The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-09-01


reference to history, as in his conception of the
points at issue between the parties. He bases
his predictions of civil war upon assertions,
which are not only without foundation, but the
exact reverse of which is true. This is unpar-
donable, especially So in man who assumes the
leadership Of his countrymen IN great political
crisis | quote from the letter
sThe idea of four millions ofpeople, not slores,
existing in our midst without some political
right, was out of the question. Such condition
of things never has, within the memory of man,
and never will, exist"
The Chief Justice not only undertakes to tell
us that certain state of things has not existed
within the memory of man, but he assumes the
role of prophet, and declares that they never
will exist If his knowledge of the future is no
more accurate than his knowledge ofthe past and
present, his predictions are entitled to credit.
Every student of contemporary history knows
that, at this day, there are millions OF adult
males in Great Britain, who are not entitled to
exercise the right of suffrage, and who have no
political rights whatever.
Judge Pearson admires greatly the English
constitutions; time and again has he declared be-
fore his students, that the English government
is among the best and freest if not the very best
and freest, on the face of the earth All his
learning he has acquired by the study of the
English Common Law. Now, Mr. Bright, whose
name is famous on both sides of the Atlantic, de-
cared in public speech, made before the pas
sage of the recent English Reform bill, that cut
of an adult male population in Great Britain of
seven millions, not more than seven hundred
thousand enjoyed the right to vote, thus leaving
over SIC millions ofaduh arhite males, in the
very state of ''political vassalage" which Judge
Pearson declares has not existed within the men,
DRY of man, and never will exist. And, this too,
in country whose constitution is regarded
as the best or at least the second best in the
world
| quote again from the letter: "-has it
ever been known that four millions of people,
after enjoying political rights for years, could be
reduced to vassalage without a civil war ?" If
it were not known that the Chief Justice is a
very inaccurate writer he might be accused of
wilfully misstating the point. The Conservative
party do not propose to reduce to rassalage any
class of men who have exercised political rights
for years. AS [ have shown, the disfranchise-
ment of the negro does not enter even into the
contest, and if it were involved, the negro has
not exercised political rights for years-he has
not even had the right to vote for gear, and
the right was thrust upon him to aid in efecting
an unconstitutional purpose. -Four millions
says the Chief Justice; now three millions of the
four are women and children, who have not
among the whites political privileges, in the
sense in which he uses the words. There are,
at this day, even after the passage of the Reform
Bill, more adult males in Great Britain deprived
of the right of suffrage than there are negroes
in the Southern States men, women and chill
dren, all included. Besides, the history of Eng
land affords an instance withn tie last forty
gears, of the disfranchsement of large portion,
if not the bulk, of the voting population Of one
portion of the Empire, not following any rebel
lion and not followed by any civil war. Be-
fore Judge Pearson ventures again to base an
argument upon general assertions let him study,
with more care, the history Of his own day-he
may then avoid mistakes over which school
boy might blush
The Conservative party of the South anx-
ous to promote the elevation of the colored race,
and cheerfuy concede to that race more civil
and political privileges than the mass of the
people Of England and Scotland now enjoy; and
moreover, desire to confer upon them such other
political privileges as their happiness requires
and their intelligence justifes. Should they
ever be wholly DISTINGUISHED it will be the result
ofthe extreme measures of the Radical party
which is now using them for political purposes
merely. In any event there will be no civil war
this is ''Raw-head and bloody bones" con-
jurcd up by interested political partisans to CO.
cree the tmd and the weak The same power
that subducd, by its strength, ten States, will
say to the agitators 'Peace- be STILL and those
who are now threatening civil war will not dare
to oppose the majesty Of the nation.
| thought that we had reached the depths Of
humiliation: but my soul is moved to sadness
over the degradation of the Judiciary Of our
once proud old State, when a newspaper, the
name of which is the synonym of political profit
gacy can claim every member of the Supreme
and Circuit Court bench as among its partisans
and announces some of the highest as the Off
cial mountebanks of a contemplated negro mob
CIVIs