The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-09-20

munities. of citizens Of the Republic. 1t is
so written in the body Of il, that Congress
shall have power TO pass uniform naturali-
zation laws. So that you have natural
born citizens. aud naturalizod citizens; aud
they are alike honored before the law.
Yes, when they organized the Govern.
ment, they took care not to put the word
"white into the Constitution, but did take
care to put the words "natural born oiti-
zens into il. What was the resultf IL is
"white mans Government" is itY Why,
the very irst blood shed for the assertion
OF your independence and the establishment
of your nationality, upon the field of Lex
ington, was the blood of black citizen of
Massachusetts. And when they came to
the work, after the victory had been
achieved, and the independence of the ma.
ton acknowledged, of organizing oon.
stitutional government of the United States,
in majority OF the States of the Union
the black men voted with white men, aud
the man who denies it is simply igno.
rant Of the history of his own ooun-
! try. This invention that it is a "white
mans Government is simply new in
vention, discovered in that same school of
modern Democracy in which was reared
the doctrine of secession and armed revolt
against a benefcent Government. New
York, twenty years later, altered her Con-
stitution of l777 which made all her inhab-
itauts citizens and entitled to eqnal poiti.
cal rights 80 as to impose disabilities on
black men in the electoral franchise. Penn.
| sylvania altered her ancient system of Gov.
ernn eut, under Democratic instrumentality,
in 1887. N,rth Carolina, which gave black
men the right tov0te at first changed in 1880.
So, you sec how the change was brought
al 1t. | admit that the slaves in the then
States { he Union were not perm ted to
enjoy any # the privileges OF freemen. But
it was not by force Of the Constitution of the
United States that they were deprived Of
their rights. They were simply held in the
original States, independent OF the Constitu.
ton, in slavery, as they had been anterior
to the formation of that instrument. But
wherever the black population was free, in
a majority of the States, they were citi.
zens, and participated in achieving indie.
pendence, and in establishing Constitu.
tion by voting for the delegates who framed
it or ratified it.
What has taken place These slave
States engaged in armed revolt. The mo.
ment they organized rebellion, that moment,
according TO the Constitution, it became
the right of the American people 10 strike
off the letters from every slave in the land,
and summon them to the defense of the ma
tion's life. The Government did do it,
Abraham Lincolt proclaimed liberty
throughout all your borders. These men,
emancipated from their thraldom, rushed
TO the defense cf your flag, and your armies
bore witness that 10000 of the black pop
ulation, made free by the PROCLAMATION Of
liberty, were in the army of the republic,
When you consider that the majority of
the black population were the slaves of
rebels, and within their territory, unable
to signify 10 the United States Government
their Willingness to serve it, the fact that
as large proportion of the black popula-
tion as of the free whites rushed TO the
defense Of your flag speaks well for their
patriotism. In reference to this, what said
General Sherman? "The hand that lays
down the musket must be permitted to take
up the ballot" That was the soldiers
opinion, the patriots opinion,
But these Democrats are whining through
the streets: You propose to enfranohise
the nigger and disfranchse the white man."
That is the point where the difficulty is. ]
think the black patriot is as much entitled
to vote as jeff. Davis, who is wti ing across
the border, or any of his followers. The
issue is upon us. One third of the whole
reputation of the South arc black freemen
They are friends of the Union; and if they
are to be permitted to @ main free, they
must be permitted to, exercise the rights
of freemen. Those States must have re.
publican government but how can Safe
be republican in its government where the
minority rule over the majority of the nat
ural born citizens of the State? | want
some Democrat to cypher that out In
South Corolna the black population exceed
in number the white population and what
sort OF republican government will that
be, if the white minority, who are traitors,
should rule the majority, who are loyal
men? 1t is just as well, now we are at it,
te establish Justice everywhere in the land.
And we say that all who have upheld the
power of our arms, or contributed by taxa
ton to it's support in peace, ought 10 be
permitted to exercise the only remaining |
duty of citizenship, the privilege of voting !
at the polls. | think it is the pure democ-
raoy of the century in which we live
The people of the UIi ed States have to |
get rid of that bastard Democracy which |
would dsfianchise every seventh man |
on account of his complexion. There is |
not man within the hearing of my |
voice, but will admit, if the negros com.
plexion was white, he should be al9wei |
to vote. In Gods name, why should that |
m IKE any difference, if he is known TO |
have stood shoulder to shoulder with |
you in all the struggles that have made |
and saved this Republic? Don't you think |
1t good rule, that whatsoever ye would /
men should do unto you, do ye even so unto
thenl?" You have the power, because OF
your superior numbers, to disfranchise |
four millions of Laturll born citizens of the !
Republic. Suppose the state OF things |
were reversed, and the black men had !
the power, would you have them deal
thus with you and your cli dren? If you
would not, you should not deal thus with
them.
These gentlemen say they are for the Con-
sttution, the great Constitution. which our
fathers gave us. Let them read in the |
forefront of that instrument, those words
that should be written this day upon the |
lntels OF every door in the land; "We
the people of The United States, in order
TO establish justice, do ordain this Constl'
tuition" etc. I aIn for the Constitution, too;
and equal political rights amongst all natur
al born citizens, in ever station of life, is
simple Justice. Therefore am for 1t aD1 |
in standing for it but initiate the great
majority OF the people, who, in 1887. formed
the Constitution Of the Government and
handed itdown to us as nation. ! am for
it and because in the long run justice is
your suTest defense. j am for doing jnstice |
to every man in the land, be lie white or
black. Do Justice to the weak as we'll as
the strong and thereby, rely upon it, you
will insure the permanence OF American |
Until that great day comes
when the heavens and the earth shall be no
more.