The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-06-28
Established 1928.

lie has committed the unpardonabl,
crime ofliving and existing But, per
haps. some extenuating circumstances
might be placed in his favor. That We
find him in this country, is not biz
fault. His ancestors were brought
hero against their will and withou,
their consent. That his treatment was
very bad, he is not responsible for
Very probably he even desired bet.
ter one. That his skin is black he can
not help. Probably he would, if be
could. And being in the world. he
must live; and it is the interest of the
community that be should endeayor to
live honestly, pcaceably and industri.
ously. Hence, why not allow him to
DO 50? Why not protect him in his en-.
dayor to do SO? With regard to suf.
frage opinions may differ. Some may
be Tor, and others may be against ne
gro suffrage. Still others, and am
myself among that number, may hold
tthat. as the Constitution now stands,
it belongs TO the several States to de-
termine the qualifications of voters
But these questions are not now before
the people. By freeing four millions
OF slaves and accepting the services Of
thousands Of black soldiers for the de.
tense of our common country, the
American nation has assumed a sacred
obligation TO protect them during that
transaction from an unsettled to set
tied state of affairs, which must neces.
sarily follow such a great social revo-
luton as the sudden emanci patton of a
whole race of bondmen. The national
honor is pledged for the protection Of
the freedmen. But how can that pledge
be redeemed? 1t cannot be done by
placing an agent Of the Freedmen's s
Bureau by the side Of every negro in
the South, but by securing TO the freed
men those rights which freedom, ac-
cording TO the American idea Of gov.
ernment, always confers ON men as
well as on women, on natives as well
as on foreigners, on residents as well
as on aliens and strangers, and in Ohio,
ever since 1919, on whites as well as
on blacks. If We wdnt the negro 10
live honestly, peaceably and industri-
ously, he mus. have the right to make
contracts tor his labor, and to enforce
their performance, 10 acquire and dis
pose Of property, to s1e and TO be sued,
to invoke the protection of courts Of
justice, in case he should be outraged
in his person or property, and to at
tend TO his lawful business without let
or hindrance. All this is nothing but
fair. and fairness has always been one
of the principal features Of American
character.
l have no objection to individual
State action in the premiscs. / wei.
come the Civil Rights Bill. passed by
the Georgia Legislature, rs a prelimi-
nary step in the right direction. But,
sir, the enjoyment Of mans inalienablc
and fundamental rights must not be left
TO the discretion or caprice OF either the
tndiCidaal States or the General Gov
ernment 1t ought TO be q necessary
incident to the simple fact of inhabit.
ing American soil. Hence, because we
hear doubts expressed, if Congress has
the power to secure civil rights by la10
let us secure them by Incorporating
them into the Constitution. Our Dem.
ocratic fellow-citizens object 10 civil
rights because they are not in the Con.
stitution; well, then, let us put them
there, so rs to place them beyond the
reach of State as well as Federal inter
| ference.
Our second obligation is one of good
faith 10 the national creditors. What
the people of the United States have
promised before the civilized word
must and will be fulfilled. The debt
incurred for the preservation Of our ma.
tiOnal existence, must be paid to the
last dollar and the last cent. The stain
of dishonest repudiaiion shall never
disgrace the United States. Not far
thing of what we owe will be left un
paid This is but the expression of
the moral sentiment of the American
people. 1t is the solemn pledge of the
Union party. The Democratic party,
however, is silent with reference 10 our
national obligations. 1t ignores them
in the platform of its conventions. 1t
sneers at them through its public or
gans. Not a single Democratic Con-
vention has declared in favor of hon
estly paying the national debt, This
silence becomes ominous when consid-
cred in connection with the repudia,
tion antecedents of that party. 1t is q
silence which bctokens evil intentions.
1t might be the silence OF guilty con
science, if there were such term as
conscience" in the political vocabula.
ry OF our opponents. I
THE POSITION OF THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY.
I am justified, then, in what 1 said
in the beginning of my remarks:
The Democratic party has not ac-
cepted, and does not recognize, the re-
suits of the war.
1t does not recognize our existence
as nation, but still clings to tho an
archieal notion that we are nothing
but partnership of sovereign States.
1t does not recognize the integrity
of the national territory. a
1t has not recognized freedom as a
national American institution.
1t will not protect the inalienable
rights of man against the tyranny
and cruelty of vindictive local majori-
ties.
1t will not redeem the solemn pledg-
es of the nation; it will not protect the
freedmen against the rebel, whom'he
fought under our flag; and it does not