Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-09-05
Dispateh--The Negro.

numbers, quotes few remarks made
by Judge NASH in the constitutional
convention, on motion to strike out
the word white. We presume that
there is nothing in what Judge NASH
then said, which he would now seek to
unsay, which he would not repeat
under the same circumstances. The
remarks quoted BY. the Dispatch, we
are told, were written down and read
by the Judge at the time. They
were written, also, with care, snd if
the editor of the Dispatch will re-read
the remarks with attention, he will
see that not one word is said about
the qualification of the colored popu-
lation for the exercise of the elective
franchise. The objection is placed
entirely on the ground that public
opinion in Ohio Das not then prepared
for such a change This is the sole
reason given for not emitting the
word white at the time. That was q
sufficient reason at the time, as such
body as the convention was, was
compelled to consult public opinion
in its action; it would have been idle
to run counter to that, whether that
public opinion was reasonable or
unreasonable.
But have not things changed some
wha. since then? Has not public
opinion changed also somewhat since
that. Between then and now has in
tervened this great democratic rebel-
ion, and its suppression. During this
righteous war for the determination
of the rebellion, the colored man has
fought side by side with the white
man, and done his heroic part in
saving the life of the nation. The
colored man is and has been q union
man, as was seen by the union victo-
ry in Tennessee the other day. The
old corrupt democratic party is striv-
ing to reorganize itself by again unit
ing with its rebel friends at the South,
and thus aspiring again to get pos
session of the offices of the govern
ment In this contest between the
Union party Of the whole Union, and
the democratic rebel party, it is not
strange that the Northern rebels
should howl over negro voting, since
the negro vote at the South will Sc
cure Union party there and Union
delegation in Congress, and South
ern Union vote for the next Presi-
dent. This voting Of the negro at
the South is the death of the rebel
party at the South, and disappoints
all the aspirations of the rebel party
of the North, IN their wicked crusade
against the union men of the North.
1t is the most natural thing in the
world that the rebel party in Ohio,
with Thurman at Its head and the
Dispatch at its tail, should howl all
along its line against negro voting,
nor should union men be frightened
at this howl, since they would gladly,
to secure power, deprive every union
soldier and man of his right of vot
ing, if they could do it with safety.
1t is not the negro that these rebels
object to; it is because the negro will
vote the Union ticket. At the South,
the rebel leaders, by the most abject
flattery of the celored man, sought
to win him over to vote for his ene-
my; it was only when they found that
the colored man could not be cheated
into voting for his enemy, that the
howl was raised against the negro as
a voter.
This Constitutional Amendment
ought to be no party question; no
Constitutional Amendment should
ever be made party question. A
large body of the people called for
this vote, claiming that majority of
the people were now in favor of this
change; the General Assembly, by
submitting the question to vote,
simply enabled the people to express
their opinion on this subject. If a
majority are in its favor, it will be
adopted; if majority are opposed
to it, it will be defeated; and surely
every true honest democratic should be
satisfied with the action of the ma
jority of the people.
1t is a matter OF no moment in
Ohio, whether the colored population
vote or not The whole vote will
not exceed 5000, out of an entire
vote of over 100000. This small
fraction cannot influence the elections
in this State to any extent, while
negro suffrage at the South is the
only means of securing power to
Union men in that part of the United
States. And it does not look very
consistent to sec us saving the Union
by colored votes at the South, and
refusing the colored man the right
of suffrage in Ohio. It is no longer
question of prejudice, it is now a
question of the Union or rebellion;
and we much prefer that the negro
should vote than that rebel should.
The rebel party in Ohio wants
rebels to vote, and not Union m en-.