Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-03-11
Tho Democratic Panic i'm indiana.

The resignation of the Democratic
members of the Indiana Legislature,
leaving that body without quorum, and
rendering an adjournment necessary, is
an illustration of the scriptural saying
that "The wicked flee when no man
pursueth." The mere phantom of the
fifteenth article of amendment to the
Constitution, not yet officially submit
ted to the States, was sufficient to drive
them in terror out Of the State-house
and into retirement. They did not stay
upon the order of their going, but went
at once, leaving the appropriation bills
unfinished and legislation in the saddest
disorder. OF course, writs for a special
election to fill the vacancies thus made,
will Immediately follow, and an extra
session will be called, for the machinery
of the State can not be blocked because
parcel of panicky Legislators fled in
dismay before they were menaced by
the dreadful apparitiOn. of impartial
suffrage,
What they are te gain by this bolt it
is not easy to understand. Even if re-
elected to man, or their places filed
by equally sound Democrats, the politi-
cal complexion of the Legislature will
not be altered. There will be the same
number of Republicans in the body as
before, and the same dreadful question
to pass upon; and should few Republi-
can members happen to be returned,
land such thing is not impossible J
they would be in more desperate con-
dition than ever.
This bolt is almost unprecedented In
the history of legislation, but the events
that are nearer precedents than any
Others, are those that are furnished by
the Indiana Legislature itself, which
has repeatedly been broken up on Sem
atorial and other exciting questions
Had the members waited till the ques-
tion of ratification had been taken up,
and no other way of defeating it but by
resignation been open to them, then the
propriety of resigning would have been
in order. Itserves to show, however,
the intense horror our modern Demo-
Gratis have of equal laws for all men,
They must have one law for white
man, another for the black man, ano a
third for the Asiatic, and another for
the red man. Men must be legislated
into castes, and their highest ideal of
democratic government is to have some
one or more classes OF men disqualified
and put under their feet, They want
SOLhCOSdy W tidiH PIC Ou-
These Indiana Democrats know very
we'll that it will still be in their power
to protect the ballot by such qualifica-
tions as may be necessary to its conser-
vation, but the problem how they could
guard it without cutting off large body
of their constituents, is not easily solv-
ed. To fix upon basis of either prop
erty or education would weaken the
rank and file TT MIGHT keen njnetv-
five per cent. of the negroes from the
polls, but how many Democrats you'd
also be deprived Of the privilege. If
they could limit the law of suffrage in
its operation to the colored people, the
fifteenth article would go through with
out dissenting voice; but to be compel
led to make the law impartial in its
effect staggers the Democratic intellect,
and produces the widest CONSERVATION.
Still, they will have TO come to il.-Cin.
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