Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1860-04-14
Republican noctrine.

Negroes are TO have the Right OF Vo-
ting, Sitting on Juries, and Of hold
ing ohiessin the State of Ohio.
"To this complexion has it come at last!'-lShaks'
To put stop to negro voting, the Demo
cratic Legislature Of 1857 passed law pro,
hibitiug persons having a 'dfsinct and uisiI
Ole admirture Of AfricdA blood from ex.
ercising the elective franchise. This did
not suit the niggers or the Republican par
ty Both rose up in arms, The barber at
Hamilton brought a suit against fhe Jndgss
Of election for refusing his vote. This was
the first declaration of war. As soon Ne the
Republican Legislature assembled, Profess
sor Monroe, Of Oberlin, introduced his bill
TO repeal the obnoxious law, and vindicate
the rights of his fellow citizens of color !
Both matters came to head in Columbus
last winter The BARRIERS suit ripensd in
the Supreme Court about the time tho legis'
lature was ready to oct on the bill, The
result was the same in hQfh tribunals. The
bill was repealed by one, and declared un
constitutional by the other A man more
white than black, though the prepondsrance
may have been never SO small, was thus put
upon an equality with thesWhite race,
We charged then, as we do now, that the
Republicans of Ohio favored the doctrine of
negro equality. We we're met with denial
We were met with the extraordinary an
swer that the Constitution of our State was
not sufficiently explicit when it confined
the elective franchise to white male citi-
zens of the United States" It was said
that white ibid not moan entirely white
but only part white; or more white than
black. And we were told that the Supreme
Court could not decide otherwise than it
did, because the Constitution itself was
wrong. This, we say, was an extraordinary
answer-ior, until the wisdom of the Su.
preme Court Of Ohio had ascertained it, no,
body knew that mulattoes and quadroons
were "white male citizens of the United
States"
But the Democracy did not let the matter
rest here. Intending to put down forever
this first step towards equality and amalga.
nation, resolution was offered in the le,
gislature and referred to committee of
three, to inquire into the propriety of
amending that section of the Consultation
which had received 80 undesirable a con-
struction at the hands of the Supreme
Court This committee reported in favor of
amending that section and proposed the
following proviso
"ProUided, That euery person having a
distinct and oisible admirtupe Of African
blood shall not hare The privilege of an
eiector, or hold office, or SIT on juries."
Here was offered chance to test the sin
cerity Of those men who pretended opposi.
tion to negro voting, bn. claimed that thay
were bound by the Constitution and its
construction by the Supreme Court. Here
was an amendment TO the Constitution
which il was proposed to submit to the peo
pie, the highest and last tribunal And
what was its fate in the Housef IT WAS Los1l
The Republican Legislature of Ohio, know.
ing that negroes were voting in parts of the
NNoN ehOA AAb ~ W w ~ HOuiu De
sustained and that whoever refused them
would subject himself to. damages for so
doing refused to submit to the People the
question whether these insulfsrable wrongs
should continue. Think Of ii, ye Repuh-
licans who deny that you love the negro or
that you are in favor of equality Think
ol your sitting upon the came Jury eide by
side, in the heat Of summer %, with persons
having distinct and visible admixture Of
African blood Think of your rights
your liberty, or your life being entrusted in
the hands of jurors having distinct and
visible admixture of African blood" Ina
gius yourself jostled as you go to the ballot
boz, BY ons Of those persons Of cOlor having
distinct aud visible admixtnre Of African
blood" rejoicing a. he goes up to the polls,