The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-10-08
A Square Issue To Be Squarely
Met.


truthfully speaks:
Had the Republican party Of Ohio,
two years ago, met the question of
negro suffrage squarely, the issue, in
another form, would not have been
upon it now. It's timid course at that
time cost it the Legislature, and it
narrowly saved the State ticket. 1t
was beaten by shadows of its own
cOpjuring, and developed an amount
of moral eowardice which vas not
anticipated of party whose record
up to that time had been one Of au-
dacity in defense of truly democratic
and progressive ideas.
We shall see, on the second Tues
day of October, whether il has profit
ed by its experience, and can bring
its forces up to accept the result of
its own logic, the consequences of its
own acts. Ifit fails to meet and set
tie the question of suffrage on broad
and impartial grounds, it deserves de-
feat. It's orators point with pride to
the fact that it was through its in
strumentality that slavery was swept
from the land, and the negroes taken
out Of the list of chattel property and
put upon their proper level of man
hood. Why nov shrink from cloth
ing them with the attributes of man
hood which, in free, popular Govern
ments, give dignity to the citizen =?
What is there so yeryapPallias- IA
negro suffrage? Already, and for
years, negroes have voted in Ohio !;
that is to say, men whose taint of Af-
rican blood would have subjected
them, in any slavehold;ng State, to
the auction block and to appraise-
ment as property. What ridiculous
tests must judges Of the election ap-
ply to discover the amount Of African
blood circulating in the veins of hun
dreds who present themselves at the
ballot box, and to decide whether
they are prepOnderatingly white or
black. And how absurd it is that an
ounce Of black blood, more or less,
should determine the qualifications of
voter. lis to be questioned wheth-
er people who could set up so fool
ish and indefensible a test are them
selves qualified for self-government
and the administration and propaga-
tion of republican institutions.
Let us have done with this infinite
nonsense, which is alike disgrace to
our intelligence and an impeachment
Of our sanity. As we can not we'll
reach it for some time to come by
Of our own Constitution.
let us put into the supreme law of the
land-the Constitution Of the United
States remedy that will not only
relieve us Of the visible admixture
folly, but prevent other States from
stumbling into it.
Impartial suffrage is among the in
evitable consequences of the elevation
Of all men in the United States to
footing of responsible citizenship. 1t
is one OF those questions that defeat
loes not settle. We must strip the
,lass to which suffrage is denied of |
Ill civil rights, and reduce it to the
condition that makes slavery possible
'r we must go forward and invest it
With the same power which we exer-
Use to protect our own civil rights
fnere is no permanent middle pusi-
ion which we can occupy. The ques-
ion will recur and recur as often as
t is evaded or fouted. We may vote
t down as was done two years ago,
md bury it under prOdigious majori-
les, aud yet, like John Barleycorn,
t will come up as fresh as ever and
more vigorous, for careful reconsider
ltion. Why not now determine it in
accordance with principles of justice
Ind equality, and so end the business?
This done with, the States recon
'tructed, the gravest questions of the
var settled, the country at peace, we
IAN go forward in career of prOspcri
y and progress as a united people,
1nder a Government which grants
rights and protection to all
is citizens, and claim of them re-
Of good will and steadfast
support.