The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1866-08-30
[For the Record.
Negro Suffrage.
EDITOR RECORD:


EDITOR RECORD: ..h
Under the head of "Oppositior
Argument" prepared by one o.
their number" in your last issue
there is an article "head-lined'
"BUTTERNUTs FEAR NEGRO EQUALITY
NEGRO SUFFRAGE" We waded
through that column and a half
carefully searching for the "argu.
ment;" but alas We found it TO be
another "Rump" hoax The "ar.
gument" was not there. 1t was the
play of Hamlet, with Hamlet left
out. We found in place of "argu.
ment," several propositions laid
down, as "Butternut propositions"
and admitted to be true-a great
many assumptions-some Scripture
and "our theory" submitted; but
the argument, the reason, to sup
port "our theory" or disprove tho
charge, against the Radical -Rump-
Republicans, Of their favoring ne
gro suffrage, was non est. 1t may
be that the writer reserved that for
another column and a half next
week. We shall see. But let us
look, for a moment, at the point
the writer tries to make. He lays
down, what he calls a "Butternut
proposition" in these words, "God
made the negro for a subordinate
place in society and government,
and limited his capacity to the
sphere He intended him to fill" This
he admits to be true, and correct.
Now if the writer had known as
much as a "Clam," he would have
closed right there, and saved an 9TH
erwise damaged reputation for as
tuteness. BY that admission, he
had proclaimed himself a subscri-
Der to one of the cardinal doctrine
Of the "Butternuts," and worthy to
be taken, on probation, into the
Butternut fold. Butunfortunately,
the writer did not know as much as
q "Clam," and did not close at the
right time, but pro ;eeded, in his pc
culiar wandering style, to carry on
a dialogue with an imaginary "But-
ternuL" and this "creature of bis
fancy" charges him, and his party,
with being in favor of negro equal
ity; establishing that equality by
legislation, extending the right of
suffrage to "cuffy." Thereupon the
makes desperate, but fu-
tile effort, at an argument. He
mixes up, the Creator and the ne
gro-politics and religion-until
he does not seem to know just what
he Is trying to do. With a clinch-
ing "Well sir, take your first prop
osition:" "God made the negro your
INFERIOR" "can the Union party by
legislation, destroy an essential DIFF
erence betaceen taco races"-Well
that IS a stunner! Can't you see
that ''imaginary Butternut" trem-
bic in his boots-provided he is so
fortunate as to have any boots in
which to tremble. But if We were
to judge the Obstructive powers of
the so-called Union party, by their
(almost) successful efforts to des-
troy the Union of these States; and
to destroy the Constitution-and to
destroy everything else that is
worth preserving in our govern
might be led to fear,
that they could destroy an "essen-
tial difference" in almost anything.
They "are mighty" to destroy.-|
But the writer goes on to ezuciaate
land says-'To make the propo-
sition palmer: if the Creator has
actually made a distinction, (as we
think he has) between the white
and black races, and given the pref
erence to the white, legislation can
not remove the distinction" Now
we think we understand the writer,
but we are quite as we'll satisfied
that he does not understand the sub
iect, upon which he has attempted
to enlighten the voters of Vlnton
county. |
1t is evident, that the distinction,
or difference which the writer has
in has mind, as established by the
Creator, are those ola purely phys
ical characterize form of the
body-color of skin &c. Is the
writer willing to say to the voters,
of Vinton county-"I thought yoa
feared the removal Of these naarks Of
distinction h,y Io15eInJso,, ID Wbv