Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-07-18
MARTHUB, yINToN COUNTY OHIO THURSDAY JULY 49, 1867

Farty.
Let me see. What would the leaders
Of that noble party have said to our
State plattOrmP ZOuDdsl But wouldn't
they have knocked those planks out
Clay upon . Negro Suffrage platform T.
can hear his bitter denunciatious Of
the fanatics, as be termed them, yet
But he is dead. Still / revere his mem
ory, and sometimes feel that the Wing
party ought to have adhered to those
principles. OIL but those were proud
days for me. l was q member Of a par.
" was proud of, and our leaders we're
among the greatest statesmen tho world
ever produced. The immortal Websterl
But then he was no radical either. l
wonder how | came to be Radical? We
used to talk about Jefferson, Madison.
Washington, and host of others, and /
lind that not a single one of them were
Radicals. | could not have followed any
of them. But for some cause the old
Whig party was abandoned. had been
used to battling the old Democratic par-
ty, and naturally took sides against
them. l was always opposed to slavery
in principle, but l detested these rant
ing, meddlesome Abolitionists.
So really wonder how I came to be
Radical. During the war was.a bit-
ter war man, it is true. lost two noble
sons. They were averse to the war, but
| preached until they consented to make
the sacrifice. Poor boys I never saw
them again. The old farm is neglected.
My poor wife is discousolate. NV
daughter will never forget those terrible
days.
| visited my sister in Georgia this
winter. Poor woman. Her husband
and. sOn fell victims also. My sister and
daughter kneeled beside the grave of the
Confederate dead and wept. Then when
she visited us we knelt around two more
graves and shed tears over the graves of
the Federal dead. Her farm is deyasta,
tod minO neglected. Hor homo is dos.
olate; mine is so also. Aud yet I'm d
Radical.
l wonder how l came to be RadicsIp
My days will soon be at an end. The
farm ms father gave me will pass to 9th. |
ors. Will they ever enjoy the home-gike
happiness we used to enjoy Will the
owner be a WhigP Will he be proud Of |
country and love his home?
There goes Black man. He used to |
be our house servant. Poor old Tom / |
His days are almost numbered. too. Let |
me see. l am q Radical, and am in IA. |
vor Of giving Tom vote. What Joke
thatwOuld have been when l used to be
. Wing. Tom and l going to the eIec-
tion together. Tom voting with me.
Really, l can hardly see how all this
Is. "
And yet I'm o Radical.
l used to argue with neighbor Brown
that l was follower Of Washington.
Jackson and Jefferson. 1 guess / could
hardly claim that now.
But l have followed somebody or I
wouldn't be Radical. Let me see. I
voted for Fremont, but as he was defeat
I'd and has never been party leader
since, did not follow him. Then I
voted for Lincoln. Imust have followed
him. But the Radicals abused him.
He could not been of them.
They say now that Mr.. Lincoln was a
Radical. cant think so. l heard his
speech at Columbus in September, 1859,
and heard him say: 4 am not or ever
have been in favor Of making voters or
Jurors Of Negroes, nor of qualifying |
them to hold Office or intermarrying with |
Tho white people; and | will say in addis
ion to this that there is q physical difS
erence between the white and black
aces which believe will forever forbid
he two races living together on terms Of
Iocial and political equality
Now, that looks sensibls. At least
when neighbor Brown used to accuse me
If being in favor of Negro Suffrage, |
lsed to deny it and asserted if the Rec
publican party ever adopted that as q
blank in their platform, l would desert
he party and vote with him.
But I'm Radical, and l reckon l must
lave lied to Brown. ! owe him another
'polOgy.
But I've followed some one and who
t is I'm at loss to know. / certainly
lever followed Butler. I always deteSt.
d thief, Aud besides, If had fol.
owed him in one thing | would natur.
lily follow him iu another, and would
re this have had noighbor Brown 8 prop
rty principally on this side Of our d.
ision line. couldn't have followed
'tanton, for as much as | revered Mr..
lincoln aud detested bis murderers, |
ave always held, let NJ. Surratt be in.
Iocent or guilty, she was entitled to a
air and impartial trial, and her execu-
ion without suOh trial was q murder,
eoond only ic magnitude to the murder
If our noble President. No. I never fol, +