Litchfield enquirer., 1867-05-09
The Foreign Vote.


 our Republican papers regarding the for sign vote since the election To this vote our defeat is undoubtedly owing. Senator Ferry says, "Of the votes cast for the Dem ocratic candidate flor Governor more than one-half were cast by citizens of foreign birth, and of those citizens more than the majority which the Democratic candidate obtained, were citizens who were natural ized within the three weeks prior to the election"
 Now what the Republican party main tained was, that this foreign vote ought on principle to go with us ; that it's present po- sition is an inconsistent one. Such it un- doubtedly is. Most of the men who emi- grate from Europe to this country would have been classed, at home, as radicals The Irish are so to a man most, we presume, of the Germans, also. The radical party of the Old World, too, sympathizes with the radical party in the New World they stood by us manfully during the war they glory in our success, and use 1t as their stron nest argument in favor of Manhood Suffrage.- The European aristocracy, on the other hand supported the Confederacy and the Democ- racy, during the war; supports the President and the Democracy since the war Under such circumstances is 1t surprising that we should complain when the very men of the peoples party in Europe, so closely allied with us, should, on coming to America, seem to turn against us. We propose to review briefly the causes which have led to 50 remarkable a result.
 In the first place it is only since the be- gining of the war; and especially since its close, that the Union organization of Amer ica has grown to be regarded as the great hope and head of Liberalism in Europe as we'll as in America. It Is now we'll enough understood that Charles Sumner, John Bright, and Garibaldi, all belong to the same great party; and there is little danger that any intelligent Liberal emigrants will, hereafter, be misled by it's name and past professions into joining the "Democracy.'' >
 It must be remembered, however, that most who come to America, take their pol itics at first from those of their countrymen whom they find here. At the time when emigration commenced on a large scale, the Democratic" party was, we think, the most radical of the two; though neither the old Whig nor the old Democrat dealt largely in that article. At any rate the Democracy" making louder professions, and claiming to be the legitimate heirs of the Jeffersonian Republicanism which had been the ally of the European radicalism of its day, attracted the emigrant vote. The Wings, to make the matter sure, dab- bled in "Native Americanism When the Republican organization sprang up, although infinitely the most liberal and radical party that had been seen since the time of Jefferson, it was at first somewhat tainted with "Americanism." This blem- ish, however, gradually wore out as the earnest Liberalism of the party increased; and when, with the opening of the War, the ''Union' party arose, and became the ex- ponent of radicalism proclaiming first, Universal Liberty, then, Universal suffrage; we had at last rue radical, real demo- cratic party
 This great fact foreign-born citizens have been, indeed, slow to recognize; but are not masses of men always slow to change their political affiliations? Moreover, 8 great change has taken place. A great proportion of the Germans have voted with us for years. There can be no doubt that our large majorities at the West, last fall, were greatly swelled by the Fenian vote. In the East, we see as yet but little change; but if we only hold firmly to the great principle that the suffrage is the right, not the privilege of the citizen, it will surely come.
 Our greatest drawback is in that lagsard Republicanism which has already cost us two thousand black votes and the last election. It IS very common belief with men of all parties who have money, that there should be a property qualification; with men who have intelligence, that there should be an educational qualification; with men whose complexions are their only title to distinction, that there should be "color'' qualification. All or any of these distinc- tions it is we'll enough for "Democrat'' to make. We cannot afford any such sacri- flee of principle. The least objectionable qualification is an educational one, and it is one which, even lately, we were inclined to favor. Such is not our present view. however. It is wrong in principle; and while we believe that it protects no one. i, might easily be perverted into most dan gerous instrument of oppression.
 The Legislature.
 The Connecticut I aois s1atr1ra hoe pou