The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1870-09-01
IFnr the News.
[For the News.
Democratic Opposition 20 Ne
gro Suffrage.

The Democratic members of Congress,
at its late session, issued an Address to
their partisans, advising them to abandon
"dead issues" They announce no princi-
ples-no "policy" but negative opposition.
Tt is plain that opposition to the negro is
not to be considered "dead issue" The
Democratic party cannot live without
keeping alive the antipathies of race.
This party would be deprived of po-
tent means of exciting and keeping up
popular prejudice, were the negro question
to be withdrawn as a "dead ISSUE" It Is
remarkable how little intelligence is necRs-
sary to edit Democratic paper. Stale, a
thousand-times-repested slang about "ne-
gro equality" and "white mans party
constitute the staple of the EDITORS labors.
The wit and literature of these. partisan
editors has so long run in this channel that
they can invent nothing new, but must
even run on in the same line. Their i'll
success in the past has taught them r5-
thing.
Thomas Jefferson is claimed by this par
ty as their paternaI ancestor. He taught
that all men had equal rights, and that all
who were governed had a right to vote.
jefferson not only preached, but practised
"negro equality" He was no stickler for
"caste,v or the "white mans party" Nei-
ther was that patriot, Richard NJ. Johnson,
whom the Democratic party elected Vice
President.
Does not much of the best blood of the
chivalrous South flow mingled with the
African current? Are not these Jewelers. of
the "white mans" blood among the vaunt-
ed leaders of the Democratic party, held
up as exemplars of that "higher form Of
civilization developed by slavery institu-
tions?
The principles of Jefferson, as interpret
ed by the Democratic party in the "Reso-
lutions of 1885," and reiterated from year
to year, eliminated in the late rebellion.
Negro emancipation, civil rights and suf-
.frage followed. Should not the Democratic
party accept the bantling laid at its door?
1t has devolved upon the patriotic party
OF the country to meet and dispose of all
the important questions and issues which
have arisen out Of the changed relations
produced by the war. They have courage
ously and with manful persistence address
ed themselves to the great task of Recon-
struction, which is already far advanced.
The Democratic party made and sustain
ed the war, the war made emancipation
and taxes. The equalizing-the Africani-
izing process, has been going on for years
in the South-gradually introducing light
er shades upon the darker groundwork.-
Now what the Republican party has done
is to give every colored man his own wife
and children-to protect his family rela-
tions from the tyranny and lust Of the mas
ter.
The cOlored man now owns his own wife
and his daughters virtue is protected by
the laws of the land.
But the colored man should not VOTE,
because he is ignorant. If such a test be
applied would not the Democratic MAORI
ties be largely reduced in many cities and
places which give great Democratic major
tiles and control the result in empire
States?
Is not the negro, with his musket on his
shoulder, ready to shed his blood for his
country, which had hitherto denied his
rights, nobler man. than he who lifted
his hand to strike down the flag Of that
country?
Has not the dark-skinned African, who
fed and guided the escaped Union soldier
from Southern prison-pens, a anobler nature
than he who plotted in the midnight cir
cles of the "Sons of Liberty to give "aid
and comfort" to the hosts of treason, or
who now continue the work of assassina-
ton of Union men and inofensive negroes,
like the murderous Thugs of India, thro'
their Ku-Klux, midnight organizations?
Yet the Democratic party would place the
right of suffrage in the hands of these enc
mics of their country and mankind, and
deny it to the patriotic negro because of the
color of his skin! MADISON.