The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-09-20

millions shall have his say in the ele.
walton of men to power and position ,vou
must maintain the right OF labor to the
ballot. The future OF the Republic is
in the votes of the laboring element.
IL IL that element that in the pr, Vidence
of God creates the wealth OF the ma
tions-that digs the hidden ore fIon the
bowels of the earth and fashions IL for
the convenience and comfort OF man
that provides the means that build
YOUR school house, churches and col
leges. 1t Is in short the vital power of
the Republic; and If you would have
your Government prosperous and
happy country for all time to come,
see TO 1t that the laboriug element OF the
country is educated and elevated, and
hus all its rights at the ballot box.
not MUCH OF "FLooD" sc.
But, say, my Democratic friends. if
you let the negro vote you will flood
Ohio with negroes. In 1862 they said If
the slaves were emancipated by procla-
nation Ohio wopld be overrun with
negroes and the white man could not
get days WORK. The white men then
got 62H cents a day for twelve hours
labor, and now you have less negroes
in Belmont county than you
had then, and the white man gets
81 so day for his labor. Then in
what way has the emancipation Of
slavery weakened the power of labor,
flooded Ohio with negroes or driven the
white men from employment? And the
prediction to-day that if you give Lhe
negro the vote he will occupy your po-
sitions, and drive the white man out of
employment. is of akin to that predic-
tion in reference to overrunning the
State by freedmen, IL Slavery were de-
stroyed. In one breath these men say
the negro is poor, degraded creature,
without intelligence scarcely human
being, and in the next they say that If
you give him lhe same chance iu This
Government with the while man, II will
be but short time till he Will occupy
all the positions. Laughter. A poor,
degraded "cuss" one moment, and the
next, such n shrewd, sharp, keen fell
low that il you give him half a chance,
and don't keep your heel on his neck
all the time, he will get ahead OF you,
and drive you out or all positions and
employmentl Do you see the absuTdi-
ty of these menf Lam not so sure that
they will not occupy some positions in
this country, If they are allowed the
elective franchise. Il don't intend this
remark for the ear of the reporter.l In
Wayne township, in this county, the
Democrats have the majority. They
have the trustees, &c. ] WIS talking
with one the other day, and he said:
'If you fellows pass this Constilu-
tiOnal Amendment, We intend to send
negroes up from every township TO sit
on the jury"
1 said to him, "Well, think that
will be about right. 1t is your duty,
as trustees of that township, to send up
the best men you have got. [LauGhter
aud applause. For the last twenty
years you have been sending up Demo-
Gratis, and il the negroes OF Wayne
township have more sense than the
Democrats, you ought to send them
up" [Applause.l
"NEGRo EQUALITY" DEFINED.
But, say they, your party is in favor
of social equality with the negro.
Whenever you give the black man the
right TO vote you place him on social
equality with the white man, 1 say to
you that social equality is not the re-
suit of political condition. No man Oc-
cupies his social position In society be-
cause of his enjoyment of political
rights and privileges. Men seek their
associations from affinity. The low
and vicious seek their associates among
the same. The moral and intellectual
with the educated and elevated, and the
christian man with the child of God.
Nowhere on the face of the earth do
men hold position socially because
they do politically, and there are scores
of white men to-day enjoying political
privileges in your county that are not
the social equals of any creatures on
Gods footstooI,-so debased and de-
bauched are they by crime. This
poor negro now has the right to pay
taxes, TO work the roads, 10 bear arms
in defense of your Gaoernment, but
these rights have not changed his social
condition. Who ever dreamed these
acts had changed the negroes social
character or condition? No one but a
III IN q nF ~
cratic party. [Applause.l II these
things have not changed his social CON
dilion, want TO know of you whether
Il simple act OF Justice done to him by
the Government that holds him respon-
sible for all the duties of a citizen-
giving him a voice in the selection of
rulers to make laws under which he
must live-will make him your social
equal any more than the same act will
make your social equal out of the poor,
degraded wretch picked up out OF the
gutter every year and carried to the
polls 10 vote the Democratic ticket?
lLaughter.l
WHO Is RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IsSUEP
This question has been forced upon
u.s. 1t is not question of our own
seeking. When the Democratic party
and the rebels Of the South refused TO
accept reconstruction on rebel basis
Congress was forced TO allow the black
men OF the South to vote. Then the
question of his ultimate enfranchise-
meut all oyer the country was a mere
question of time. We might beat it
back this year, but next year it will
be upon us. This question of the
negro has been a disturbing element
in our politics ever since we were
boys together, aud Will continue to be
until II is settled on just basis. say
to you that II you adopt the Constitu-
tional Amendment on the Sth OF Octo-
Der, in OniU, next year when the Demo-
cratic orators come around, instead OF
asking you how you would like to have
a negro marry your daughter, il you
have got II Colored man in your midst,
he will go and hunt him up and meet
him with extended palm, "How are
you, my colored ellow-cItiZen? / am
glad TO see you" Laughter. "How
is your fRmily2 / thought of going
home to take tea with you" And he
will go home with him and partake or
his coloTed friends hospitality, and pat
get vote. Marvellous thing, the power
OF the balloti
II you want this question out of
politics, now is tue time to remove 1t.
1t is never too soon to do good. a
young lady out here at Barnesville was
engaged at on early age 10 oe married.
Her grandmother demonstrated with
her, told her she was entirely too young
to get married, that she ought not to
think of il for three or four years yet,
that she was not qualified TO take the
responsibility of keeping house. The
young lady hung her head a moment,
and then she looked up and said
''Grandma, it's Something we have all
go, to come to sooner or later. II is
nd
pIexiIy until IL Is sconsummated; and in
order 10 get rid of the annoyance and
I have determined TO get
ready and be married right off,