The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-24
The Last Democratic rrpedient.

From the Nation
The most influential Democratic papers all
over the country, led on by the Chicago Times,
nave begun to roar like young lions for impair
ual suffrage" Nothing short of this, it now
appears will make their minds easy. 1.-THE
Massachusetts system" which admits every
man to the polls who is neither criminal nor
pauper, and can give fair proof of his intelh
gence,is, according to the Boston Post, a sys-
tenn which commends itself to every reasonable
mind. The Post wants, therefore, to see il
adopted all over the country. The Democrats
are prepared for negro voting, provided it be
guarded from abuse by an educational or pro-
perty test. Now, we have read able demonstra-
tions-we remember seeing one within the past
year from the pen of one of the most accom-
plshed Conservatives" in the country-that
negro voting brings after it, as an inevitable
onsequence, "the admission of negroes TO the
dnner-table and the marrage-bed." The old
Democratic question: would you like your
daughter to marry nieger?" has lost
none of its force. 1t is just as much
a poser as it ever was. II would
stu wiring from most radicals reluctant but
decided negative. Whatever objections lay to
the black man as a son-in-law lie TO him still
Whatever made his presence at fashionable
dlnner parties or in the front peWs of fashionable
churches undesirable, makes it undesirable STILL
And yet here We have the conservative, fas-
indlous, constitutional Democratic party calling
Tor negro suffrage. Political equality, as they
have told us over and over, means social
equality; therefore, in calling tor impartial
suffrage they are asking us to do the accursed
thmg-eat, drink, and intermarry with the
descendants of Ham.
Nor is this the worst of the course they are
urging on us. Men may be forgiven if in times
OF great distress they submit to social humllia-
tlons. Even the old French mobiles were some
tunes drlyen by poverty to engage in trade. or
"deroge', nas they called il in the lingo of the
period. The unfortunate who meditatei this
step met the other MOBILES of his province, told
them the sorrowful truth, and gave up his
sword, to be returned to him whenever he chose
70 abandon the ledger and day-book, and pro-
perly purify himself Even in England, "the
spirit of the age" as the general need of money
IS sometimes called, is driving sc!ons of noble
houses to take refuge from the 'arro VS. of
outrageous fortune behind The counter. A son
OF the Duke of Argyll has turned wine mer-
chant and his example will probably be fol-
lowed by many another younger son. When
the framework of society is thus rudely shaken
aii over the world, the general resignation of
American Democrats to negro sons-ln.laW, and
the presence OF negroes at their dinner parties,
need excite no great surprise.
But, unhappily, this proposal to admit negroes
TO social and political equality is rot, we have
| been often assured on the same high authority,
matter to be decided on simply secular
| grounds 1t is not matter simply of human
interest or convenience. The condition of
the negro is not thing which lawgIvers have
4 the sole right to regulate on considerations of
poncy or convenience. We have the authority
OF the most erudlte. pious, and enlightened
members OF the Democratic party for stating
that the subsection of the negro to the white
man. political as well as social, was decreed by
the Almighty as punishment for the sins of
Ham, IRON whom the blacks are well known 10
be descended. Therefore, in whipping, work.
ing, and selling them at the South and in shut
ting them out at the North from all the pro-
fesslons and from all the higher calllngs-in
n condemning them by law and customs
to the lowest walks of life - we
were simply dong what the moon does in
rising or water in running down hill-obeying
law OF the universe, acting the agents of
the Supreme Power in executing one of its
4 immutable DEGREES; so that what the party now
asks us to do is not simply TO take to "low COM
pany," but to sin against heaven. Our "sOcial
i position we may damage ii we please without
damaging our soul A gentleman may marry
his cook or young lady hod-carrer, and
4 remain very vlrtuous person; but II we marry
n or give dinner parties to black people, well
knowing that we have been forbidden by Provi-
dence to do either, we are guilty of something
far worse than breach OF propnety BISHOP
Hopkins and the members OF the "Society tor
the Diffusion OF Political Information" made the
nation acquainted, in the winter OF 1928, with
its duty in this matter in words of solemn and
penetrating eloquence, although we had then
given no greater evidence OF our guilty ten
dency than our determination to fight slave
holders, and although most Democrats at that
Il period still adhered to their old faith with
unfaltering courage. Now, however, that lead
ing Democratic newspapers are found openly
advocating an organized departure from the
truth--a deliberate and preconCerted plunge
intO iniquity-we trust that these gentlemen
will again lift up their voices. Right is right
however circumstances or men may change.
So much for the teaching of the Chicago
Times from moral and religious point of view
Viewed from a political STANDPOINT, we can
81 hardly bestow on 1t any greater Commentator.
The growth OF party round an idea is the only
legitimate erowth-it is the only sort of growth
# that the moral sentiment of the community will
II tolerate. A certain policy, or, in other words,
the embodiment OF certain ideas in legislation,
commends itself, by degrees, to the minds OF
large numbers OF citizens. They desire to see
certain abuses corrected or certain improve
Z. ments effected. To give force TO their efforts,
Ell they come together, effect an organization and
become party" and struggle for power.
W But 1t is the previous possession OF ideas which
# justihes their struggle Tor power. They have to
be able to say: "We seek TO control the Gov
- ernment, that we may put an end to this evil
or effect that good.n If they cannot saw this
"a if they cannot show that they are standing on
some principle, they cease to be party and
n become slmply "a faction, or, in other words
|M an organized pest and nuisance, from which
every honest man is bound to withdraw all
countenance.
Now, the Chicago Times, and the other papers
~ which have folio wed IT'S lead, confess that their
reason for taking up negro suffrage is that the
elections have left the Democratic party with
out either principles or policy Some Of the
z measures for the support OF which the party
MA rose into existence, such as decentralization,
a rotation in Office, and general demOcTatizatiOn
--ifwe may be allowed the word-ot everybody
.i and every thing without rhyme, reason, or con-
|U tideration have been carried. Free trade,
which it once supported, it has abandoned.
Slavery, the protection and extension of which
it has fought for during the last twenty years, is
dead The party lived for three years after the