The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-10-12
and says that universal suffrage must pre-

w ell, ne was GHlklOg W tu0 P0VP'O VI -
linois. Here we have universal suffrage for
all white citizens. Here oil white men are
put on an exact equality under the law, and
so they are in nearly every other State. he
tells you that your elective franchise must
be go enlarged as to make it universal, thus
putting the negro on an equal footing with
the white man. (Cris of "Never," "nev-
cry Such is the plain meaning of Mr..
Stewards speech. This is not the first time
that that distinguished Senator has avowed
the doctrine OF negro equality with the white
man. / do not question his sincerity 10 this
avowal So far as / know be has been con.
sistent in the advocacy of this doctrine, and
he is little more honest than the smaller
politicians of his party, who deny negro
equality while supporting principles that
lead directly and inevitably to that result
(Cheers.)
Following in the lead of Mr.. Lincoln two
years ago, Mr.. Seward, in his speech in this
city, quotes the Declaration of Independence
that all men were created equal and en-
dowed by their Creator with certain inalien.
able rights, among which are life, liberty,
and the pursuit Of happiness" He makes
that quotation in order show that the De-
claration of Independence puts negroes on
an equal footing with white men. He in.
ssts, as Mr.. Lincoln does, and so far as
know the whole Republican party do, that
in the Declaration negroes are asserted to
have been placed by the Creator on an equal
footing with white men. deny that propo
sition. (Cries of" So do I.') The Decla-
ration of Independence had no reference to
negroes when it spoke of all men being
created equal. 1t rad reference to the white
men-the men of European blood and
European descent. 1t was speaking of the
American colonists in respect to their com
parative rights with the British subjects in
England when it declared that all men were
created equal. Any man who asserts that
the signers of the Declaration of Indepen'
dence intended to place negroes on an equal
footing with white men must be guilty Of
charging those signers with being hypo-
critics. If Jefferson, when he drafted that
instrument, and all the great heroes who
signed it, had meant to include negroes in
it, they were bound as honest men to have
emancipated every slave they had that very
day. Cries of "good" and applause.
They did not thus emancipate. George
Washington held his to the day OF his death
and 80 did Thomas Jefferson and each oil
the other signers of the Declaration of In
dependence, so far as we know from history
These facts show that that Declaration
never intended to assert that negro slaves
were the equals of white men. Loud and
long continued applause.
But the Republican party BOW plants
itself immovably upon this doctrine. Mr.
Seward, in his speech, declares that this is
the grand central idea of the Republican
party. The rights of the negro; the equal
ity of the negro with the white man, uni.
versal suffrage, extending to negroes as vel
as to white men, is the grand central idea
of the Republican organization. He also
asserts that the old Democratic party is I'm
sound on this question and that the old
Wing party was treacherous to principle
laughter, j thus showing that he repudiates
the doctrine of the Democratic party and
the Wing party-the doctrine of Clay and
Webster, and jackson and Cass, and raises
in it's stead new creed of modern creation
Having put forth this grand central idea
upon which the Republican party is based
he states that every great and virtuous
principle necessarily has its direct antagOn-
ism, and in direct opposition to the Repub-
lead creed stands the principle of our gov
eminent, of inequality of rights, and inc
quality of representation, and inequality Of
the right of suffrage. Now, what does Mr.
Seward mean by this charge of inequality
of rights, and inequality of representation
and inequality of the right of suffrage. We
all know his meaning. 1t is, first, that
there now exists an inequality between the
white man and the negro in nearly every
State 10 this Union, and second. that there
is an inequality of representation in the
fact that five slaves count only equal to
three free negroes.
The five slaves are only equal to three
free negroes, Laughter for if the five slaves
should be emancipated they would then
represent five persons, and be equal to five
freemen.
Mr.. Seward tells US that this inequality
between the white man and the negro, this
inequality in the representation of the States
this inequality in the rights of suffrage, are
directly hostile to the Republican creed
Where did be find the evidences of these in.
equal ties? They are all found in the Con-
stitution OF the United States. g Hear
hear" and and loud cheers. Every one oil
them is a constitutional provision, which
every honest man is bound to carry out
When Mr.. Seward and myself entered the
Senate of the United States, we each of US
went to the clerks desk and put our hands
upon the Bible, and there, appealing to Al
mighty God for the sincerity Of our purpose
in the presence OF the Senate, took an oath
to sustain the Constitution of the United
States, Including the inequality Of rights
between whites and negroes, including the
inequality of representation, and including
the inequality Of suffrage, lgreat applause, |
and yet, after taking that oath, he, as the
leader of his party, now informs the people
of Illinois that the Republican party is
formed on basis in direct antagOnism to
the principles of the Federal Constitution.
[" Hit him again." and applause.
1t did not require the speech of Mr. Sew.
ard to convince me of that great truth, but
if any man wants any further evidence OF
the fact, let them read it. 1t is the same
doctrine proclaimed by Mr. Lincoln, two
years ago 10 different language. Lincoln
told US that this Union could not perma.
nently endure divided into free and slave
states that these states must all become
free or all slave, otherwise this Union could
not ooIc.o sOLo< ,roe bo