New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-15
r IT. ON DEMOCRACY.

r.
Will some philanhropist give to Mr.. Fernando Wood
Dictionary Of the English language' He calls hlm'
self ga Democrat perhaps be thinks that he Is one
perhaps he is not quite ready yet for the gnomny OF
an alias but as be evidently does not know what " a
Democrat" is, or what Democracy" means, we pro-
pose without any charge for tuition TO enighten him.
We quote from Webster:
DEMOCRACY n-Goyernment by the people.
DEMOCRAT. H.-An adherent TO a democracy
Now. to enlighten our neophyte still further, We
gives
PEOPLE nPersons 10 general body Of persons In COM
munly.
Now. by way of further illustration, we quote the
following from Mr.. Woods speech at the johnson
meeting in the IXth District, on Friday evening last
alluded TO the conventions day and spoke very sneer
iney Of neg sitting in such dgnhed assemblies CERTAIN
parties wished make those upon whom the Almighty had
set the Of HIS disapprobaton ou dees or oar
the workngmen OF this city wish negroes to become their
compctitors II there any distinction between negro and
New England Abconst that distinction is In favor oil the
negro"
Does Mr. Wood believe that those Blacks who vote
under property qualification in this State have the
seal Of Gods disapprobaton set on themi Ii not,
then does he suppose that God has more respect for
property than he has for humanity Is it religious
duty to keep Blacks from voting under any crcunl'
! stancesl And if the same "seal of dsapprobation
is found SGT upon Whites, is Mfr. Wood prepared to
exclude them from exercising the right OF suffrage
Will he say will he dare to say that he is prepared to
disfranchse Whites who are ignorant and unintell'
GENT Not he He would cut off his right hand be-
fore he would soy it! 1t is the color of the Skin
| then not the intellectual moral deficiencies, to
| which he objects SO Mr.. Woods democracy"
after ALL is only skin deep SO We have always
thought and so we now fluid it logically proved to be-
Nobody is forced to profess to believe what IN his
heart he does not believe, and it is mean and dis
graceful thing for the sake of filthy ucre and personal
cmolument aud political advancement to be babblng
every day of ones life what one thinks to be lie
Mr. Woods democracy" with Mr.. Woods limita-
ton, is not worth brass fIrthng-it becomes at
once "aristocracy" Of very mean and contemplate
kind; for if there is in this world one thing more de-
serving than another of the scorn of all honest men,
it is the demagogy which picks and chooses its pets
and which uses the prejudiccs and passions of one
class to Cypress and swindc another. "Do the work
ingmen of this city wish negroes TO become their COM
petitorsi" Competitors in WHAT I'm earning fair
and honest livelihood Why not if the workingmen
of this city are fair and honest themselvesl Why
should they refuse to give any man fair and honest
chancel Nobody asks any more than this for the
Black in this city, in South Carolina, anywherc and
whoever would deny this would be very likely to
swindle his partner in business.
But even the most bitter prejudice cannot be con-
sstcnt a. If there il any distinction" said +. W.,
" between a negro and New-EnglGnd Abolitonist,
that distinction is in favor Of the negro" Yet the
New.England Abolitionist is white. God has MT set
any mark upon him more than upon Fernando Wood
r he prepared to dsfanchse all AbOlitionsts
Would nj that be rather sweeping about this time
And why should he stop there Why not dsiran-
ch,e all members of the Republican party, all Demo
Gratis disagreeing with Mr.. Wood, ali men over six
feet high if they have also red hair and Snub noses
In fact according to his theory, everybody would be
cut off from voting except Mr. Wood and his own par
tcular following. Nicely limited our elections would
be
There may be arguments against admitting Blacks
30 the Right of Suffrage, drawn from considerations
Of expedency and if So we are willing to listen to
them; but we are not yet prepared to go to Mr.
Wood for an exposition of the intentions of the Al
mighty. Such men always talk as if they were spe-
cally inspired and as if they had particular theo
logical mission to settle our civil polity as Moses
settled that of the children Of Israel Before yielding
to their dictates, We should like to see their commits
sons; aud we must request Fernando if he is going
on at this rate to work a miracle two in Union
square by way of proving his inspiration. Mr.. John.
sons fervent and effectual pety do MT doubt but
+. vs.. is a staggcrer.