The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1865-08-09
CON,s Letter

Gen. Cox, the A )olition nominee for Gov
ernor, to a couple Of ''colored" beauties Of
0berlin, on the vexed question Of Negro
Suffrage. Some Of his arguments and con-
clasions we heartily approve, but his rene
dies, in the main are wild and Visionary
A number Of Ohio Soldiers had addressed
inquiries to the General heretofore, but for
some cause or other he did not deem the
soldiers who addressed him worthy of con-
sideration. 1t may occur to the soldiers
that it is somewhat singular that he should
give to their correspondence, 10 which they
ayow their purpose not to vote for him if he
is in favor of Negro Suffrage and Negro
Political Equality, no attention whatever,
and yet with the utmost alacrity responds
to self.constituted Committee of Oberlin-
ties, who tell him that 80 decided are our
their people on the subject, that they
could BY no means vote for a man known TO
be opposed to Negro Suffrage" His old
time affection for Oberlin remains. And
what does this letter defining his position
amount to? In brief it amounts to this:
The Democratic party must be defeated at
all hazards; the Platform should be salts
factory to all men who have heretofore act
ed in opposition to the Democratic party;
that this Platform does not interdict the
most full discussion of matters on which
the Platform is silent or studiously non
committal--that, in the northern portion of
the State, the members of the party are at
liberty to advocate Negro Suffrage and Ne
gro Equality as much as they please; and
south of the National road the members of
the party have as full license to oppose
these doctrines; that for himself land it is
only an individual opinion, which he would
not undertake to set up against the opinions
of the leaders of the party, or against the
men of the Legislature or against the views
of the Administration at Washington, he
is satisfied that to give the Negroes in the
South suffrage, while they are intermixed
with the Whites would result disastrously
to the Negroes that they would, in a con-
test with the Whites, who now, whether
lately their masters or whether poor White
men, entertain toward them an implacable
hatred, be driven to the wall: that the effect
of the War upon the Federal White sol
dierS has been to make them anti slavery
men; but at the same time it has increased
and deepened their pride of race; that while
Al oP
bic of rapid fusion on our SOIL the African
race is not race that can be brought to
form an element in that fusion; that for the
benefit of the races they should be scpara-
ted and the Negroes be colonized in con
tiguous territory in South Carolina, Geor-
gia, Alabama and Florida,,' and there in
vested with the same functions of Govern
mcnt that are enjoyed by the Whites in
her States; that the Negroes in Ohio may
be regarded as mere waits and strays of the
great body; that his plan of colonization
gives to the Black man political rights and
franchises without onorous terms.
These opinions he declares to be his per-
sonal opinions, for which he and not his
party is responsible; TINT if he shall be eec-
ted or defeated, they will have only such
weight or influence as their own value will
entitle them to- and 'that will not hinder
me him from giving cordial support to
the action of loyal Federal Government,
if other rie,os shall finally prerdH.
General Cox has not pronounced against
Negro Suffrage in Ohio or in the South
His effort has been to show that the two
races can not "harmoniously get along in
the same State, if they were made political
equals, and that, to the end that they may
be as free politically as the Whites OF Ohio,
he is in favor of driving or buying out the
White people of South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama and Florida, and forcing all the
Negroes to live there. have suffrage there,
elect Members of Congress, Governors, and
all that Ohio does now. Never did Don
Quixote undertake an enterprise more vis-
ionary than is this proposed colonization
plan of General Cox. lie is evidently sen-
sible of that fact himself, or he would not
avow willingness to adopt different views
at the suggestion Of other persons in his
own party. If at any time, he may have
opinions of his own. he does not propose to
set them up against the opinions of leaders
in his own party should they conflict with
his wn.-And this is the man we are asked
to credit with wise forecast, frankness firm
ness and determination. We think it mis-,
take to suppose our people are disposed to
engage in warfare to drive the White
people out of South Carolina, Georgia, Al,
ALBANIA and Florida, and colonize the Ne
groes there; or to tax the already overtaxcd
people of OHIO to buy the White people Of
those States out for that purpose.