The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1867-05-17
CoustitutiOnaI Ameudment.

Messrs. EDIroRs:-It is TO be deeply re.
grctted that reason, common sense and 9
warfare of 30 years have not been sufficient
to teach Americans the first principles of q
Democratic Government. The chief glory
Of an American citizen is that he eau hold UT
the great and successful problem of demOc-
racy as the result of Plymouth Rock the 4th
of July and the Continental Congress. Here
is all that is essential to American Democ-
racy. Plymouth Rock means the Church
and School house. The 4th of July means
no taxation without representation, and the
Continental Congress means to @Trustin
God and keep your powder dry" or a stand
ing pledge to maintain Plymouth Rock and
the 4th of July, with life, property and the
most sacred honor. Now let it be asked
what in the course of common sense has the
color of the eyes or tinge of the skin to do
with the principles voter is voting for?
Suppose you want TO elect a good man to
some Office, would not every negroes vote
cast for him inure as much TO the white
mans benefit as the white mans to the ne
greesi But says one, suppose tho niger
should be up as candidate would you vote
for him2 Suppose ten men were candidates
for the same Office, each being equally quail
fed, the one black out side and the other
black inside, which of these would you vote
for. You who are so careful TO exclude the
nigger be careful about the tinge on the in
side as well as outside, lest haply you be
found fighting against your copperhead de-
ity God Would you compel even the negro
to help build your school houses, work your
roads put up your public buildings, pay
your State debts, obey your laws and fight
your battles, and deny him his vote? The
color of the skin makes no prejudice against
the rights of a nan in Russia, Germany,
France or England. Has the negroes vote
ever injured the cause of right in any of the
old thirteen States, in allo which except
South Carolina he has been voter. Are
the voters in the great State of Ohio, in the
light of this age and progress of humanity
going to be turned aside from duty and right
by the hiss of anigger equality" abolition
and the like. think not. One rule for
white men, and another for black men will
have precisely the same tendency to mis-
chief as that Of being part slave and part
free" The principle is antagonistic to de-
nOcracy. ii democracy means govern
nent by the people, thenit certainly follows
hat the people must be equal before the law.
The people means, according tolegal inter-
JretatioD, all the people fOrif it meant apart
it must designate what part, hence when it+e
erm people is used without qualification it |
means all the people, and therefore democ-
acy is government by all the people, and |
demands that all the people must be made
quail before the law. There is far less OBJ
ection to the negro's voting to day in Ohio,
han there was to his fighting when The war
,roke out. He used the bayOnet well, why i
ot let him try the ballot. For the sake of
morality, civil liberty, justice, the honor of
he State, good sense and common decency,
ct the next time we vote rub out that word
white" in our constitution. Some seem to
ave about the same idea about the cOnse-
uences which would follow negro voting,
bat certain cl~ss had of that which would
blow the admission, that the rebel States
re out of the Union. Now Mr.. Editor, that
uestion under the present aspect of affairs
matter of no consequence, but we have
we'd long enough to see that if those States
ere not out of the Union, it was pretty well
ut of them, and if the Republican party in
he State of Ohio, can't afford to do justice to
ne negro, the time may not be far distant
hen the negro viii do justice to the Re-
ublican party. -,fE-a w. .L..C.