The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-04-12
THE DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLE.

History is q record of temporary exps-
dients. Politicians, statesmeu, generals,
kirgs, seem to have scted merely in be-
half Of selfish or local interests, without
looking at the great principles which un-
derlie all humau progress.
Neverless, these principles work on,
gathering new strength from all the
movements Of society. Slavery and serf
dom we're abolished in the two greatest
nations of Christendom. The former was
done 80 ''WaF measure" to aid IN the
suppression of rebellion; the latter as
stroke Of state policy. for the purpose Of
oVerthrowing the pride of an iDsolvent
and powerful aristOeraey; but the effect
is the came as if Christian philauth,opby
we're the motive in each case. Freedom
of religious opinion is almost universally
guaranteed. France. England, and
Amsrica, three of The most advanced ma
tons. are shaken to their centre by the
agitation in behalf of universal suffrage.
The legal disabilities formerly imposed
upon women are gradually being remOv-
ed. He must be blind indeed who do ss
not see beneath the surface Of these move
ments the working of the great principle
Of Universal DemOcraOy.-equal political
rights for every class, color and sex.
Yet people are blind. Every new
movement in this direction meets with the
stsrnsst and sturdiest opposition from all
the forces of political and religious con
serVatism. The party of emancipation
fought slavery thirty years before she fnal
victory. The brave men and women who
formed the vanguard of progress faced
the bilterest hates and pc resolution. They
we're denounced as fanatics, lunatics,
crack Drained champions of one idea
Mob law aud foul invectives were the on
~ arguments which their enemies deigu-
ed to use against them. Scarcely one Of
the religious denominations of Americs
took q decided stand against slavery
such as made slavehOlding disqualified
ton for membership. Now that the vic
tory is won, all parties, religious aud
political, join hands 10 congratulations,
and Garrison, Lucretia Mott, and all
that group of Granting fanatics" have
become popular saints,
Negro suffrage was logical sequence Of
emancipation, and the latter has drawn the
former in its wake, almost without a
struggle. But female suffrage is differ
ent affair, and its advocates meet with
precisely the same sort of opposition,
from the same elements of society, as
that which the old anti-slavery party en-
dured. Now. as then, there is no at
tempt at logical controversy, simply be-
cause every argument which ever was or
ever can be adduced 10 favor of suffrage
for black or white men, applies with equal
oogency to black aud white women; and
so the opponents of the movement. as for
merly, are compelled to fall back upon
sneers, calumniss, and blackguardly bel
lingsgats, as the last resort. Against fe
male suffrage, as an abstract right. not a
syllable of logical argument has ever been
even attempted; its opponents content
themselves WitE bom6ardmsnt Of foul
epilhets.
This is a golden hour. both for the
far-seeing statesman, who tries to square
his public acts with Gods law of eternal
justice, aud for the selfish. sharp sighted
politician, who is aiming to foat on the
crest of rising tide. Both classes are
in the field. struggling against the I'M
reasoning inertia and bitter opposition of
society. The battle may be long one,
but TIE victory is as certain as the great
truth that absolute Democraoyis the social
order of the future. The grand priuci-
pie of human fraternity knc ws no failure,
no re action, no pause; its course is
straight onward. because it is the truth
of God. Its champions can afford to be
sneered at, and to wait, for the future is
theirs, aud their children will do justice
to their memory. +