Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-04-16
Democratic PrincIples-A Dia-
lOgue.

logue between an inquistive foreigner and
an American Democrat the object of
which is to ascertain what are the prlncl-
pies OF heDemocratic party
Democrat. The ballot may be a good
thing for the protection of The negro. In
deed, its worst feature is that no sooner is
it well assured than the politicians of both
parties will practically get down on their
knees 10 the negroes just as they have 10
the Dutch snG Irish in the Northern
States, and the only question asked viii
be, what does this dear, oppressed, Oleagin-
Gus, fragrant, blooming African fellow cit
izen want. Is 1t schools Is it land? Is
it the right of iItermarriage with whites,
and OF inoiscIiminate and universal mis- ce-
genation? Think of the peril to society
and TO the State from such a state Of
things -lrlifs ref ~ ssb
Foreigner. But sll this was urged equal
ly against emancipation, and yet somehow
the gloomy predictions which were made
by Democrats prophets OF tie extent Of
misccgenati0n wMch was 10 follow eman-
cipation, have had no fulfilment what
ever ..-. .-., ... .-. .,.
Dem. That Is true. did predict that
the emancipation would be followed by
wholesale miscegenation and q war of
races.
For. It seems also that your predictions
were slightly at war with each other. Two
races who loved each other well enough
to rush into promiscuous intcrmarriage
could not at the same time ilate each other
Violently enough to attempt mutual eX-
termination. er III II feIEF P1tLH
Dan. l must admit that those old fears
have not been fulfilled. In fact, the vast
amount of miscegenstion which was the
natural result Of subjecting the will of all
blsck women in slavery 10 the control of
every white Shareholder, has disappeared.
Emancipation has rendered the two races
more chsSte towards each other.
For. That was the natural result OF
rendering the black race more free aud in
dependent of the white. Now will not the
right of sufrageas it perftcts that freedom
and independence equally promote aud in
crease the chastity OF both races!
Dem Perhapss0. But surely the intro
duction of SO many ignorant semi-barbar-
Gus voters. to exercise their influence over
the making Of our laws, can only tend, by
degrading the constituency, to lower the
standard Of legislation. The ignorance Of
a country cannot be permitted to rule it.
For. That is just the reason they give
in England why one-sevepth OF the people
should monOpolize the ballot 10 the exclu-
sion of the other six-segentbs But you
in the United States have not found that it
endangered the state or injured the country
to allow ignorant white men TO vote.
Dem No; on the contrary, the humber
and less sophisticated elias. of voters have
always shown their superior fitness tor the
exercise of the right of suffrage by voting
the straight Democratic TICKET, without
scratching.
For. Why that is exactly what you
complain OF the negroes down South for
doing.
Dem No; they vote the Black Republi-
can ticket every time.
For But as the foreigners were won to
( the Democratic ticket by the fact that the
Democratic party gave them the right TO
| vote and hold office, so the Southern ne
/ groes are unanimous for the Radical ticket,
1 because that party gives them the same
rights. Do mol their votes result from the
same motives and show the same Judgment
as were displayed by the foreign voters in
1 voting the Democratic ticket!
DEM Very nearly | always despised
the foreign vote. and regarded it IS the
heaviest load the Democratic party and the
country had to carry.
For But would not the foreign element
have made a hundred fold more trouble II
/ they had been excluded from voting, than
! they have made By voting? Think with
what rebelhons and revolutions our coun-
/ try would have been torn, if six millions
of turbulent foreigners, fleeing from op-
preston in the Old World, had been de-
MED all political rights in tie New.
Dan. OF course The ballot has
operated as the ssfety-vslve through which
/ they have let of their surplus explosive
/ tendencies
For. Or rather as the piston through
which they have brough to bee, TO propel
the machinery of the ship OF State, those
same pent-up powers and passions which
/ found vent in revolution and rebellion in
| Europe.
Dem. perceive thst your argument is
! that the result will be the same Ia the case
OF the negro
For Why not? Moreover, has it ever
occurred TO you that voting rightly is 3
very simple affair? 1t does not need that
every voter should understand all political
questions. II it did, 10 republic could ont
live its first election.
Dan. rTuel In voting, IS IN business,
If each man sees what Is for mis- own inter
est, and votes according to that only, the
NOtSo vi oil " III CAdCbl1 CA4ttcc NtlC
terests Of al as if each man saw not only
what his own interests required, but what
those of every other person in the State
demanded. T7FH rTHfT If tf
For. Exactly. Now, vo.ers do not vote
for measures nor select candidates The
candidates are selected and measures or
principles proposed by two conventions,
one OF each political party, according TO
what those cOnYentio1s, which consist OF
skilled politicians, conceive that the ma
jority Of voters viii vote for Thus two
political platforms and sets of candidates
are presented, and the voters choice is con-
fined to simply taking one or the other of
these two.
Dem. That is so; but be may take the
wrong one. -fi
For If the decision OF the majority
were conclusive as to which ticket is right
or wrong, it becomes you to be modest in
Directing TO the exercise of the right of
suffrage by others, since you have your
self voted on the wrong side at every cleo
ton for the past eight Years
Dem. lou consider it indifferent, then,
whether the race, whom you would admit
to the suffrage, vote on the right side or
the wrongi
For BY no means. consider it impos-
sible that they shall fail to vote night, ac-
cording TO the simple standard we have
agreed upon, viz. that every voter should
ask himself only, ;" How will this vote
benefit me?" The negro can tel which
party pledges itself to give him education,
land, justice, protection, equal laws, free
access to the courts and the jury boz; and
which, on the other hand, promises to MS
ancient master to take away all rights
from the negro, to stop his enlightenment,
advancement, and to restore him if posi-
BILE to slavery. 1t is manifestly his duty
to vote for the former party and against
the latter. And with few dozen excep-
tons every negro IL the South has
had enough wit 70 see which way has IN
terests lay, and to vote accordingly.
Dem We'll I Mill NOT prpoe Won IN tho