The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-06-04
Political Equality and Social
EqaaIity--Can One Exist with
out the Otller3
To the Editors Of the ENQUIRER:

AS the political issue now is, for and
against political negro equality,it is high
ly necessary that every citizen should in
yestigate the matter with great care, in
order to come to proper conclusion as
to the effects of the adoption ofthe prop
osition.
1t is an ineontrovertible fact that the
advocates of this political measure have
arrived at the issue by gradual approach
es, and have very ingeniously concealed
their intentions until they have succeeded |
in enlistips tie prejudices and sympa-
thies Of large class of the people of
the State. urt
But this is not as surprising as it is to
fnd these.same men now trying to con7.I
ceal the real and inevitable effect Of the
measure if adopted, They still persist
emily deny that political equality $50
eial equality. But can one exist without
the other2 II gTsgsai ssdls VIA
S Ifathere,isostillllto to, be distinction on
account of color, after the adoption of.
the measure, is not the last condition OF
the poor African CD worse than the first?
All political rights are conferred by
law; all social rights arc nero ofsprings
of political rights, and both are protected
and maintained by law. se@
Now, invest the African with full po-
Etical rights, andmhe must necessarily
have the same social rights; and being inr
vested with these political and social
rights, he has the same law to maintain
and protect those rights that the white
citizen has;aand herein consists a full ex-
position of the whole matter. ~ -
r But admitting, tor the sake Of. argu-
ment, that political equality is not social
equality, and what will be the result
then? . td2aelis rad,sf ~f F.ss4- ~
| There still will be distinction on ac-
count Of color. What will this distinc-
I ton be, and what will be its effects upon
society2 Heretofore the negro has. been
the inferior OF the white man. To say TO
him, ''you are an inferior" would only
elicit AN affirmative response. There
Twas no conflict because the white man
4 occupied the white mans place., and the
negro occupied the negro's place. The
I distinction on account Of, color was re.
4 eognized by all parties as the natural re.
4 lation of white man to black man. There
being no political equality, there coulc
| be no social equality. s e
4 The white man provided laws for him
self and laws.for the black man, and boil
4 heartily concuTed in. those laws as Wis
and just, and as emanating from the trut
1 political power of. the country. 49, ag
4 The white man provided schools for th'
d whites, and schools for the blacks; ant
! the white children attend the one, tn
black children the other. ~.
All these things moved on as harmoni
ously, dsif they had been suggested b
the wisdom of Him who created the whit
man and the black man. : a
Butnow it7is proposed to disorganiz
all these political and social arrangements
l and if it was in the power of man. t
undo that which God performed whe
He created the negro, and SO far re
: form His act of creation as to change th
: form, color, feature and intellect. of tn
negro, SO as to correspond with the polit
g ical and social changes proposed, th
$ whole thing would no doubt disappoin
the most Skeptical. And that underta
king would doubtless be as easily accom-
plished, as to change white mans natu
hral feelings of superiority over thos
{ whom God himself created his inferior
4 in color, form, feature and intellect
In the absence of political prejudice
every one is compelled to admit that thi
distinction on account of color has its OF
h igin with God himself, and that all al
: tempts to equalize the classes and races {
human beings, by him created unlike, b
y commingling the races, wall lower th
: one and degrade the other. IF this
J not true, why did not the Creator himse
! establish this equalization? Is man CT
pable Of doing more than his Creator2
But, to return to the argument, thi
political equality exists and social equa
ity does not. What is, the result? I'll
negro is clothed with equal polite;
!, rights, and yet is considered an inferic
J being, and is excluded from the soci
= privileges enjoyed by those possessing L
9 greater political rights. Then what2-
The races are necessarily separated, p'
:, litically and socially, and separation nj
:, cessarily leads to jealousies, jealousies
J. difficulties, and difficulties to the saddle
calamities. If there is no political or i
i gal superiority, social superiority mu
,e necessarily be maintained by force.
= What other solution can be offered
,e the proposition? If the negro and h
friends are unwilling that he should r
- main inferior politically, what reasc
: can be urged for their being willing f
) him to remain inferior socially?
Then we are driven to the point whel
there is distinction on account of colo
: maintained in opposition tothe rights al
70 -inclination of the negro. He will strui
:, gle to rise, but the superiority Of 4
master will hold him fast by power th
Sc does not relax for moment The resu
m is struggle-a long continued and d
1t termined struggle. Now if this strugg
to could maintain an equilibrium, We ha
arrived at solution of the difficulty.
r, But that is not possible. One or the OF
le er must necessarily be unhorsed. If
m is the white man, social equality is esta
lished. If it is the black man, in ord
Of to end the struggle he must be depriv'
is of his weapons-his political rights
)f that he can war no longer; and then !
Of have merely fought from center to -ei
Is eumference, and from circumference
le center again.
There are multiplicity ofireasons, vi
this distinction can not be maintained.