The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1867-08-23

character, the SCli-feilancc, ecli.asSerUcnT
aud strong individuality of our people. IL
would be incompatible with our nSnIg1
mental idea Of selfgovCrnmcnt, For this
reason il is also proved impracticohle as
means Of shiclding the freedmen against
oulrages aud oppression. II became mo-
cessary, therefore, to apply our own sys.
tenn to thcm-our great American system
of ser proteciioa--tha is to say, OF EN-
lrloying suffrage as the principal means
OF attaining the ends of government.
tuE AMERICAN sYsrEN OF sEtr.PRorEoTroN, OR
rRofECTIoN FROM BgLow UPWARD.
Our system is based on the supposition
that vote is much stronger weapon than
! the club of policeman or the bayonet of a
soldier. We believe in the educating and
lciviliziug Influences and protective virtues
OF the ballot ltcouiiuually reminds those
who form the apex Of the pyramid that they
are dependent on, and responsible te'dhose'
who form it's base. II recalls rulers apt to
| Target themselves in the sweet enjoyment
OF power, to a sense of their true position.
| 1t has a remarkable tendency TO make
those polite aud aifable aud fri, udly whom
a little brief authority inclines to the
rude and overbearmg. II the clerks IN
Dioke ss circumlocution efice had rca.
son to fear Mr.. Clennam's ote, they would
have treated him much better. Suffrage is
powerful corrective of official insolence,
abuses and inellicenCy, 1t is great lever
oiimpartiOl justice. Ii elevates The lowly
and humblo it checks the violent and the
lmpulsive and it aliases the naughty and
tho iiilutnNal. 1t provides important safe
guards for the pupho peace, and teaches
wholesome respect tor the rights OF others.
thus lessenmg the necessity Of resortiug to
! pf , 20 ,I al l.. tp
abuse and corruption it may have it's i'm.
pqrlectiuus and dangers, like every other
human institution, but nevertheless its ci
tects are, wonderful.
SUFFRAGE AS THE GREAT. MEANS or sELF-PRo'
TECTIoN.
Relying on its efficacy we have made il
the basis of our Institutions. 1t is the great
q" initiating agent in our social develop.
ment Let me illustrate the proposition by
an example How different would the po.
sition Of foreigners he--traught with dis
Advantages and drawbacks--if itwere not
for their right 10 voter The ballot is
worth more to them and to the peace and
prosperity of the country, than armies OF
policemen would be- Russia may continue
fo- ages to Cypress the Poles, and to
ondeaVorto eXlirpnte pQlish spirit and ma
tionality, aud yet that spirit and nation
atty will still live on and I've cherished by
its children, in spite OF the Czars DEGREES
and institutions. In our country however
we see peaceahly AID spontaneously ac-
complished in, one generation what in Po-
land the dlendGul power of u mighty EN-.
pire has failed TO accomplish during three.
And, sir, it is the BALLOT TO whichwe owe
that rapid and harmonious assimilation oi
so many different natiOnalities WHICH we
behold in Ito United States 2 r.
uFFR,vGG ASA CIvIIIzlNG AGENT SECOND oNeY
TO TuE INVENTION OF GpNPoN DER.
/ p do not propose to discuss the question
whether suffrage is natural or vested
right; whether it is a right, or, as John
3 Stuart Mn seems to think, a political trust
What are plilosohicwl niceties or absirac
tions in the stormy arena of great poiit-
ical cuntestY But let me say that as pow
y erful reformer and civiizer, suffrage is sec
ond only 10 gmpowder, which demolished
the strougholds of the feudal lords and de-
/, stroyed their pernicious power. The me-
dia3val robber in his fortified and ilnpreg-
nable castle; was -scourge and q terror to
his fellow men. He prcyed upon commerce
and industry, and enslaved agriculture.
He robbed peaceful commercial caravans
and deGed the authority of law, of kings
and OF enper6rs. He reduced the country
10 beggary by his everlasting private wars
: with his neighbors, beqneathing to his ehil
dreu and childrens children u legacy OF
hatred and revenge. He pillaged and raw.
ished and murdered with impuuity, mock
ing in his inaccessible strougholds the I'M
potent outcries of outraged humanity,
What could be done against him A knight
clad in impenetrabe armor of steel, and
| lal tl,,,, NF n ,r1 laf
tle-axo, was match for dozens Of churls
/, and peasants, But, sir, the invention OF
the German monk turned the tables at once
Cannons aud mortars battered down the
castles which had delied the assaults OF
centuries of war. The musket in the hand
Of the plebeian churl took the knight Of
sixteen ancesters from his horse, in spite OF
his heavy armor his broad sword and bat
tlc-axe. All tho skill he had acquired in
the use OF those weapons during the many
hours OF his aristocratic leisure, went for
q nought, and he became the helpless target
of the swineherd who had laid him low.
Quantity now superseded quality, aud be-
caIne important IN the hands of able com.
manders. Intellect now triumphed over
brutal force. Genius took the place OF
physical prowess, and sir, at the battle OF
Landon, the weakliest anaii@ckliest man in
each army was probably TIT great General
WITH commended it, The flash of gunpow.
Y der thus heIped,to dispel the darkness OF
the Middle Ages, as it battered down the
robber castles and destroyed the lawless
despolism of the feudal barons.
Suffrage, sir, has accomplished similar
results. 1t has done away with odious pri-
vileges aud degrading distinctions. 1t has
awakened sense of human dignity aud
sclt.respect in the bosom of the lowest and
the humblest. 1t has diilused sense OF
justice. Il has swept away the dangerous
effects of caste. 1t has established the re-
sponsibiity of rulers on a sure foundation,
1t has furnished a legitimate channel and a
saiety-vave to popular indignation. II bat
{ furnished peOceful remedy for popular
grievances, aud thus, among those whe nm
derstood it truly, it has made insurrections
and revolutions unnecessary. 1t may as
said before, be liable to abuse, and give
rise to certain evils, like other human insli-
tutions, but on te whole il has done won
ders as an instrument OF liberty, justice
and civilizations
Z 1..1 H - HEGEo SUFFRAGE.
For these reasons we said to the negro
in the Southern States: Friend We
have tried il from above downward, and it
would not do We passed Freedmen's Bu'
reau aud Civil Rights Bills, and they gave
you no security. We must now adopt the
American plan of self.prol lection. and try it
from below upward. We will elothe you
with hat power which alone affords seem
rity and a fair start Ia lile-the right 10