The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-08-30


seutimeutof honor aud humanity would
then demand that we should be guaranteed
all our rights.
Again, we do not know that black vo.
ters have ever worked any i'll to the Gov,
ernment. The fathers Of the country never
brought such q charge as this against us
True, they were diSfranohised in some oil
tho States from 1880 TO 1885, but this wac
done at the behest of the slave power, and
who now thinks that a safe criterion We
can safely affirm that from tho formation oI
the Government until now the votes and
voice OF the colorod people have beeu as
their bayoncts now are, always on the side
OF their cOuntry's interests. What is The
difference in right bayoueting aud righI
votingg Is not one always accompanied
by the other 7 Their votes once secured
Andrew Jackson seat in the Legislature
OF Tennessee by seven majority; aud more
than once, their votes turned the scale OF
tho right side. They. have never beer
foolish enough, despite their ignorance. tc
vote on the side Of their oppressor, and in
this respect theirs and their countrv's in.
terests are incidental. And we think the
chief difficulty with our opponents to-day
| is the certain knowledge that our votes
cannot be appropriated to their political
| aggrandjzement. 1t cannot be what they
affect TO believe. WeyotcG Tor Jackson, aud
are they better than heH We voted for
Jefferson, and are they w;set than he 2 We
voted for Washington and are they supe
rior 10 hm2
Second objection, Equalityl "Nigger
equality shouts our oppOreut Violates
his mother tongue for the unholy purpose
of uttering what's false. Voting is not tho
test Of equality, aud whoever says so is o
stupendous blockhead! Women do not
vote Are they inferior to men? Bat
we have known men TO vote from manhood
to old age, aud all their voting has made
them neither honest, wise, industrious,
temperate, nor impaired to them anything
bnt low, degraded life. Men form their
associations in life according to character.
wealth, intelligence, and not according To
any political right conferred. There is
moral standard by which to estimate con-
duct, and the low and degraded caunot OK.
pect to be regarded with the same favor
as he who lives life trained to the strict.
est virtue, This is true, despite political
privileges. 1t is to this moral standard
that we appeal when the question of equal
ity is TO DO decided, Voting is not the
standard. Voters of the same political
faith often fail to recognizes each Other
when they meet, hold no intercourse with
each other whatever, because the distinc
ton is one pertaining to character, and
not to privileges. We know white men
who cannot buy pound of butter with.
out the money, while others again can
receive endorsements to the last dollar
they are worth upon the simple bond of
their word, irrespective of color. What is
fla
of treatment Aye, this is what we are
hoping for in politics, as it now is in dol
lars and cents.
But, equality before the laws, mean,
says our opponent. Well, to n considera
b c extent, we are equal before the W,
aud yet dare not have it otherwise. lis
cre any crime for which the law would
punish you and exempt me? Does not the
civil law compel the black man to observe
G lnlracts, Jay debts. taxes and claims his
allegiance jlst the same ns it does tho
white man? Does not the Judge sitting
upon the tribunal of justice, deem it be-
meath the dignity Of the law to pronounce
its decision in reference to man. black
though he may be? Why is there no com
plant about this? j
We are equals now. Yes, we have al
ways been afforded every facility for going
down hill, and now that we want to come
up with other pilgrims everything is be.
ing said that a wicked heart could sug-
sest. What we want is just this The
privileges of the law as well as its penal |
ties. We have been receiving penalties in
extra penalties in the
shape of black codes, and we insist
upon trying its advantages. Gentlemen,
can't You concede this e? s |