Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-04-12
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We proudly present to our readers
to-day an amendment which the Gen.
eral Assembly, by three fiftbs ma
jority Of both Houses. has submitted
to the people, striking from the Con-
stitution an absurd restriction disfFan-
ehising about $500 loyal citizens and
property holders in Ohio on account
Of the color Of their faces. This re-
striction is a relic of Democratic sla-
very barbaTism, coneOcted in she in
tsrsstoF a few trafiekera in human
flesh who, failing to rule, determined
20 ruin rs, and who have repaid our
accommodating and elastic legislation
in their interest By bloodshed, treason
and devastation. Il sprung from big
Otry, has been sustained By prejudice,
and is a shame and disgrace TO the in
.telligsnce of q free and generous peo-
pie.
The Section which it is proposed TO
amend ia the first of fifth Article, and
reads: g Every s0hite male citizen Of
the United States, of the age of twen-
ty-one years, who shall have been a
resident of the State one year preoed-
ing the election. and of the county
township, or ward in which he resides,
such time as may be provided By law.
shall have the qualifications Of an
eleotoF, and be entitled to vote at all
elections. This Section, It viii be OBJ
served, disfFanchises every person who
is not ''Wkite" and simply because be is
not white. As though the mere color
Of the skin had anything to do with a
mans competency to cast ballot -
Why there is not q man, woman or
child in the State who is perfectly
white, and if this ridiculous statute en-
acted in the interest Of shareholders,
we're strictly and literally enforced,
notN ballot could be cast within the
broad limits ofOhio. Show as man
who is perfectly white and we will
show you an anomaly in nature, or
rather an abnormal irregularity entire
ly out Of the course Of nature. No one
who never saw a ghost (which may mean
Democracy ever saw such thing, or
probably ever will And yet we are
continually told In lingo, as ridiculous
as it is vulgar, that this must be only |
a sohits mans government, and that
none but agsite men can vote in Ohio I /
To such extreme and senseless follies
have our prejudIoes, or rather the /
Southern aristocrats who have taken /
of our preiudioes, led usl
Had the section above quoted, in-
stead Of excluding from suffrage per.
sons who are not white, excluded those
Who have limited property or educa-
ion, then perhaps the restriction
might have had the sembIance Of JUS
lice or reason. Now it has that of nei-
5heF-not even of common sense. III
i we're not so barbsr1us and unjust, it
would be simply ridiculous Only Gus
TOM makes it respectable, and but for
that the people of Ohio would wonder
sha { by tolerating it they have so long
.isked the stigma of bigots or fools. A
nan may acquire property or sduea-
ion and in spite of restriction ofthat h
kind qualify himself for the franchise.
2ut he cannot turn one hair white or
black. If you exclude him from the
ballot box because his eyes ars blue.
u his complexion dark, you bar him
IS effectually rs if you were to cut his i
hrOat or cast him in prison. You do ]
worse you fix upon him legal infa- {
ny because OF what you assume IS q
lefeot Of nature. You not only per- 4
'etrate gross and unwarrantable in I
1stice to the man, but you set your I
elf up as the judge of his Maker who.
on say in effect, should have made
i'm differently. And has it come to !
bis that human constitutions, partic-
larry when framed By Democrats at r
be behest Of Shareholders, shall pre- a
ame 20 supply defects in the laws of 2
FOd2 The Democratic party and press 8