The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-08-29
Established 1926.

NJ tnoth' II - y OespOtlsm that tn
people bave erected over them
selves. But we are told that !
despotism does not roach us her,
in Ohio 10 such a terrible degree
it is all over the seceded States
among Judge Thurman's old friend
and associates who, in the war time
looked to him for support. Will,
Vallandigbam went down on a mis-
sion TO advise them Of the ways anC
means whereby they could conquer
our Government, that was libera
enough to let a condemned traitor
come before the people and spou
rebellion, Judge Thurman was lcf
at home to take care OF the wound
ed. [Applause.]
WHERE THE DEMOCRATIC sYMPA
THIEs WERE IN THE WAR.
When your brave boys in blue
took their lives in their hand and
went forth 10 battle for the govern.
mcnt. and were so unfortunate as
TO fall into tho hands of the trai
tors, and be sent 10 Libby Prison,
or AndorsonviIle, or Belle Isle, or
where they may have been starved
10 death, did they receive any
commiseration at the hand Of Val.
landigham and Thurman2 Not a
bit Of it. No, sir all the sym.
pathies Of those men were for the
fulfilled and well-cared for privates
we got from them. When your
wives and daughters were provid.
ing every comfort they could get
for the poor men who fell in the
great cause, where were Vallan-
digham and Thurman, who want
your votes for the Democratic par.
ty? They we're ministering to the
rebels. Tburman's house was the
headquarters for allthe untortu.
nate rebels. He shed crocodile
tears-or | guess they were real
tears-at their condition. guess
they we're real te lrs, for he is at
heartan enemy ofthe Government.
There is no use in mincing mat.
ters now. That great war was an
ordeal TO try mems souls. There
was no middle course to take, as
Mr.. Douglass we'll said. Kvery
man, at that day, was either a pa.
triot or traitor, and a rebel to his
country. Where was Thurman
then2 Did he commiserate your
poor soldiers when they fell into
difficulty? When our nation lost
q battle did he mourn? No, sir /;
he exulted rs jeff. Davis did. And
when your arms triumphcd, his
neart sank within him, because he
wished the rebel cause to prevail /;
and now he comes round canvass.
ing for the votes of the men who
stood so faithfully by their coun-
try in this time of peril. Is there
a man within the hearing of my
voice, who opposed Vallandigham
in 1868, in that great controversy
lis there q man 80 low that, hav.
ing refused 10 vote for the bold
traitor, Vallandigham, will vote for
the milder one, Thurman As for
me, like a bold man better than
sDeaking one. God knows, il |
had q choice to make. would pre-
fer the open traitor, Vallandigham,
rather than the Shiny, insidious
traitor, Thurman.
IGNORANCE NO BAR TO CIVIL RIGHTS.
l am not for striking off any
from the list, because l hold thai
the wise and the ignorant, the rich
and the poor, are equally entitled
to the rights Of citizenship. 1t is
q principle Of natural justice, that il
q man lives under government
he must have q right to participate
in it. | am glad to say that those
people whom your Legislature has
referred it 10 you to say whether
they shall be voters or not, are in.
finllely above the class | have al,
luded to in all that intelligence
that qualities men to vote right.
And l am glad to know that in or
der fora man to discharge his du-
ty right he needs not be pro.
found jurist, or an accomplished
scholar, or q great statesman. If
it was, this Government of ours
would be absolutely impossible.
That would bring you back to this
pink Of aristocracy. Some gentle
men who had been through the
mill, and become qualified with
scholarship, would have to certify
that you were qualified to vote.
No, sir, the affairs of the Govern
meut are not so complicated as that
comes to. All that IS essential in
a free Government is for a man TO
wear in his bosom an honest heart.
That is all you want. Men know
the difference between right and
wrong, and there is no difficulty in
ascertaining whether this or that
man is right or wrong. Is there
any man who claims the right TO
vote for himself, who does not
know he would no more part with
it than with his life, and that he
would brand the man with infamy
who would take or withhold it !
He knows when he claims that for
himself, that his neighbor, what
ever color he may be, ifhe is not a
criminal, has that same right, in
exactly the same degree that he
has. a.
Will any man tell me why he
has not?
WHY THE IGNORANT NEED THE RIGHT
TO VOTE.
You say he does not know as
much as You do. So much the