The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-09-05

q divine or natural right TO lie ana
liberty, then must it not~bes~ admit
ted they have q divine or natural
right to protect themselves in their
enjoyment? And if itzbe admitted
that men have a natural right to pro-
tect themselves in the enjoyment of
life and liberty, that right must carry
with it the use of the necessary or
adequate means? If your liberty is
invaded by violence or war, you may
rebel force by force But if it is
trampled upon by unjust constitu-
tons or unequeal laws, by what
means can you be protected in its
enjoyments | answer, by the right
of suffrage only, or the right of rev
olution .IJ t.5 or
In this country, the only means
by which a man can protect himself
against the enactment of unequal or
oppressive laws is to have voice in
making them; and the only way in
which he can secure the protection
of the laws is to have voice iii the
selection of the officers by whom
they are to he executed.
1t is true that if man is disfran-
chised, the justice or the magnanim-
ity of his neighbors, or of another
race, may protect him in his rights,
but that is a precarious security, land
furnishes no reason for depriying
him of the power to protect himself.
And now l ask you what power the
colored people of Ohio have to pro-
tect themselves in their lives, liber-
ty and property?
They have no voice in making the
laws, or choosing the officers by
whom they are to he executed
Those in authority may make OPP
pressiye statutes against them, or
deny to them the protection Of those
already made, as in Kentucky, and
they have no means of redness.-
Their natural rights may all bestruck
down, and in themselves, they have
no power to prevent it, except by
force of arms, for which they would
be punished as criminals. In re-
publican form of government the
ballot is the only means short of rev
olution by which rights can be asser-
ted, abuses corrected, or protection
secured, and whoever is deprived
of it is at the mercy of his neigh
bors.
Mr.. Pendleton lately said that the
white people of Ohio would protect
the colored in the enjoyment of all
their rights. But that's the old ar
gument in favor Of slavery, when it
was urged that the good and kind
masters would take care of the slaves
and do better for them than they
could do for themselves. If Mr..
Pendleton were to be DISTINGUISHED
\ bv the Constitution of Ohio, it is
probable he would be protected in
his other rights, but this would not
repair the wrong or 500 .h his 'erat
ed feelings If the colored men OF
Ohio are enfranchised, their votes
will be sought after with as much
avidity as an equal number of white
votes, and they will be treated with
, kindness and consideration, they
E never before enjoyed.
j, No party could propose to enact
, an unjust law against them, Or fai
to give them protection except un-
, der the penalty of having all theil
votes cast against them, at the next
, election; and we know how affective
, is the prospect Of such penalty.
In the rebel States, the late act OF
Congress eufranchising the freed
f men has already given to them a pro
: lection and consideration which
could not be secured by the whole
i military power to the United States
] and exhibits conclusively the infu
: ence and power Of the ballot.
The recognition Of the; principle
contend for does not conflict with
: the right to exclude aliens, minors
e insane persons, and criminals from
J, the ballot box, nor does it necessar
: lily conflict with that principle o
Il representation which is more or les
: recognized in every elective system
) whereby from the ties of affection
G blood, and community of interest
i the husband is assumed to represen
II the wife, and the father his family
+ But this principle Of representatio
! could not, without absurdity, be cal
/ ried so far as to assume that wher
d one race is separated from anothe
n by color, condition and prejudice,
: could represent the ntefssts.feeling
d and wants of that other at the ballo,
e box.
, know it is often said that tf
y right of suffrage is not naturs
right, ana may be withheld from an
n man, class or race, without a viol:
: ton of their natural rights. But
% respectfully submit that this tn
al whole theory of natural rights
,r mockery. For if ia repnblica
le form of government, where suffrae
ID is the only means Of protecting ma
ural rights, it can be justly withheld
ct from whole race, then that rae
Is have natural rights, but have Il
it tight to use the means by, whic
i. they may be protected, which is al
al surd.
t. Not less absurd than t. say th'
al the Constitution confers the powt
upon Congsess to make war, bl
lg withholds the means to execute tt
lie power. 1t is true that no princip
to in government can be carried to 6
is it's conclusions.
Y, Every member of society mn
/! yield. up some portion of his abstra
mt rights for the common good, but tn
n yielding should be uniform.
would be an abuse Of the doctrin
ed if society required one race to yie
q al ,,,oa,,o Of calf Np0fonf;nn 4