The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-07-18
Negro Equality.

Dhl lIc Wy blhb hfOHDS Oul All
others is that Of social equality
We are charged with an attempt TO
put the negro on n footing Of equal.
ity with the sensitive, refined and
superior Anglo.6axon race. II is
q grieyous charge. II pains US be-
yond measure TO think we should
be open TO .sneh an imputation -
Our principal difficulty is TO know
precisely what is meant. The laws
governing social intercourse are
| s2lf enacted, and lie outside any
other influence, l make another
my associate and companion If l
find such other agreeable, and in
turn am subjdct to the same iufu-
ences All the be.it,cnacteds ever
crowded into statutc-book could
not force Mrs. Jones 10 call on and
associate with Mrs. Muggins, un-
less Mrs. Jones was SO disposed, and
then she has to get tho consent Of
Mrs. Muggins. Old Hickory, who
made nearly all obstacles bend be-
fore him, broke down Ignominious
| ly whom he attempted TO force a
certain lady on tho social recogni-
ton of the families of his Cabinet.
And Louis Napoleon at the head OF
the heaviest despotism OF Europe,
backed up by a million of bayonets
cannot mako the old nobiesse Of
France associate with him; and yet
we are told that if our Constitution
is so amended as 10 admit negroes
to the polls, we will be forced TO eat
with negroes, work with negroes
and sleep with negroes. In word.
that political equality means social
equality. How absurd. =. -.3
Let me give you a familiar cx-
ample Mr.. George IL. Pendleton
is gentleman of high social eul-
ture and refinement. lie has ar.
rived at the proud eminence of be-
ing the one gentleman Of the Dem.
ocratic party. Well, | learn from
the press that he resides in a pal
ace, called the Bowler mansion, and
is surrounded by all tho elegances
of modern social refinement. Now
when Mr.. Pendletou gives an en-.
tcrtainment, does he, like the man
in the parable, go out into the high.
ways and byways Of the 18th ward
and fetch in the Irish patriotic cit
izens he probably addressed the day
before? Certainly not. My friend
George, and am proud TO call him
my friend, would be Justly aston
ished were the ragged paddy-whack
voters, his political equals, to in
wade his lawn and pour in at hi
door to claim a social recognition
My honorable friend would prop
erly call in the police, and forcibly
eject the Irish equality.
We are told that if we repeal
certain constitutional law the ne
groes will associate with us. Let u
look at this for moment. |
means that unless restrained b,
law The negroes will associate will
us. Not that we viii associat
with the negroes. We are the su
perior race, and hold the vantage
ground-we need no law to re
strain US. The cry means this,
it means anything. Well when i
comes to that, | want each fellow
to speak for himself. We, of th'
Union organization, shield our
selves under tho law of God tha
makes the distinction between tn
races, and we are so well educatet
and refined, we feel in no danger
) and ask for no statutory protec
ton. II our Democratic brethren
t however, find themselves different
ly situated, and foei that they ar
5 in danger of negroes associatin
> with them, why we will pass q la
prohibiting the negroes unde
heavy penalties to so encroach o
the poor Democrats. Ibelicve thi
fear TO be real. 1t has been work
ing on our friends fo- years. | al
told that in your town hcrea wei
worn banner appears in every Dem
: ocratic procession, waving abor
! the head Of a wagon load of girl
which reads: "Our fathers wi
protect Us from negro husbands.
Now this means that if negroes ar
:, permitted to vote they will go :
9 bout marrying all the little demo
= cratic girls in the country. Th
. would be a terrible state of affair
u and calls loudly tor prevention.
VI We cannot very well retain Ii
y word white in the Constitution, fc
that, aitor all, is only an indire,
way of meeting the evil. | tc
: you what we will do; we will pa
c u law prohibiting the negroes q
n sociating with Democrats and ma
t rying Democratic girls. Let an
: man, or set Of men, who feel the
Q danger--let my worthy friend, fC
u example, the editor of the Dem
Q cratic organ Of this county-,-wh
! judging from his editorials, is in
: pcrilous condition, sit down al
c address a petition to the next Lel
t. islature, setting forth that he is
l. danger from negroes associatin
G with him, or that some negro w
n man threatens him with an elop
" ment, and ask for protection, and
n pledge him my word of honor v
d will pass o law prohibiting tho n
groes from asspciating or sleepil
with him. If our Democratic frlen'
: will admit that they arc so sunk
1.-The scale of social refinement,
" that the negro has so far adyanc,
II u that there is danger of their min
v ling in social equality, we will 81
r them no end of law for their bett
81 protection. But not till then.