Weekly Trinity journal. [volume] (Weaverville, Calif.) 1857-1972, 1866-01-27
Consistency a Jewel.

Not six months since, every .Copperhead organ
in California was ranting and swearing by all
that was good and great, that the question Oh
" negro suffrage" was an issue then fairly Delore
the people at the then pending election ana III
nearly every locality where boiling Union
candidates took the stump, they united with the
Copperheads in the same hue and cry, quotln9
from Union journals and orators to establish the
fact that that question fairly an issue, and
there way of Citing around it. WE'LL
the election came off, and the Union ticket was
triumphant throughout the State; and now,
if these Copperhead journals, the Copperhead
stumpers, and their boiling allies, with every
man belonging to their party throughout the
State are to be relied on as journals and men OF
veracity that tissue was decided by an over
whelming majority in favor of equal rights to
the negro at the ballot box. At least the
negroes seem to think so, for they have petit
toned the Legislature to the end that the ques-
ton of equality at the ballot box may be sub
mitted to Il vote of the White people, i'll the form
of amended Constitution. And now, If the
Copperheads and their journals are not fearful OF
trusting the decision Of this question to vote of
the white people, they certainly would above ell
Others urge its submission at once. But they Will
not do this They are unwilling not only that
the negro should VOTE but they are unwilling
that the white man shall vote upon that issue,
which, according to their own declarations, has
been decided against them at the late State
election.
Resolutions never 90 backward. The time Is
not far distant when the question of equal in
alenable rights to all of Gods intelligent, ra-
tional and accountable creatures, i'll that OF life,
liberty and the persut of happiness, will have
to be met at tie ballot box of every State IN the
Union and no man except the prejudiced and
purblind can avoid the conclusion that this issue
is assuming a national form at this time, and no
: l,a Last
link of the chain of slavery is broken, and equal
civil and political rights extended to every
American born free citizen, regardless OF the
particular hue of the skin or curl OF the hair.
The demagoguc wailing about . social cquali-
ty' and ~ aboltionists' will have exhausted it
self and promptly refuted by the sober argument,
that, every man and woman choose their own
society," and that the greatest "abolltlonlsts
living have never accomplished half as much to-
wards the abolition of slavery did the seeding
oppressors Jeff. Davis and his accomplces in
treason are the men above all others that the
negroes should be mostly indebted to for manu-
mission was it not that the intention of Davis Co.
was, to riret the chains of slavery more firmly
As a party the Unionists of California are in no
haste about the . universal suffrage" question.
They know that it is plain question of equal
rights to all free men, which sooner or later
must be conceded. 1t requires time and educa-
ton always TO wear out old preludlces improper
" inculcated and mbibed in early life, but
equal rights will be prominent element IN
popular education everywhere from this time
forward and the time is not very distant when
those blatant babblers who now strain their
lungs in denouncng equal rights, will swear
Peter like that they "never were OF that
party" and will be first and foremost in " crook
ing the supple hinges of the knee to those they
now call :. Cufy," in order to get their votes at
elections to elevate them and their friends to
places of power. When their rebel friends OF
the South shall have presented to them an addi-
tonal amendment to the organic law OF the ma
ton, basing representations on the r0fH9 instead
Of the entire population of the country, there VIII
/ be great anxiety to know what course the Cop
perheads will recommend and pursue with any
show of consistency. VIII they not oppose suct
IN amendment? And then when the amendmen
is ratified by thrcc-fourths of the States vii
they not be clamoring loudest and longest fol
negro suffrage which they BOW pretend &c
abhor?
The Seccssionists and Coppcrheads can nc
longer hold in bonds the body of the colorec
race and their last and dying struggle is to fct
ter bind and imprson the natural, civil. political
and intellectual rights of that down-trodden race
This is the great conflict now raging in Congress
! The negro must be free or slave. Re-enslave him
or give him protection. He is at liberty to cnslavC
himself or starvc.-NaJysrHe -1Rpeat,
Thot cubinct * bainr nrptt Y