The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1863-07-23
The President ON Negro Equality.


csln in his late speech a. Washington has
justly been the subject of much comment,
and has been appropriately rebuksi. Blu,
the prominent IDEA running through his re-
marks has been passed withou, no.ice.-
IT his repeated illusions to the assertion in
the Declaration of Independence that "s!l
men arc created equal" meant anything.
they meant that the doctrine quoted should
hereafter be fully recogised and practically
carried out in this government. Mr.. Lin.
coin l. quite as careful and neariy as in
genous rs Mr.. Seward in framing seuteu-
ces OF doubtful meaning and susceptible Of
numberless constructions. We do no.
wish to misrepresent him. and subjo;n tA.
following extract. which We .tiak sue.
sans the charge we have made:
Now in this last Fourth Of July las,
passed, when we have a gigantic rsbsllion,
at the bottom of which 10 an effort TO over.
throw the principle that sll men were cre.-
ted equal, We have the surrender ofa
most powerful position and army on tia,
very day cheersl and not only SO. but
in succession of battles in Pennsylva-
mia. near to us, through three days. 90
rapidly fought thst they might be caiiei
one grea, battle. on the lst, I'd and 81 Of
the month Of July, and on the 4th the
cohorts of those who opposed the dsolara.
,ion that all men are created equal. turn
ed tail and run" Long continued cheers
The obvious meaning Of this is, that ,h.
Union armies are sustaining the deolsr,-
t'on "that all men are created equal, aol
the Confederate armies a.c opposing il,
If the object of tho wa7 is to restore the
Union as it was, the northern armies are
in the Geld pleged TO an opposition against
the literal enforcement of this declaration.
which is as unqualified as that avowed By
the Confederates. But n i: is the pur-
pose OF The administration 10 continue the
contest for the enforcement of emancipa-
ton Mr. Linc0lns idea is undoub,eb,,
correct. There would have been no ap.
Pr"pria!cuesS in altribu;ing to the two or.
mics the support OF directly opposite
principle in war Of such vas. proportions
as The present. unless it was supposed the
principle was to triumph or suffer defeat.
The President had no congratulations
to offer because the battle at Gettysburg
and cspi;ulation Of Penberton made she
restoration of the Union and re establish
ment Of the government more probable
These were forgotten in the dominant, ids.
that all men are created equal"
We have nothing to urge here for or
against the correctness of this priaciple.-
The tact that the author Of il WAS slave
holder. and that the majority of ,boss
wfo were members Of tha. Congress and
approved it by their signatures were slave.
holders, rs well as the further fac, shat /.
Was distinctly repudia,cd BY ,hosc Who
framed the constitution, are a sufic,er,
coin attempted to place upon il. Those
who made the Declaration of Tndepend.
ence, as well as those who framed the coa.
stiiution. gave unmis,akable evidence. that
so far as its application to the negro rae.
in this country was concerned, i, vas :,
be treated as nullity. The attempt now
to make II the pivot upon which . var or
peace shall turn, in which are invol we'd the
LIE OF the government. is a reckless con-
sradiciion of the policies and principles Of
those who founded the government. a.
we'll as an insulting ttesspass upon the
wishes, interests and prgudices of the peo.
pie.
Why then did the President make the doo-
trlns of negro equality the topic OF
discussion in his speech, and Why does
she radical press eli its colums with praise
of 1t, unless is is intended TO make IL the
issue between the republican party ard
It's opponent? 1t hopes and believes ,hN
hatred OF the rebellion will induce the pso.
pie to accept this repulsive doctrine: Il
mas been assiduously endesvoring to eds
cate the public sentiment to its acceptance,
for it knovs that By it the radical policies
|! has inaugurstsd and still pursucs mus,
be ju ,ihed if at vi.
The nost ,xtreme and ult,s thcoriss of
Garrisonsm hsvs been adopted and ap-
piled by this administration, aad Mr.. Lin
coin !, rs fully committed 10 ,he advocacy
of negro equality. as principle to be p-ac-
ideally enforced In this government, q.
Wendell Phillips. Once mere we ask
conservative rcpubli1as, how are you pleas
ed with your present political allies and
masters? How much progress will be rs
quired Of your President to approve on the
next forth of July the Reverend Til;on's
theory of a mixture of the racssi- ca.