Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-02-12
Written for the rerrysburg journal
THE DALLOT-BON.

What shah be the qualifications OF voters
Shall persons vote whO do not know how TO rc""
ur write The constitution secures the rIght VI |
franchise TO native born citizens, and Foreigners
,shc have taken the oath Of allegiance, without
regari to education. The constitution presumcs
that the sovereign people are intelligent. De-
mocracy is bpsed on the foundation ot popular
sovereignty. Each person is invested WIN Tue
powers OF a grand juror. The veal OF woe oi
the republic depends upon the verdict OF the Vo-
ter. The members Of the Stat, legislation, "'
Congress-, of the Supreme Court and OF the EA-
eeutive department, are the servants OF lhe i"o-
ME, All the distinguished persons, as StepoS"
nouclass used TO say bow to TO the great prin'
cipIcs of popular sovereignty. They ccme anu
uo AZ the bidding Ct the citizen voter. Inc pco-
pie are exalted and clothed with the dignity o'
rulers. Ills very doubtful indeed whether de-
mocracy would ever submit to any instructions
in regard to education. The people are vc'y to-
nacious of their rights. Freed IN Is the wa'ch-
vord-~ We held that these truths are sel'eNi-
dentEthat all men are created free aud equal
endowed by their creator with certain inaliena
bls rights, among which are lite, liberty, aud
away with mOnopolies aud tariffs AM dlsaO'h'
ties. The people who come to The ballot ooN
ought, as a matter ofcodrse, to know how to read
and write. But law requiring Sueh qn"nnea'
6ons might not be successful. When Irolher
Jonathan does not wish tnlearn to read and MtHe
IA is very difficult TO compel HIM ny lAw' ha'
somewhat eccentricindividual has ralner stl"!
NNi Nhen he SAYS | don't want to- u means
something Aud wheL be says won't, II you
dn mai find A dead lock, YOU NAV find something
in statu quo, 1t would hardly do W locaH
school master with his spellirg.boo' ON one s'de
Of the ballot box and a writing master WIN
copY-book on the other A'tnongh @ su'" ~" n', :" w.
rangement might not seriously cmoaiAss lhe W.
,ing Few persous would care about occupying
such A position more than once. The e,nsuh
tIou does not positively REQUIRE persons VINO Wv
10 be qualified by any atta,hmants e'iher 'h Vuu NV,
cation, or character, or properly Anu wv M y, Wv
Establishes district schoos by law, charters an'
Or hines endows Colleges and Universities
thnrches and institutions OF religion, encun' age
and protects the people in the acln 81 mno pr'P
erty. The motives 10 induce all the peNPo
cei an education cannot be 1 o strongly OF !"
eoostantlv impruyed, aud Democracy cannot D
Sustained by an ignorant people withon. eoara'
t,r and U,iihont means. AS in Que hour he
greatness and her glory would depart iho n's
tory Of the American Republic teaches tls; w
institutions have thus Tar been sns'a.hre a"
perpetuated by those eiuzeps VINO eau o,.n rSS @
and write persons of education, character an
pruperty, While tho ignorant masses nav
ever made trouble. Such were our o'iaVr' "a "a
fans, the poor white and eolored trash oi ~
country as well as the thieves and plug ugle
of ihe CITY. Those unedueated persons who Al
well disposed are too often prey 10 demagos
ues and willy politicians. Let each pers"h
taught 70 understand that know.ege Is pow
that for our own as well as the sake OF our en-
dren, andour country, VIC need an edueauo
This constitutes the main difference between
manarchy and republic. In the latter case u
intellect Of the people is the controlling power,
the former one person with elected aids rul
the people In the one Il is the will OF tho pc
pic, in The other the will OF the monarch. In q
one, the people are moved as maehlnei
slaves, by the hand Of one as he WIS 10 Y
other the hands Of the people are raised % eA
cate their own will. An ignorant person 10
republic is not really freeman. HIS eoan'h
Il not really improved by being permnted
come 10 tue polls. Suppose The case. lie ca
not read. Some one gives him the ticket
what avail is a ticket 10 the hauda OF such ma
Where ia his freedoml lie may be soulbod,
dupe. He knows nothing about his ticket Al
muFe than ia blind man. True, he sees eerta
lines Aad marks, bat they convey no inleiligC
ideas To his mind. lie is obliged 20 take the Il
timony Of others. The sources of knowledge q
shut against him. Others may lead him abe
by the sleeve. He may be invested with all
rights and immunaies OF a republic, and yet
iea slave. Let brother Jonathan once get
idea that ignoranee Is disgraeelul condition
seFvitude and Ne will get an education IN ~
but they will be Of no aygit. lie will know b
10 read his tlcks. aud great deal more.
N'u ~ '''''S '' ANON