The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-06-09
Democracy Versus Imperialism.

One of the most prominent differ
ences between the political parties OF
the day, is the regard which they re-
spectively show to the wishes and feel
ings of this masses of the people
The Democratic party has confidence
in the intelligence, wisdom, virtue and
patriotism of the people, while the Re
publican party distrusts them, and
acts upon the presumption that the
few leaders are the best judges OF
the ~propriety of great public meas.
ures. This distinguishing characteristic
finds a strong illustration in The his
tory OF tlhe proposed Fifteenth Amend.
ment to the Federal Constitution
When Congress determined to submit
this amendment to the States for tt5e11
ratification or rejection, a resolution
was offered that it be submitted to
Legislatures thereafter to be elected
Every Democrat voted in the afirma'
tive and every Republican in the neg
alive. The theory of our Govern
ment is that "the people do ordain ana
establish Constitutions" and the Demo
Gratis believe that in all changes of the
organic law the people should have an
opportunity to discuss, canvass and
decide, and that their decision should
be final. In SO vital and radical a
change as the one proposed, it was
eminently proper that the source OF
all power should be consulted. This
duty was the more imperative from
the fact that the Legislatures then ex-
listing were chosen upon an avowal OF
principle directly opposed to the pro-
posed amendment. The Republican
National Platform distinctly declared
that the question of suffrage in loyal
States belonged exclusively to those
States. They claimed the right to
impose negro suffrage upon the States
lately in rebellion upon the miserable
pretext that those States were conquer
ed provinces, and that we had a right
to impose upon them any terms we
pleased; and upon the further plea
that negros must vote because they
composed the only loyal element upon
which those States could be recon
structed. But the party, in its widest
excuses, never avowed a design to i'm
pose black suffrage upon a loyal State
against the will of its people. The
Republicans, in some of the States
Gas in Ohio, Kansas, Minnesota and
Connecticut), did attempt to modify
their State constitution so as to permit
negroes to vote and hold Office, but
the proposition was overwhelmingly
defeated. The last Legislature of
Ohio was elected ON that issue, yet
the Republican members, with a full
knowledge of the fact that fifty thou
sand majority of the people of Ohio
were opposed TO negro suffrage, voted
in the Legislature to force it upon
them by a ratification of the amend
ment. The dominant party in Con-
gress were fully advised that if an OPP
portunity was given for the people to
consider this question it would be
overwhelmingly defeated. Hence the
unanimous vote of the party against
the resolution. Hence the indecent
haste to force it through the Legisla-
ture of New York, Pennsylvania, Hi
nois, Kansas, and other States, which
have ratified it against the known will
of their people. Hence the fraudu-
lent and basely corrupt effort of the
Republican members of the Indiana
Legislature, urged on by that able,
but inscriptions demagogue, Morton,