The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1869-09-07


we viii. coeree the people'of the States
holding every man. responsible for hi
conduct, and the States can not lose thei
vitality, in legal point of view, by 90
ling over to the policy of secession.
This was our answer to Mr. Buchanan
Upon this hypothesis we have just pu
down the rebellion But it is now pro
posed by some that we shall practically
admit that the Southern States did secele
that they did go out of the Union; tha
the work of secession was perfect wa.
accomplished: that the States are out o.
the Union; thata government dc tdctc
was established and that we now hold
these States as conquered provinces, just
as We should hold Canada is we were tt
invade it and take possession of it. As
consequence OF this doctrine, jeff Da
Wis can not be tried for treason-not be-
cause he is not a traitor, not q violatol
of the laws, but the head Of the Govern
ment de faoto-the ruler of a conquered
province, and we have no mors power
to try him for treason than we would try
the Governor of Canada for such an off
ence, in case he should fall into our hand.
during hostile invasion of his territory
That is what this doctrine leads to. |
leads to thousand other evils and per
nicious things never contemplated Il
the nature of our Government,
NEGROES UNFIT To VOTE
l believe that in the case of four mil
lions of slaves, just freed from bondage
there should be period probation anG
preparation before they are broIight to
the exercise of political power. ! +
What of their condition? Perhaps moi
one in five hundred might say one il
a thousand--caGf read, and perhaps moi
one in five hundred is worth five dollars
in property of any kind. = =
Can you conceive that a body of men,
white or black, who have been in this
condition, and their ancestors before
them, are qualified to be Immediately
lifted from their present state into the
full exercise of political power not only
to govern themselves and their neigh
hCrs, but to take part in the Government
of the United States Can they be re-
garded as intelligent and independent
voters The mere state of facts furn
ishes the answer to the question. :: : i
To say that such men-and it is no fault
ofthcirs; it is simply their misfortune,
and a crime OF this nation-to say that
such men, just emerged from slavery, are
qualified for the exercise ofpolitical pow
er, is to make the strongest pro slavery
argument ever heard. 1t is to pay the
highest compliment to the institution OF
slavery.
THE RIGHT TO VOTE INVOLVES THE RIGHT
TO HOLD OFFICE.
The right to vote carries with it the
right to held office. You can not say
that he must vote only for white men 70.
office. The right to vote carries with it the
right to be voted for. When that right
is conferred, you can make no discrinin-
alton, no distinction against the right
to hold Office and the right to vote in a
State carries with it the right to vote for
President and mem bers of Congress and
for all Federal officers. The right of
suffrage being conferred in South Caro-
lima, for State purposes, under our Con-
stitution, as have before pointed ont,
carries with it the right to vote for Presi-
dentand Vice President and members of
Congress.
CoLoRED STATE GoyERNMENrS--THE RE
If YOU enfranchise oil the negroes in
these States you will have at least twen-
ty negro votes to one white vote, and in
the work freconstructing the States of
South Carolina. Alabama and Florida,
you will have larger proportion per
haps thirty colored votes to one white.
Now | ask you, what is to be the effect
of that The first effect will be, you
will have colored State Governments
Under such condition of things the ne
gro would no more vote fora white man
than you up here would vote .or black
man. They would no more elect a
white man than you would elect a black
man. Human nature is the same, whether
in white or colored skin. There could
be nothing that would confer more pleas
ure upon a man of that race, of course,
than the elevation to political power of a
man ofhis own race and color. Having
secured power they would retort upon us
that which we have so steadily practiced
upon them. lfyou give them the vote
they will elect men of their own color,
and we have no right to blame them.
We would rather think badly of them if
they did not. l would ask you if the
of Hayti, or any other place
where they are in the majority, have ever
elected white man to office? Under Mr.
plan you will give them an ov-
majority in every one of
these States, and you will give them the
political power of the South That they
will exercise this power by clecsing men
of their own color. is absolutel Y certain.
that human natureis the same
under different compleXions, that the ne
groes are not differently constituted from
ourselves, and that they have like pas
sions with us, we can not 6oubt how this
power will be exercised. Some Will say
that it is all right, if they can find c0ler-
ed men qualified, all right. There are
enough colored men of education in the
North to 90 to the South and fill every
office there, as have no doubt they stand
ready to do it. Here we deny to them
almost every right, except that of mere
personal liberty, and it is 20 in Illinois
and many other Northern States; and
when you present TO them the prospect
Of holding the highest offices in the giil
of the people of the Southern States, rest
assured they will embrace it. They will
have colored Governors and col
ored Members OF Congress, and Sen
atoFs, and Judges OF the Supreme
Court, &c, Very well, and suppose
they do seud cU.ored Senators aud
to Congress. | have
no doubt You will find men in the
North who win he willing to sit down
II / -.