ar
ge through every medium by which the publ
he ear can be reached.
ey 4. That the Negro already enjoys, substa
in TALLY, the rights of the white man, save Il
. right to vote, hold Office, sit on juries togeth
zee with equality of social privileges; and til.
IL therefore, some one or all of these must be