The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-09-12

Nny nOt give MIN the DaiiOt
The arguments against it come Of
prejudice, and will not stand the
scrutiny Of honest, candid investi-
CATION. W
Z. 1t is said be is not worthy IA
vote side by side with the Dcmo-
Gratis of Ohio. There was time
when the Democrats of Ohio did
not feel SO toward the negro
When the draft pressed sorely up
on them then tho negro was a
clever fellow; and so.long as ono
could be found the Democrats had
comparative peace; when tho Negro
became scarce, the Democrats got
scarce also. The negro advanced
to the front and met the enemy
the Democrats, or many of them,
went 10 Canada. In making up
the quota of a call for 100000
more, the negro was equal to any
Democrat but when the end Of the
war comes, he is only niger :
When tho enemy pressed the Union
troops hard upon the field, 2OO,-
600 of these emancipated slaves
throwing down the shacklos Of two
hundred years, seized the musket
and with valiant hands upbore the
I.
old flag in the face Of death and
danger; and 10000 of them testi.
fed their loyalty and devotion to
their country by shedding their
blood in the conflict. Whilc the
negro fought for the country, the
Democrats made q war in the rear
and organized the Knights Of the
Golden Circle.
While the negro contributed his
mite to aid the Union wounded sol
dier as he lay bleeding and dying
on the ground, the Democrats Of
Ohio raised ten cent contributions
TO aid the tried, condemned and
banished traitor, G. L. Vallandig.
ham to live in Canada. While the
negro guided our armies through
the country upon safe roads, and
our escaped prisoners to the land
OF safety, the Democrats organized
to resist the draft, and carried on
rebellion in Holmes county, Ohio.
Don't compare the loyal negro SOL
dier 10 the. bloody handed rebel.
1t is an insult TO tho negro. li
But it is said he is not intelli-
gent. But he was intelligent
enough to know bis friends from
his enemies. For many months
the negro in the South looked for
the coming OF the Union army, and
when it came, to q man they aidcd
it in all possible ways. Ho was
intelligent enough to distinguish
friends from enemies, tiaitors from
patriots, Union men from rebels;
and this intelligence will qualify
him to vote. Why, since the pas
sage of the franchise law in Ten.
ncssee, we have had a specimen of
the intelligence of the negro
Eight rebel Democrats run for
Congress, and oight ioyal white
Union men run against them. The
negroes voted, for and elected all
the Union men, and not one rebel.
They would not vote for the traitor
Etheridge, but they did vote for
Brownlow, and he had $4,000 ma.
jority.
Who can point TO finer exbibi.
ton Of intelligence of race of
people which had been down trod-
den in the worst of slavery. Let
US have a large amount of this kind
of voting and the negro will speed.
lily establish his claim to frst.class
intelligence. Set up a standard of
intelligence, and the negro will not
suffer tho greatest loss; tho Demo.
Gratis know this, and dare not adoDt
it.
Why should he not voter The
arguments have no force, and we
must fall back and take new start
in our investigation. In this coun-
try it is desirable to give the ballot
to all men if there is no good rea.
son why ho should not have it.
The presumption is, therefore, in
favor OF tho right of all mon to
vote, and the burden of proof is
upon the other side to show dis
qualification. Let US look at this
proposition. Children arc denied
tho right to vote, because while
under ago they are held to be ua-
der and subject to the control of
their parents, They are not al,
lowed to own properly. They have
guardians to transact business for
tbem. And hence they are not
taxed--hence they cannot vote.
The criminal, tho felon who vic.
lates the law, and has been con-
victod thereof, is not permitted to
vote for the men who wiliully
break tho laws of the land ought
not to have q voice ia making the
laws, THIS isa good reason against
him.
Tho wife does not vote in Ohio
because Of the theory of the law
that she and her husband being
ono, she votes through him. "The
twain being ono flesh" and tho hus-
band being responsible for tho acts
and support of the wife, he does
tho voting. This is the theory of
tho exclusion Of women from tho
ballot Tho theory may be u false
one. 1t may be tha. women ought
to vote. When that issue is pre-
sonted, We shall DO ready to meet
it and settle it upon the basis al
ready indicated. But this is the
upon which the right is do.
nied.
Lunatics do not vote. The rea.