The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-07-04

ment. For this reason it also prov.
ed imp acticablc as a means Of
shielding thJfrccdmen against out.
RACES and oppression. 1t became
necessary, therefore, to apply our
own system to them-our great
American system Of selfprotection-
that is to sly, of employing suffrage
as the principal means Of attaining
the ends of government.
THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF SELF.
PROTECTION, OR PROTECTION FROM
BELOW UPWARD.
Our system is based on the sup.
position that a vote is a much
stronger weapon than the club of a
policeman or the bayonet Of a sol.
dier. We believe in the educating
and civilizing influences and pro-
tective virtues of the ballot. II
continually reminds those who form
theapex of the pyramid that they
are dependent on, and responsible
to, those who form its base. 1t re-
calls rulers apt to forget themselves
in the sweet enjoyment of power,
to q sense Of their true position =
1t has a remarkable tendency to
make those polite and .affable and
friendly whom little bnefauthor-
ity inclines to be rude and overbear-
ing. If the clerks in Dickens cir
cumlocution Office had had reason
to fear Mr.. Clennam's vote, they
would have treated him much bet
ter. Suffrage is a powerful cor
rective OF official insolence, abuses
and.inefiiciency. 1t is a great lever
Of impartial justice. 1t elovates the
lowly and tho humble; it checks
the violent and the impulsive; and
it aliases the naughty and tho influ-
entlal. 1t provides important safe
guards for the public peace, and
teaches a wholesome respect for the
rights of others, thus lessening the
necessity of resorting to courts OF
justice. 1t is, of course, liable to
abuse and corruption; it may have
its imperfections and dangers, like
every other human institution, but
nevertheless its effects arc wonder
full.
SUFFRAGE AS THE GREAT MEANS OF
sELF.PRoTEcTIoN. a
Relying on its efficacy we have
made it the basis of our institu-
tions. 1t is the great assimilating
agent in our social development
Let mo illustrate this proposition
by an example. How different
would the position of foreigners be
-fraught with disadvantages and
drawbacks--.ifit were not for their
right to vote2 The ballot is worth
more to them, and to the peace and
prosperity of the country, than ar
mics of policemen would be. Rus
sia may continue for ages to op-
press the Poles, and to endeavor to
extirpate Polish spirit and nation
ality, aud yet that spirit and ma.
tionality will live on and be cher
ished by its children, in spite of the
Cars DEGREES and institutions
In our country, however, we see
peaceably and spontaneously ac.
complished in one generation what
in Poland the dreadful power of a
empire has failed to accom-,
plish during three. And, sir, it is
the ballot to which we owe that
rapid and harmonious assimilation
of so many different nationalities
which we behold in the United
States
AND OUR CITIZENS OF FOR
EIGN BIRTH.
In the abstract we are all agreed
as to the necessity and beneficial
effects offoreign immigration, whose
useful labor increases the wealth of
the nation and opens new fields of
activity and profit to native enter
prise. But the foreign laborer, ap.
parently, enters into competition
with native laborers, among whom
feelings Of jealousy and ill.will are
frequently aroused. Dislikes are
Thousands come to
our country who arc unacquainted
with our language, or who speak
dialect which jars upon the ear
In every nation great many peo,
pie are prejudiced against stran-
gers. Foreign dialects will be
mocked; broken English will be
ridiculed. Chickering's and quar-
rels are apt 10 follow, and end in
frequent breaches OF tho peace
And now we should see she foreign
er, a stranger among strangers, un-
able to obtain redress even where
he has been wronged and outraged;
unable to give proper explana-
ton Of his case to court of justice;
to be in the wrong be,
cause he appears to be ignorant; ex.
citing ridicule by his broken at.
tempts to mako himself understood;
without influential social connec-
tions; what justice would he have
to expect, what protection, safety
and comforts would he enjoy, as.
sailed by the prejudices, ill-will,
dislike, violence and injustice of
those with whom his business or
labor has thrown him into competi.
ton, and of their friends, relations
and followers, ifthat wonderful and
genius of our institutions
had not invested him with a mag
ic wand Of protection which at once
secures his position, his comforts,
his peace and his bappinessP In
vested with the right to vote, he at
once becomes his own protector; be
at once ceases to be a "bloody, red
mouthed Irishman,' or o "stupid