Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-09-03

q
erJlored suffrage in itself-gives no in
timatIon that cOlored suffrage IS wron
or impro per-but objects only to tn
means by which it is to be brouRh
about, insisting that suffrage should b
regulated by an amendment Of tn
1 Constitution of the State, and not b
an amendment OF the Constitution e
the United States, AS is proposed in To-
! Fifteenth AmenN meuU. In a Dsmocra at
| ic Convention in Ohio, two years ago
IL was resolved that HegrS SaffraQ
in itself was wrong, aud would b
highly prejudicial TO the hebestEaLerests 0
the State. But that cginioa seems t.
nave been recYusidered, a11d the Onl,
objection now taken asfo the means b.
which il is 10 be brOuEhG about. Thf
reconsideration is dOE6 E6tless owing Il
the conviction in E5enaIinds ofthe nom
bers of the late OsRVention that Ih
Fifteenth AmeHe eut would be rattle,
and impartial sG8f1ge established, ant
It was therefore opOrtant to put th
Democratic party into a position il
which they could point to the plat foru
and assure the cOlOred voters that the
did not object 10 negro suffrage in il
self, but oGiy to the mode in which
was to be brought about, and thus la
/ a fOundaeIOn for soliciting the cOlOre,
vote. The Constitution OF the Unitei
States provides that any proposltiol
prese1ted to the States by msjOrity o
LWo-tdirds of each House Of COngres
and ratified by the Lewislatnrsn q
three-f0urtha of ali the states shall be
come a part OF the Constitution itself
aud the Fifteenth Amendment thul
presented by Congress il very sure te
receive the ratification OF three-fourthi
Of all the States, not counting Ohio
aud Will, in all human probability, DO.
come part of tho fundamental law be
fore the election in 1870, and when thai
takes place these Democratic politicians
will be the very first men 10 offer tC
eaC, drink and ride with negroes, End
kiss their babies for their votes.
While it is highly desirable that ths
LEGISLATURE of Ohio, to be elected this
all. shall raJify the Fifteenth Amend.
nent, vet it is not likely 10 be impor-
Jant that it should do so, and peO-
pie of all parties may make up their
minds that the colored men Of Ohio
will have right to vote in October. 1870,
and govern themselves accordingly.
Virginia, Mississippi and Texas will
ratifV the Amendment, az all parties in
hose States have declared themselves
tn its favor and the law of Congress
will require it as q condition precedent
20 their restoration to representation IN
Congress aud enough other States
may be surely counted upon With those
that have already acted 10 make the
requisite three fOurths.
Indiana has ratified the Amendment,
anding the desperate and rev.
,IutionBry measures res0Fted to by the
Democratic party of that State TO de-
feat its action.
Twice the Democratic members Of
the Senate and House of Representa-
tives in the Indiana Legislature re-
signed their seats for the purpose of
breaking q quorum, relying upon a
strained and forced construction of the
,E tot En -
which the rebels sought to give to Che
Constitution of the United States when
they claimed that Congress was de-
stroyed in 1861 by the secession Of the
Senators and Representative from the
Southern States. But the sound judi
cial mind of the country, and the COM
mon sense of the people repudiated the
construction alike in each case, and re-
jected any Interpretation of the Con
stitution which would enable a factions
minority to destroy the Legislature or
Congress.
But the example of resignation set by
the Democratic members of the In
diana Legislature, commend most
heartily to the Democratic members of
the Ohio State Legislature, and in fact
to Democratic officials everywhere
the land. Let Democratic
Office nolderB be encouraged to resign
as the speediest and most certain
means by which they can be entitled
to the gratitude of their country.
The seventh resolution resolves
that the policy and legislation of the
Radical party tend to destroy the re-
served rights of the States and convert
the Republic into a consolidated des-
potism." What the policy and legis-
lation referred to are, is not stated, but
we know very well what they mean
They mean the denial by the Repub-
.ican party of State sovereignty and of
5he right of secession for in no other
respect has the Repu blican party in
vaded or violated what they cali the
reserved rights of the States. The
true rights of the States, as understood
by the Fathers of the Republic, and as
guaranteed by the COnstitutioR of the
United States are fully respected by
the Republican party, and W8Al ever be
preserved intact, but that infamous
and bloody doctrine of Stabs sovereign
~ and it's frstbOrn child, the Right of
secession, which has cost the nation so
learly in blood and. treasure-which
have been the parents of so much mis-
5ry and suffering, we R5hor, and ever
lhall. The accursed resolutions of 1898
and 1893 have for nearly fifty years
been incorporated in the Democratic
platform, and are inssparably connect
I'd with its very existence. If political
surgery were capable of cutting out
his destroying cancer from the body
IF the Democratic party without tax
ng It's life, it would be possible for the
party to reform and again become en-
titled to the confidence of the Amer
can people, but history furnishes no
Example of the kind, and there is moth
ng in the present condition of the
party which would authorize us to in
iulge anySsuch hope.
1t is an axiom, the truth of which
;annot be denied, that republican gov
,rnment can be safely founded only
lpon the general Intelligence of the I
people, and that the general inteIli-
renee of the people can only be secured |
~ a system of common schools where |
n education shall be free and Open to /
Ill the children of the -countrys The |
common school system OF Chic and of
'ther States is of the very essence of |
heir republican institutions, and any 1
blow aimed at that system Es directed /
o the very foundation OF the Repub-
ic. The Democratic party of OHIO i
lave not taken open ground against i
his system, and we must believe that
large portion are in favor of it. But /
till, il is well known that there is a
yery considerable portion of the party
hat are decidedly-nGy, bitterly OPP
lOsed to the Common School sVsten
n any form, and would, If they had
he power, strike it down and destroy
t. 1t NAV be also stated, that the
louriHhed generally, where he~Com-
non School system has been brought
o the greatest perfection, and that
Common Schools and Democracy do
Tot go very well together, and it is
,ut natural that the party should look
With some degree of jealousy and dis
avor upon a system which is unfriend-
Y to its general growth and prosperi-
v. II, therefore, there be a candidate
or any office, high or low, who is op-
,osed to the Common School system,
n whose position upon that question
s doubtful, he should not receive the
of any man who believes sin
erely in republican institutions and
lesires their preservation.
There is no more inBiduouB and dam
'erous warfare against republican gov
rnment than that which is being
vaged in some quarters against COM
non schools, and the true friends OIL
cannot begin too soon
o meet these attacks and hurI them
lack with defiance and defeat. And
whenever the position OF a candidate
or Governor, for the Legislature, or
or any important Office, becomes such
hat he cannot or will not express him
elf in behalf of the system of COM
non schools, you should not vote for