The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-09-12

States, where circumstances have been
favorable to this amalgamation; gointO
on" cities, where affection has sought to
establish the happiness of the hybrid
offspring, and you will see that every
animal passion is more developed, every
moral quality more depressed, every
physical intirmity more exaggerated than
in either of the pure races. The ele-
ments of contrariety are so strong that
combination develops the worst qnal-
tiles of both. There is philosophic wis
dom in the governments of Libe-
ria and Hayti, which exclude white
men from political power. 1t is the
philosophy of the separation of the
races; not the separation of distance,
| but of communion. 1t affords to the
negro the only chance of independence
1T enables him to prove whether he is
capable of the cares of government. 1t
Is the same philosophy which is ex-
I pressed in the doctrine so often repeated
by Douglass, "that this is white mans
governments; established by white men,
To be administered by white men, for
them aud their pOSteritv.'
What iatereSt of the negro in Ohio
requires this change! Has the "hite
race oppressed him! His life, his lib
crty, his property, are subjected to ani
protected by the same laws as yours.
lie is taxed in the same manner. His
rights are protected by the same courts,
the same judges, the same jurors, the
same witnesses. the same rules of evil
dcnc" | never knew, never heard of
case, in which injustice was done 40 a
snitor because he was negro.
But this amendment not only ad mits
the Legro, but ii excludes the white
man. 1t excludes not only those who
have participated in the rebelliOn, but
those who have deserted or avoided the
drafts. BY its terms il would have
excluded all those who, having served
till the war was over, left their ranks
without permission, and were techni-
cally dcsertcrs. Here was dilemma.
Many honest men, especially many hon
est Republicans, would have been thus
excluded. There was not time to amend
the proposition. So the aid of Con-
gress was invoked, and it passed bill
which was called the "Ohio Deserters'
Bill" 1t provides that meu who have
left the service as have described shall
be considered deserters, so far as to de-
prive them of pay and emolument; but
not so far as to deprive them of suffrage.
That is to say. in the opinion of Con-
gress, they performed their duty rs sol
dicrs too badly to cntitle them to pay,
but well enough to be good Republican
voters.
But passing this view, is the PROPOSE
ton wise and benefcent Shall we ex-
clude any of our white citizens for a
political otfense' Shall we put such
exclusion in our Constitution, when we
do not put there exclusion for any other
crime! Shall we say that the boy who
was Just coming of age, who was too
honest to lie and too conscientious to
bribc, and too poor to buy a substitute,
shall he forever excluded because he
avoided the draft in order that he
might support his mother or sister, or,
perchance, orphans younger than him
selfl
Shall we say TO the men of Virginia
that Virginia which gave these five
northwestern States to the CniOL--that
those who obeyed the teaching of po-
litical philosophy which was universal
among them, or yielded to State pride
or sectional feeling, or foolish preju-
dice, shall be forever excluded from the
suffrage, but that the thief, the murder
er, the rObber, the fOrger, the perjurer,
the burner, may come and be welcome
to enjoy it
The tendency of the world is to treat
lenicntly political offences. Shall we
4 81, adj hn viz
dictiveness of vengeance to severity of
punishment Shall we repel the in
telligence and wealth and energy of the
white man, and invite the ignorance
and incapacity of the negro!
The Old World shames us by its ex-
ample. The Emperor of Austria has
pacifed Hungary-he has put on the
crewn of St. Stephen. On that day he
granted amnesty for all political of
lenses And the last steamer announces
that Kossuth--the arbitrator, the
great rebel, the conspirator against the
! life of the Government-is elected TO
seat in the very first parliament.
An astute observer and great histo-
rian has said: "The wise ruler never
treats the discontents of a great party
as he treats the conduct of n mob which
destroys mills and powder rooms. The
neglect of this distinction has been fatal
to governments strong even in the pow
er OF the sword"
He then referred to the condition of
the State finances and said:
In 1856 the taxes levied for all pur
noses in the State were eight million
IL, Il So. hnn1rn1 n nd thf rta
dollars and nincty-three cents (S,OO9,-
5l3 93) In lS66 they were sixteen mil
lion eight hundred and siXty-eight
thousand four hundred and thirty seven
dollars and thirty-four cents, (Sl6, ,S6S,-
4S7 34)-mOrc than twice as much, ard
this amount was increased by the alb
straction of nearly million of dollars
from the soldier relief fund, and its ap-
plication to the current expenses.
In Allen county alone the taxation for
State purposes has run up from eleven
thousand three hundred and forty-two
dollars in lS56, to twenty-five thousand
one hundred and eighty dollars. In
1865 the taxes for all purposes were up
ward of twenty millions. In that year
more than two millions were raised for
the SOlUleIS heliel uuu' AnO uOAV
year, fearing to lay additional taxes,
even desiring to appear to reduce them,
they took the money thus levied, IN
dnect violation of the constitution, and
applied it to The Sinking Fund.
They boast of reducing the State debt.
Let us see. In ten years they have paid
off one million ninety-six thousand two
hundred and sixty dollars and two
cents (sl, ,O96, ,26O 02.) Very good so far;
but have shown you that in one year
they collected twelve millions more
than in 1856, and in another year eight
millions more. In each year they have
collected, in addition to the taxes of
1856, eight times as much as they have
paid on the public debt during the
whole ten years. Igive the Republican
party full credit for the portion of State
funds that have been honestly applied
and am thankful they didn't take them
all.
In relation to federal finances, lie
said
The revenues Of the Government, de-
r;vad from taxation in 1866, amounted