The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1868-10-22


viii shun its compahionshlp, though
all my former political associates were
in its ranks. Show me Ia party faith
ful to- the Constitution, and in its
ranks, though composed exclusively
of former political antagonists, my
place and position WiH be found. 20
, !" Measures not men," is the rule for
me- 1t is the present and the future,
not the past, that decides the matter.
L do not askmy Democratic brother,
who now fights byt!my side in the
cause of the Constitution, whether in
former contests, and upon issues which
have passed away, we were agreed
The prime wisdom lies in the living
issues of to-day. The question with
me is not whether party was wrong
once but whether it is right now. SIS
b And now; my friends, have given
you the main reasonswhy stand here
to-day-yes, here in my old county,
where for a quarter Of a century 1
stood opposed to the D Democracy-here
in, the midst of old political associates
and well-beloYed friends; why j stand
here upon a Democratic platform. j
stand here to support the Constitution,
to support the first rights of the States,
To- sustain, "A civil law Fapd civil govern
ments against martial law and militia
" rule, ., to defend the, all essential
rights of American; citizens, to pre-
serve. the guarantees which make US a
free people, to defend the. .Aabeas. cor
Pafs,. the trial by jury the right of the
acbite people of the States to frame
their own Constitutions for them
selves. I stand here to defend the an
cient Commonwealth mlmIlloon of Virginia
against the imposition of. negro osuf-
frage upon her unwilling white peo-
pie, as l would stand here to defend
II the IIYMHEhl white people Of Ohio from simi-
Lar outrage, 4q.rf ..fc.. - 4.roeg aai
edI 80 5!E@ NEGRO OUTRAGE b.sn 1oiu
al Hitherto, .fellow-citizens, have put
.the, ease upon constitutional grounds.
I-have. .arraigned the measures and the
policy of the Republican party as SUBJ
Yersive of our fundamentallaw. Now
letsus look at their measures and their
policy from another point of Niew.--
f. not constitutional, are they, at
least, wise and right in themselves p
Is universal negro suffrage aTgood
thing in itself-so good that it must
be established pei, .fas a,tt nefas, by
right or wrong? Is it SO supreme a
right that to deny it is anti-reppbli-
can People of Ohio, of: all political
parties, I need not wait for your an
swer. .-.--. r.,.,.
You gaye itlast fall in tones Of thun-
der. You then said this is white
mans government, and you rejected
this good thing with loathing and ab.
hornence, Mark it, my friends, that
the question put to the people of Ohio
was negro suffrage alone. What
would have been your answer if the
thing proposed was to give the ballot
to. the negro with one hand, and take
it from the white man with the other
What would you have said if the
proposition made, to you was intend
ed, not to makenegro suffrage harm.
less element in the regulation of You
political affrirs, as it would in Ohio
but to make it the controlling element
Look, at the reconstructed State Eo1
South Carolina, and what do you seei
AL its Write. people subjected to the
domination of the black. race. There
are those who say}ff f This is well; this
is retributiYe justice; this is the legit
innate fruit of unsuccessful rebellion
this is security for the future; this ii
the restoration b promised: this il
peace.pc .a,.g.is> s.a nrf,.a-r. a;a u
Fellow-citizens, it. is neither resto
ration nor peace. 1t portends CON
flict. There is no security in it either
for the black race for the white, anG
least of all for the blacks. All histo
ry teaches us that where these two ia
ces of men exist together the whit,
race must rule. Noihumanl laws cal
work out the problem of their socia
equality orpolitical equality; but hu
man laws may place them in hostilit,
to each other human laws may ARA,
one race against the other, and plac
the negro on level with, or above tn
white man, but nothing short of tn
bayonet can keep him there. -. t.,:.
When the eleven Southern State
attempted to secede, from the, Union
when the eight millions of their whit
people, with such remarkable unanim
ity, took that fatal step, it was unde
the idea that they were exercising
constitutional right. They had bee
| educated in that faith. We, of tn
| North, had been taught in anothe
4 school. The right had been affirme
and denied, from the foundation q
our Government. It was one of thos
political questions which nothing bu
i arms could decide, and which, at las
I arms did decide.i';f Gofja"' ii' 'o 2
4 Now; nay friends, one and all, I pr
4 this question to you, especially to sue
of you as maintain that these Soutf
ern people are. the greatest of Grim
4 nails and deserveno mercy: L ask yo
] toput your hands on your hearts an
tell me whether, if you had been Dor
l under a Southern sun, and had live
j ailiyour lives in Southern State, an
> had been taught from your infanC
that secession was a constitution
I right, if you would not have gor
81 with your people into secession? .
!; not misunderstood me. AS Nortl
ern men, taught by Webster and Cla
notify Calhoun or Davis, L denied IL
right of secession, and while the WI
{ ragged L was in favor, of fighting it o.