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


him a citizen, infinitely more use
full than if he were disfranchised.
sUPFRAGE AS A clvILIzING AGEN,
SECOND ONLY TO THE INVENTION OIL
oUNPowDER.
l do not propose to discuss tn,
question whether suffrage is a nat
ural or vested right; whether i
is a right, or, as John Stuart Mil
seems to think, political trust
What are philosophical niceties OF
distractions in the stormy arena
Of q great political contest2 But
let me say that as powerful re
former and civilizer, suffrage is
second only TO- the invention Of
gunpowder, Which demolished the
strongholds Of the fcudal lords, and
destroyed their pernicious power
The medieval robber in his forti.
fed and impregnable castle, was o
scourge and terror TO his fellow
men. He preyed upon commerce
and industry, and enslaved agri.
culture. He robbed peaceful com.
mercial caravans and defed the
authority of law, of kings, and oil
Emperors. He reduced the coun-
try to beggary by his everlasting
private wars with his neighbors,
beqreathing to his children and
children's children a legacy OF
hatred and revenge. He pillaged
and ravished and murdered with
impunity, mocking, in his mac
cessible strongholds the impotent
outcries of outraged humanity.
What could be done against him 2
A knight clad in an impenetrable
armor Of steel, and skilled in the
use of the sword and battle.axe,
was a match for a dozen churls and
peasants. But, sir, the invention
Of the German monk turned the
tables at once. Cannon and NOR.
tars battered down the castles
which had defed the assaults of
centuries of war. The muskct in
the hand of the plebian churl took
tho knight Of sixteen ancestors
from his horse, in spite of his heavy
armor, his broad. sword and battlc-
axe. All the skill he had acquired
with these weapons during the
hours of his aristocratic leisure.
went for nasght, and he became
the helpless target of the swine
herd who laid him low, Quantity
now superseded lity, and be-
came important in the hands of
able commanders. Intellect now
triumphed over brutal force. Gen.
ius took the place of physical
prowess, and, sir, at the battle of
Landen, the weakest and sickliest
man in each army was probably
the General who commanded it.
The flash of gunpowder thus help.
ed to dispel the darkness of the
Middle Ages, as it battered down
the robber. castles and destroyed
the lawless despotism of the feudal
barons. f
Suffrage, sir, has accomplished
similar results. 1t has done away
with odious privileges and degrad-
ing distinctions. 1t has awaken
ed sense Of human dignity and
self.respect in the bosom Of the
lowest and the humblest. 1t has
diffused sense Of justice. II has
swept away the dangerous effects
OF caste. 1t has established the re-
sponsibility of rulers on secure
foundation. 1t has furnished a
peaceful remedy for popular griev-
ances, and thus, among those who
understand it truly, it has made
instructions and revolutions un.
necessary. 1t may, as l said be-
fore, be liable to abuse, and give
rise to certain evils, like every 9TH
er human institution, but, on the
whole, it has done wonders as an
instrument of liberty, justice and
civilization.
IT'S NECESSITY WITH US AS A PRE-
SERVER OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY.
Abstractef altogether from the
question of right. but viewed mere.
ly as a policy and a means of self,
protection, suffrage is indispensa.
Bile to our American system and
people. Considering the strong,
self.asserting, never -minding in
dividuality, pushing impetuosity,
restless energy and settled disre-
gard, not only of obstacles, but
frequently, also, of the rights and
feelings of others, which distin.
guish Anglo, Saxon character all
over the world, and consider
ing further that the idea Of self
protection or protection from be.
low upward underlies our social
and political organization, we musl
come to the irresistible conclusion
that no class of our community
could practically enjoy that SO.
curity, comfort and protection
which, in theory, we want it to en-.
joy, unless armed with that awe
Inspiring and Incompatible, de,
fensive weapon-.the right to vote
If we want peace and order in our
American communities, there must
not bo q rightless class. There
must not be a class of pariahs de
prived of the political privileges
which all Others enjoy. Deprive a
class Of the only defensive weapon
which we respect, which influences
all others, and tho effects of which
pervade all our institutions, and
you at once doom that unfortunate
class to persecution andoppression.
Deprive class Of the protection Of
suffrage.and that self.asserting and