The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1867-11-16
Uhy SI.Owid 10 ComtimweY

liNlr Uohtuty. Euoinueu " .. u. HootneOn u
20. baltimore, Nd, ct 81 90 per year.
temmHaicaied.
Why ShOmid 10 COHtimWe?
As figures cannot lilo, let us sec what they say
about universal suffrage. Let Us take that
gauge and see what the result will be. Let Us
see whether they justify democratic or q Re-
publican policy.
l. il either republican OF democratic for
d3l .0so whites 10 deny $1,000 blacks the use
of the elective franchise In North Carolinaf
We take IL that the pet phrase OF the rebel de-
mocracy. that 1.-The majority must rule" cannot
lind an illustration In the above dgures. even
by its most liberal construction. else the major
ty might. with impunity. ostracize the minor
ty at any time. Such an idea 10 subver-ivc of
every democratic principle.
II such notions are 30 obtain sanction, fir.
ginia. with 10000 whites, now denying. in
theory. the ballot to So, 900 blacks. could upon
the same principle, deny the same right a. all
white men who take sides with the blacks, pro.
vidcd the whites thus designated were. IN com
binaton with the blacks, in the minority.
though that minority has but one voice less
than the majority. In other words. p3,gyy
whites and 5SS.0o0 blacks can be pstrsciscd By
G26.UoO whites. 10 any one insane enough Ia
attempt justification Of this! Yet these are
the facts the opposition ask " 10 endorse; these
are the pills We are asked 70 swallow these the
dogmas we are asked IA psrpetust..
Alabama, with $4,000 whitss, ostrAciSrs
49, 900 blacks. The word Alabama signifies.
here let me rest" II II is 70 DO applied 10
her political position. respecting the distribu
ton Of the elective franchise. may the word
never again be uttered until the bugle OF uni
versal ju,tice has heraldcd the glad tdings oi
the black mans enirSnchisement from her eve
ry hilltop.
n Louisiana. the difference 10 but slight 10
tween the two races. There $1,000 whites
IN Aaaak =
/ placing the destiny Of 3sO.OOO blacks ut the
disposal Of 1909 whites. How ioes this state
81 affairs accord with pure democracy --dcls,Oc
racy IN the strict sense Of the word, These
$4,000 blacks constitute the foundation upon
which the agricultural. commercial and dnan
cial prosperity Of the State rests. They are her
laborers; their elevation involves the nlvance
ment Of the State in wealth. industry and gu
| terpris". AZ they are advanced. the Stat pro.
crosses ~ prosperiiy and greatness. Not a
pound oi produce leaves the State that does no,
bring into it, equivalent in money or money I
worth not . pound leaves the STATE whose or.
alton cannot be traced 10 her sable faced citi.
zens. Her labor 10 her wealth; yet her lnborel
cannot control his in comings ~ out suings.-
lie is allowed NO voice in any policy that may
influence his wages for better Or worse; he has
no say ia the imposition Of taxes that he help.
To pay. in an indirect way; HE plea is not al
mitted: he has no means OF controlling the
price II u pair 81 shoes Or . pound Of cheese al
u yard at cloth. What he gets from mis- Ioliti
cal master. In the shape of wages, IL controlled
by them in quantity. while the price OF every
thing necessity forces him ~ buy 10 ia the Gu
/ tire control Of this same class--trom one paint
oi view. in the hands of 1900 whites j. thi,
right aud just, and 10 there any justification
| for its continuance.
Georgia contains SVl. 900 whites aud 1885,
blacks the former denying to the latter the
right to the elective franchise This 10 certainly
not an illustration VI the JeiiersoniAn idea, laid
down in the Declaration of Independence. that
!" oil men are created free aud equal and arr
entitled u the same inalienable rights, 4" life
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness. There
eau be given no tsnable theory upon which this
anti'repablie.n principle eau safely rest. But
il the principle 10 good whore the whites are in
the majority, 10 il not equally good where the
figures are reversed! n u Is republican for q
majority Of whites ~ disfranchiss Q minority
Of blacks. IL is also republican for . majority Of
hlacks :" disiranchise minority Vi whites
I The argument IL ~ good In one instance as the
other li il apple. ca the one side. 30 II does
ta the "th-T.
II u is republican for Virginia, with 7lV,Veo
whites. Z" dsfrsnchise 5ss.eeo blacks. Il Is also
republican ior Mississippi, with kss,eee blacks,
8" disirshrhise as5.vOU whites. This 10 q tens
III" statement. How can our opponents ~ uni.
v"rssl suffrage reconnile this Inconsistency
u Il - rrpuhliuan for North Carolina, with
ao.thi''lr .oAo ssAii6,. 10 disirsnchise one
third 'rko arc biaek.. ills equally republican for
San,h ta,oliRs With her ". thirds 'eAe are
bfacks :" disirlhchise oas third 'oAo ars nAiies.
South 'afolina Is ~ fair an example 81 repub-
lirnhism. with slt.v0v blacks ostracising 3vl.
oan whit >. ns 10 North Carolina with her ssl. ).
on1 whiir. "sirscixing Jsi o0s blacks
u = srs' I" l"ok things squsrvly in the lace.
What are We 10 do in the midst 81 this pcrplex
ing dil"mm. bu. accept the situation and con.
r"de the Pfinciples
Maryland. with an aggregate population Of
aboni :ea.s"v s"uls. has nearly l5S 200 African
"itiH-n-. "r sbout one fourth "f her inhabits hts
are "i that etass.
Il u ~. for any .ne ~ claim that IL 10 Re
publican for State Ia have lie organic Law 81
! arranged ~ 60 allow but ihTee. fsurths Of her
population voice iB the choice of her rulers OF
the ia ping IT her polcy. II 10 absurd for one
4" claim that n g''vsrninsn, thus organized 10 =
government deriving lie Just lByweFs from the
consrn, II the governed" The theory aud the
iaris conflict A continuation Of the facts can
Ice 81 ~" servire 10 Republican principles. IL
will Certainly not cultivate . spirit Of pride in
the br-ast- of the disiranchiFed class for the
STATE aud her institutions. II will not inspire
the clas- 81 prrs.,hs excluded frvin the ballot
hox with al abiding devotion ~ the government
that thns puts = ben uI'on thsin aud grants =
bN'n I" thousands of othsrs. lees worthy aud
! less pntri,aie
WHEN We apply th. figures +, given locali
ties. the '%ids bss,ssne alarming. The average
"i the stat" 10 one black 10 three whites ba,
when The isst u applied 10 so,ue of the lower
coun,i~. y.u will and ihs, there ere two blacks
Z" on~ white. chaFlss @sunty. having seventy
years ag. white population % iU.oeo souls.
now b.. hut s.see whiies aud ie.eee blacks -
! The . n"" whites de- all the votisg- -cantrol all
offices sud LEGAL institutions af The caunty. 81
/ though. IN rslne instances, the wilhLrn val Of
the n-sr, custom aud patronage iron msr
chants sud trHdsslnvn. who are growing wealthy
l thus. aud consequently enhancing the value ~
/ the IF''lr'tty 10 the caunty, aud thereby inerea
ling the lI.'w oi taxes inla the treasury. would
invols" these traders IN ansncisl rain. yet the
I very indivi duals whose sweat coins the wealth
oi the esuuty are allowed NO cay IN the sxpcn
,liiuFc - distribution II public money. though
The entire amount may b. spent ~ The preju
dice of their interest. The caunty officers arr
the ch''ic- Il the whites slons they shape the
policy aud expenses oI the county the
taxes order the expenditures aud pay the bills
i'm all II which the black man has dire-t
inicfrh sud in none of which he is allowed n
voice. Nor does this apply Ia Charles county
alone. The sane ecu be ssid of number Of
other '''untiesi but his. II oceurTed 10 us. best
suited Osir lluTIose.
Vet with all this. lhs present Constitution of
the State gives every county thus populated ~
many delegates In the I.sglslatuFe-us much
rcpreseutatlon-as though these men wsre I'll
white. The tU.oeO blacks In Charles county
have .. much representation ~ Ieeep whites
IN the Que are allowed " vote sna The blaeks ~
the other are not This 70 virtuaily giving syseo
white men in ape iocallty - much power 80
is.eee thoasands have IN sons other place.
Under such glaFine lneensislsneles ~ lhess,
can Ne say We are living under . republican,
form u RoveFnmentg Are such things right
aud jusls Are they dsmocrsticl Can ths 10.
vesiigaiing COMMITTEES 81 Washington fail b,
pronounce such an ARRANGEMENT Ia political
machlnery 81 anei.Fepubllesn faFm u govern.
menti u they can. then Who will explain Ne
meaning Of the wordai