The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-10-18
Honor to Ohio.

] The Republicans of Ohio electe
their Governor in '65 by $4,000 ms
jority, and gave the State ticket las
yearly the powerful aid of Andrel
johnson and Mayor Monroe roun
10000. The extra 10000 woul
probably have slipped away this year
but. with an ordinary canvass an,
no unusual issue, they could not hav
tailed to succeed on every ticket b,
at least O,000 majority. They hav
not been cursed with corrupt legis
lators, as their brethren in othe
great States have been; they wer,
little distracted by local issues, saw,
that personal rivalries as to the pend
! ing U. S. Senatorship were quit,
likely to hurt their Legislative tick
Its in several counties-as they did
/ rney nad sfmpiy 70 stand still in or
der to be sure of an easy canvass and
certain triumph.
They chose not to stand still, but
to advance. They were committed
to the principle of Manhood Suffrage
by the action of their chosen repre-.
sentatives at home and in Congress,
and by the logic of their position
When the Copperheads were sup
porting Vallandigham for Goveror
and doing their utmost to break down
the War for the Union, the Republi-
cans called the Blacks to do their
best in the ranks of the Nations de-
tenders, and the summons was nobly
responded to. Denied voice in di.
recting the Government he fought to
uphold, prescribed, despised, spit
upon, the Negro took up his musket
and went to the front, while Copper.
heads were fleeing to Canada and
skulking in every directien to evade
the draft. Hence. the late Legisla.
ture of Ohio, by party vote, passed
an Amendment to the State Consti.
tuition providing that Color should nc
longer be test of political rights
that Black, If loval, worthy citi.
zen, should vote. and that q desertel
or draft sneak should not. The
Amendment was properly submitted
to the people, to be ratified or reject
ed at the late election.
OF course it was understood that
we were to lose by it-how much,
could only be determined by the re.
suit. But the lower half of the State,
and especially the south eastern
counties. were originally and largely
settled from Virginia and Kentucky;
and it was notorious that many oI
their Republicans would resist Negro
Suffrage, while every Democrat
would do his utmest to defest it. The
Republicans, therefore, with every
thing at stake, including Mr.. Wade's
seat in the Senate, accepted-in fact
challenged-an issue which they
might have postponed, and thus
transformed into q hazard what be
fore was a certainty. They did what
was right and just when they could
not fail to lose by it, when trimming
and a low expedicncy would have
insured them against all danger
They have faults that might have
harmed them, but did not they suf,
fered because they nobly dared tc
do right little sooner than all who
have hitherto acted with them were
ready to do it. They have lost the
Legislature-they came very neal
losing their State ticket-because
they were in advance of their time.
"What fools J" exclaim the mer
wise in their generation, who car
conceive no othef end of political
effort but to secure and enjoy power
who test all things by their imme.
diate practical results--"why not, al
least, put of the question Of Negro
Suffrage to a more convenient seas.
on pas if party, that has gen.
uine life, were not always sloaghine
off dead matter and educating the
masses to consider Justice first, anG
Success afterward. What individual
ever acted nobly without daring and
.~arsx.as2 Who dnes not -r0aliz<
that the best acts of his life were
those most misconceived, maligned
traduoed, howled ats If the Ohio
Republicans did not. realize thai
Black Suffrage would be a heavy load
to carry, they deserve less honor
than We freely accord them.
Bnt they did know it. They delib
crafty choose to be right rather thar
safe. They choose to fight Q doubt.
full battle for a great end good end
rather than accepta cheap and Ger
tain but relatively unimportant sue
cess. And, as the universe is moi
the product Of chance, but under
moral government, We eel assured
that events will prove them wise a:
well as right. We predict that theil
present reverse will prove their per.
manent advantage-that they will
rise from it strengthened and invig
Grated, and look hack on it as we dc
on Bull Run of '6l and the Mcclellan
of e. We only ask those who doub
to wait and see.-N \. Tribune.