Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1867-10-19
Honor to Ohio.

AOuUI w OhAos
The Republicans of Ohio elected their
Governor in go by 10000 majority,
and gave their State ticket last year
by the powerful help of Andrew John
son and Mayor Monroe-a round 10000.
The extra 10000 would probably have
slipped away this year; but, with an or
dinary canvass and no unusual issue,
They could not have failed to succeed on
every ticket by at least 10000 majority.
they have not been cursed with corrupt
legislators, as their brethren in other
great States have been; they were little
distracted by local issues, save that per,
sonal rivalries as to the pending U. 5.
Senatorship were quite likely to hurt
their Legislative tickets in several coun'
ties-as they did. They had simply to
stand still in order to be sure OF an easy
canvass and certain triumph.
They chose not to stand still, but to
advance. They were committed to the
principle of Manhood Suffrage by the &C
ton of their chosen representatives at
home and in Congress, and by the logic
of their position. When the Copper
heads were supporting Vallandigham fol
Governor and doing their utmost to
break down the War for the Union, the
Republicans called the blacks to do their
best in the ranks of the Nations defend
ers, and the summons was nobly respond
ed to. Denied voice in directing the
Government he fought to uphold, pro
scribed, despised, spit upon, the negro
took up his musket and went to the frort
while Copperheads were fleeing to Cana
da and skulking in every direction to
evade the draft. Hence, the late Legis
lature of Ohio, by party vote, passed
an amendment to the State Constitution
providing that color should no longer be
test of political rights-that Black
if loyal worthy citizen, should vote
and that deserter or dratt-sneak should
not. That Amendment was properly sub
mitted tc the people, to be ratified or re
iected at the late election.
Of course, it was understood that we
were to loose by it-how much, could
only be determined by the result. But
the lower half of the State, and especially J
the southeastern counties, were origl
nalIy and largely settled from Virginia
and Kentucky; and it was notorious
that many of their Republicans, would
resist negro Suffrage, while every Demo
crat would do his utmost to defeat it
The Republicans, therefore, with every
thing at stake, including MIR. Wade's
seat in the Senate, accepted-in fact
chalenged-ani issue which they might have
postponed, and thus transformed into a
hazard what before was certainty
They did what was right and just wher
they could not fail to lose by it, wher
trimming and low expediency would
have insured them against all danger
Tley have faults that might have harmed
them, but did not; they suffered because
they nobly dared to do right a littlC
sooner than all who have hitherto acted
with them were ready to do it. They
have lost the Legislature-they came
very near loosing their State ticket
because they were in advance of theil
time.
"What fools p exclaim the men wist
in their generation, who can conceive III
other end of political effort but to secure
and enjoy power-who test all things by
their immediate practical results-"why
not at least, put off the question OF Ne
gro Suffrage to a more convenient sea
son pas if a party, that has genuine
life, were not always sloughing off dead
matter and educating the masses to con
slider Justice first, and Success afterward
What individual ever acted nobly with
out daring and suffering? Who doe:
not realize that the best acts of his life
were those most misconceiyed, maligned
traduced, howled at? If the Ohio Re
publicans did not realize that black Suf
trage would be heavy load to carry
they deserve less honor thln we freely
accord them.
But they did know it. They delibe
rately chose to be right rather than safe
They chose to fight doubtful battle fol
great and good end, rather than accept
cheap and certain but relatively unim
portant success. And as the universe is
not product of chance, but under mora
government, we feel assured that events
will prove them wise as well as right
We predict that their present reverse
will prove their permanent advantage
that they will rise from it strengthened
and invigorated, and look back on it as
we do on the Bull Run of '61 and the
Mcclellan of '62. We only ask those
who doubt to wait and see.