The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1866-09-20

body gets his Fingers Esurnt.
! Mr.. Clarke had his appointment for
a meeting in Edenton. notified in the
Courier and by posters for two weeks,
aud the Copperheads, with full notice
of the same, and with view to break
down said meeting, got out posters for
+, one of their own at the same time and
! place. The time arrived for the meet
ing the Union people assembled ii the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and just
as Mr. Clarke was about to commence
his speech, he was handed a paper CON
tainipgeleven questions put in as often
sive language as could be chosen. to
which answers were demanded. This
was very uncivll; 4 first, try to run his
meeting down by holding an opposition
one, and, falling in that" walk into his
meeting and demand that he9heglect his
own audience and pay Immediate atten-
ton to his opponents, by consuming his
time upon their impertinent questions
But Mr. Clarke was self possessed, and
saw alta glance that he had the nine wise
gentlemen whoa,were put forward in
this enterprise, and that he could skin
them alive; and he, did it to the entire
satisfaction OF all parties, and to the
everlasting remembrance of the nine
wise men who were inveigled into the
trap .'t "'" '~' '' ho- ..'f
We submit below the questions, and
answers following, that the readers can
see how beautifully this shallow device
Of some low flung political wire ,puller
up in Wayne, Tor mayhap of BataviaO
was turned back upon its inventors with
crushing effect: Fra sln.. s.. ,,,. .. ,..
QUESTION Do you indorse the law
that exempts the bondholders from pay
ing taxes on said bonds, while we boys
have to pay the taxes, at least our por-
tion, after serving three years TO put
down the rebellion, While you bondhold-
ers remained at home and enjoyed ease
and comfort? ...
Nix. CLARKE's ANSWER: You SOL
diers enlisted under promise from the
Government that you should have
certain stipulated sum per month;
would you not have thought your Cow
ernment very unjust if, after it had got
your three years. service, it had in
formed you that it did not intend to
stand up to its contract, but that it
would make you take less sum for your
services than it had pledged its faith you
should have when you went into the
army? Now, the Government told
those who took its bonds and furnished
money to carry on the war, that those
bonds should be free from State taxa
ton. Don't you think the faith of the
Government just as solemn and binding
in the one case as in the other? But
you insnuate that the bond holders are
rich. Suppose it is so; where do YOU
find authority for violating contracts
with men because they are rich ?
Would you steal horse from man be-
cause he is rich, aud feel you had done
something to be proud of? In myjudg-
ment, the man who would steal from
rich man would steal from apoor man,
if the opportunity presented itself. No,
gentlemen soldiers, | propose to have
the. Government stand faithful to its
contracts with all men. If bad con-
tracts are made, take care when new
ones are to be made that you cure the
errors of the first. I am in favor Of
equal taxation; tax the rich in proper
ton to his riches, aud tax the poor in
like manner but | am not willing to
ruin the credit of the nation by repudia-
ting its contracts in order to draw mon
ey from the pockets ofany of its citizens,
rich or poor. eudse. aot sr8 ~ eq, ..- ?
@. q Are yousin favor of theme
groes exercising The right of suffrage
with us? if not, why did You vote for
such law in the District Of Columbia ?
A. I am not now, and never have
been, in favor of negro suffrage in Ohio.
Here, we have laws that give to the
black man bis civil rights; he is recoS-
nized as human being, and as such
protected as any other citizen; he can
sue and be sued; hold property, selland
convey it; can make contracts and en-
force them by law; can testify in courts. /
But in the District of Columbia the ne-iI
gro has no rights the white man is bound
to respect. Even the money Of black
men is taken by tax and put in the
hands of white men to educate white
children. The District of Columbia
sent thirty-fye hundred black men as
soldiers, who fought three years in the
Union army; it sent its white soldiers,
who fought three or more years in the
rebel army. The white rebels, on re-
turning, vote rebel votes and the ne-
groes, If allowed that privilege, would
vote as they fought--on the Union side.
l believed then, as now believe, that
d loyal negro, who had fought three
years for the Union, is as safe to trust
with the ballot ii the District Of Colum-
bia as the white traitor who fought
three yearsin the rebel army, and ! have
not found a loyal white man, in this
country who is not of like opinion,
And further, the negroes of the District.
of Columbia are not the stupid, igno-
rant, degraded creatures that certain me-
graduating politicians would represent
them. They numbered, in 1860, about
$4,000; they had taxable property
amounting to one and a quarter mil
lions they have twenty-one Christian