The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-06-27

the Otnef OF gOOu 1altu tV our Ha-
tidnai creditors. 1fthe Democratic
party had had the power, It would,
tosaurl yerlasting disgrace, have fe
pudiated both these obligatioiis.- -
! Whatever the Union party tinder-
took toward the performance of
these obligations, met with the un-
qualified opposition of our oppo-
Enents. They opposed the war for
the suppression Of the rebellion
They opposed the abolition Of sla-
very. They opposed all measures
for the protection of the lives and
liberties of Southern Unionists.-.
And if our national debt is being
paid, it is done in spite of the Dem
ocratic party. If. it were not for.
the existence of the Union party, the
true genuine Democratic idea
would now be without q represen-
GOVERNMENTS are instituted for
the protection Of individual rights.
Whether the power necessary for
this purpose shall be conferred on
an aristocraey of a privileged few,
or many, or whether it shall bevest-
ed in the whole people, is the great
question which now agitates the pub
lie. mind in both hemispheres, in
England as well as in America. The
history Of the last few years has
clearly marked out the policy which
will be adopted by our people. And
this with your permission | shall
briefly proceed to show.
In order to fulfil our duty to the
freedmen by protecting their lives,
liberty and property, several laws
had been passed: by Congress which
proved insufficient. The amenda-
tory Freedmen's Bureau Bill was
passed. So was the Civil Rights
Bill. But these laws did not fully
accomplish their purpose. Their e1-
ecution depended on an unwilling
President; the machinery created by
them was too complicated and un-
swieldY; and their object was de-
feated by the determined hostility
public opinion in the States for
whichHthey were chiefly Intended
Thus far Congress in endeavoring
to protect the persons and property
-ot.the freedmen had acted on what
[ might call the European system
l4fpfotection, which is protection
from above downwards. That sys-
TEN proved insufficient; and it be
came necessary to resort to the
American system of protection
which is protection from below up
wards. The European system is the
inverted pyramidresting on its apex,
the American system is the pyra-
mid it's natural position resting on
it's broad square foundation. In
continental Europe the government
in order to protect those under its
charge, reduces them to pupilage
and leads them like children tied to
it's apron strings. 1t interferes with
everything and regulates everything.
You meet it at every corner. 1t
ipries into every mans business
You cannot lay your hands upon
any thing for which it has not pre-
scribed rules and regulations. That
system would never do for us. It
would be impracticable in view of
the extent and magnitude of our
country. 1t would be unsuitable to
the peculiar character, the self-reli-
ance, self assertion, and strong in
dividuality Of our people. Itwould
be incompatible with our funda-
mental idea Of self government
| For this reason it also proved i'm
practicable as means of shielding
| the freedmen against outrages and
{. oppression. 1t became necessary,
therefore, to apply our own sys-
tenn to them-our great American
system of Sc, ,f-protection-that is to
| say, of employing SUFFRAGE as the
principal means of attaining the
| ends of government.
Our system is based on the sup
position that a vote is much
stronger weapon than the club
4 of a policeman, or the. bayonet of a
tsoldier. We believe ia the educat-
, ing and civilizing influences and pro
, tective virtues ofthe ballot It con
tinually reminds those who form
the apex Of the pyramid that they
are dependentson, and responsible
to, those who form its base 1t re-
calls rulers apt to forget themselves
in the sweet enjoyment Of power, tc
sense oftheir true position. It has
a remarkable tendency to make
those polite affable and friendly
whom q little brief authority inclines
to be rude and overbearing If The
clerks in Dickens circumlocution of
e fee bad had reason to fear Mr. Glen
! nam's vote, they would have treated
him much better. Suffrage is
> powerful corrective of official inso
D lence, abuses, and inefiiciency. Iti
e a great lever Of impartial Justice
4 1t eleyates the lowly and tsde hum
: bic, it checks the naughty and tn
G influential. It provides an impor
$ tant safeguard for the public peace
: and teaches a wholesome respec
n for the rights and feelings of others
S thus lessening the necessity of re
It sorting to courts of justice. It is
s of course, liable to abuse and cor
:. ruption it may have it's imperfec
It tions and dangers, like every othe
d human institution, but nevertheless
e it's effects are wonderful
:. Relying on it's efficacy, we hav
q made it the basis of our institutions
:. 1t is the great assimilating agent i
f our social development. Let m
d illustrate this proposition by an e1
It ample. How different would th
) position. Of Of foreigners be, fraugh
+ with disadvantage and drawback