Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-04-25
From the N. York Tribrnes
DemnGratie ProgresS.

In the state of New York the demo-
cratic party enacts a. law that any male
negro, no matter how black, shall be a
fully qualified voter, provided he is the
actual owner of $3.50 worth of real pro-
perty. That is to say, Sam Johnson may
come to.the poll at noon and offer TO
vote il it appears that he is worth only
s249 80. he is driven away, and called a
nasty nigger, of beastly characteristics
and offensive odor. But let him return
in ten minutes with the additional one
cent, and instantly he smells sweet, his
wool straightens out, his heels retract,
his shins become erect, his lips fatten,
and in, the space of FIVE minutes he is
transformed by the magic power of that
one copper or nickel into tlaxen-haired,
blueeyed, inodorous specimen of the
Caucasian family, fully armed with the
ballot. And all this for ''only one cent" "
But democracy is progressive. With
in few days that party in the Ohio leg
islature has adopted what is known as
the "F:sible Admixture BILL" providing
that the right Of franchise shall be ta-
ken away froth every resident ii whom
there is a visible adnlixture of black
blood, or rather the blood of black ances-
tors-for the blood iii itself does not Wis
IDLY differ in the two races. Should a
man having ene-sixteenth of African
blood vote for Governor who should
be chosen by one vote, that sixteenth
drop of black blood must unseat the
Governor and compel new election
Oh, rare democracy! In New York a
five cent postage stamp can change a
strongscented "nigger" into free and
honorable elector i'll Ohio one drop in
sixteen of certain blood can take from
perfectly white, well educated, rich and
honorable men the highest privilege a
citizen can enjoy. And this is democ-
racy
Not long ago in another state, the de-
mocracy had property qualification of
$500 for members of the Legislature
One of their leading members in the low
er house had misfortune during the ses-
sion /; arjackass living with, and we SUP
pose owned by him, took sick and died.
The loss reduced his real property below
the representative standard and an ef-
fort was made to turn him out. A long
discussion followed, but no result was
had, as the members were quite unable
to decide who represented the town, the
man or the jackass.
The democracy have a sliding scale of
principles adapted to all such cases
even that of the donkey. They have
been and are both for and against proper
ty qualifications, both for and against
universal franchise for whites, both for
and against any franchise for negroes,
as their late action in South Carroll
IA shows; in fact, both for and against
everything. Half the men just denied
franchise in Ohio might vote unchalleng-
ed in our With ward. while $3.50 would
whitewash the blacklist Congo of ALL
In Alabama, the negroes were deprived
of work and threatened with death if
they voted a republican ticket, but pet
ted and rewarded if they went the 9th
er way. In South Carolina leading dem
ats advocate franchise for the accurs-
ed negro, and put to open shame-if that
were possible-the hypocritical rascals
of their faith in Ohio. .z.s.s
Shall not these high-toned, honorable,
and progressive Clio Legislators be re
membered in the day of reckoning now
approaching (? BY and by there will be
sitting of men, and it is quite possible
that the $3.50 democrats, and the visible
admixture democrats will find their pro.
per level. Let us hope so.