Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-07-04
New Series--Vol. 4. No. %.

race would be excluded. A government con-
constitute an aristocraey Of inteiiect, highly
Utopian IN theory, yet no less despotlc and ty-
Our whole political system IL at war with stand
ard so practically unattainable. IL rests upon
| the fundamental and liberal Idea that rational
manhood, however humble its 'endow ment,
however incapable Of reaching the higher attain
nenis q statesmanship, 81 s the only practical
kind, although ungifted with those powers
competent 20 constitute an ultimate tribunal,
selections from the dfted are commissioned 90
Of state, and az the bar Of whose united Judgement
they are rightly required 70 account fcr the man
On this depends the security Of the weak against
] the powerful. This Is their buiwark, their only
a .ne , 0i tnsl. ' o.,
Afrtcan7 Concede that he Is unequal In capae-
ity 20 the more gifted Of the Caucasian face;
J not excel, he cannot attain mediocrity7 That
because he may not rival the efforts Of genius,
| he cannot have the ordinary nationality Of man
hood7 That because ne may not reach the nrst
! rank In statesmanship he cannot inteiIigentIy
exercise the ordinary functions Of the citizen? {?
That because he may not bc Cesar. he can be
nothing. IL this standard were applied to our
decimated. As 10 il. however, the ordinary Ca,
! pacity Of rational manhood Is the test and rule
Gf sqhage hsg n Gsp r Rsr1 , SStioe p aesnd Sa @
same rights Of Life. liberty and property to be
protected; shall not the same ordinary powers
protection? He Is subject to the like obligations
and duties Of citizenship IN common with all
other races Of men shall not the Ike ordinary.
capacity entitle him, in common with them, 70
sbare in tempering and controlling their en-
ny and oppression; /; shall not the same ordinary
nationality entitle him TO the means OF resisting
his cpprcssor? Let impartial tnstice answer;
That be possesses this nationality, the candor
| Of intelligence, and his own achievements under
the most adverse circumstance, bear witness.
I TN ..laa.f afra.I
\ the educational statistics Of the country, that
! wherever the heel of oppression and the hand
of prejudice have been lifted from the negro, his
! progress in rudinental knowledge has not been
| less than that Of his Caucasian superior. In
cationai system were extended TO hun in the
was not greater than the whole Southern white
| population. SO keenly sensitive were Southern
statesmen to this fact that in 1850 they prevailed
ON the authorities then in power to omit the col
lection of educational statistics IN the census OF
What his rank in the scale OF intelligence
might have been II stimulated by the pride of
manhood recognized, and his sense Of the dig
nifty and duties of citizenship conferred, Is only
conjectural. Hitherto he has been outlawed,
buffeted, despised. without motives TO ambition,
or incentives TO excel, or opportunities to grow.
With the humillating sense OF his kindred in
tempt, IL il only remarkable that he is not more
barbarous, more viciUus-an Ishmael in resent
ments, a Saxon despoiler of his oppressors: il is
basely ungenerous, therefore, to fetter the limbs
! of q race which has no country, no government,
|
whercon to set his feet, and then Jeer IT for lag
ging behind us in the race. tits measureless in
disabilities and then perpetuate his disabilities
| because he Is ignorant.
But'let us be frank with ourselyes-be candid
| with our convictions. Instead OF mental inca
paciy, inferiority of race, is not the real the
| sole cause of our opposition to the enfranchise-
suppose he were divested Of his sable complex
| ion, and clothed in that Of Caucasian; would
his exclusion be urged on the ground Of inca
| nacity. other cause? ErankneGS, cafluOr,
will answer. No! Then our whole opposition
dent of his nature UPON m 81 when neither niauhood,
nor virtue, nor patriotism, in anght depends,
Claims OF justice to the rights Of man.
tits urged, however, that the extension OF i'm
partial suffrage to the African race &c cannot give
protection of more impartial laws, than he now
| enjoys This may be possible. An enlightened
equal measure OF fmpartiallty. But can it be
nationally contended that the rights and liber-
| subject to the absolute discretion, uncontrolled
will, and exclusive keeping OF another and d s.
! tinct race? This subverts the whole theory upon
which popular government is founded. Ii is
| unsustained by the political history OF mankind.
i r1b ~ ostes shd bereai,orv nohiiitv is
| Were the rights of the Sansculotte equally safe
in the hands of their hereditary tyrants? What
| cause had they then to overthrow the throne of
the Bourbons? Were the Alpine shepherds
| equally secure under the guardianship of the
| Quadrilateral9 Are the liberties of the Celtic
| peasant better guarded in the exclusive keeping
| of the British Parliament, than in their own
handse What motive then existed for the Fe-
nian uprising against the PREDICTION OF the Han
Mnesfsr and H tbe @ eS,ase e re Of EnaanS
clamoring for the extension of sutfrage7 Is not
the enlightened Justice OF Exeter Hall an endur-
ing guaranty of the rights and liberties of these
| humber peOplec The keen anguish of their op-
| preston does not permit them 10 think so. Yet
these people are of one origin and one race with
their oppressors. Can asense of justice, coupsed
| with uncontrolled discretion, constitute more
projection toa distincteaye, inferior race9 The
| witnesses of limbs Scared by the fetters OF re-
cent seryitude must disappear; the bitter reeol-
/ gotten; the spirit which dislionored the name
and tarnished the glory of OHIO by the barbar,
GUS enactment of the black code must he purged
/ from human nature, before 1t can be assumed
that power, united with unrestrained discretion,
The people of Ohio are enlightened, magnani-
1 NOUS and just. The sun In its circuit of the
globe shines not on nobler type of manhood /;
| yet not ten times has 1t completed its annual
| course since II was distinctly proposed and
strongly urged @ II nsr Sy eHye sf her
| black code Of infamy. What the past has at
| tempted, the future may accomplish, as inter-
\ est or caprice, or ambition may direct. Theex-
! istence al discretion implies the power to abuse
| it, whenever the motive shall prompt. 1t IL
sons, and liberties OF the African are secure un-
| der the protection of powers wielded exclusively
own S right Of concurrence or dissent. =
But the assertion that enlightened justice slf-
| ncientiy guarantees the rights OF the negro mas
thfs ylrtue IL Is q full concession that he pos
| sesses rights which, from their nature, ought TO
have the impartial protection OF just govern
ment and equal laws. No reason, then, can be
urged why the same enlightened Justice which
comedies him the right, shall not as well con-
| cede to his own hands the power, In common
| with other men, OF making ihat protection Sc
| cure, permanent, and enduring. .........
1t Is objected that this resisoning leads TO uni-
yersal suffrage Irrespective of scx. II this were
/ so, the reasoning would not he weakened, or 10
| conclusion destroyed. Butt 1t? Governments
are instituted for the reciprocal protection and
| mutual defense of those between whom the q eS
! of nature are insufficient TO insure Justice. and
| prevent oppression. The family Is the primary
! element into which all popular government re-
solves Itself The ties OF nature, the relations OF
4 consanguinity. the endearments OF parental atd
hliaI affection, are, as general rule, sufficiently
strong 10 secure the whole power OF vigilance OF
! the family head In guarding the Interests and
4 protecting the rights OF Its members. 40 l.slf
| : The existence of the family relation being so
| universal, embracing within Its muititudinous
| arms the individuals of the race, with few ex-
| eeptions the exercise of political powers by and
| through its representative head, Is an ADEQUATE
guaranty against the enactment OF discrifnl ma
ting laws injuriously aflectng them, into what
| ever condition or situation of orphanage or wild
| owhood they may pass The tenderness OF Patri-
archal regard will not fail TO provide for their
I protection and care, in the contingency OF his
4 being removed. A necessity for universal sur
| frage, therefore, does nst exist. .. =. -.
n But between the different heads OF families,
| and more especially between the different races
| and nations of men, these ties OF nature have no
| existence. Theirs are the relations OF rivalry,