The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1870-10-27
------------|-------
From the Toledo Blndc.
fIOm Ihc IOIeuO BInuc, I"
The Democracy and tIlc FiE-
teendIR Amendment

cipated and enfranchised the blacks. On
the other hand, it will be the chief infa-
my of the Democratic party that it wa
ged four years war upon the govern
ment to perpetuate slavery AMI then
fought at every step the Legislation by
which the emancipated blacks were en-
tranchised Amid all the consistency
of the party, it has been consistent in
its heartless determination to prevent
the elevation of the negro; amid all its
disloyalty to the government and to
democratic principles, it has been 10y
al to the South in the bitter material
and political war waged against the pa
tient and long suffering African. 1t
has assailed every measure relating to
the negro, the Thirteenth. Fourteenth,
and Fifteenth Amendments, the Civil
Rights Bill, the legislation to enforce
the Fifteenth Amendment, aud even OPP
posed all measures for the protection
ofthe blacks and for their education in
the simplest rudiments, assailing the
Freedmen's Bureau, and ridiculing the
self-sacrificing efforts of the Republi-
cans to teach and to establish free
schools in the South. Not having the
political power to prevent measures
for the enfranchisement of the blacks,
it declares that the Constitutional
Amendments comforting citizenship up
OIL them are not legally adopted, and
avows its purpose to treat the Amend
ments as nullity should it gain the
power. The Democracy therefore at
the close oflhe war would not only
have left the blacks in their ignorance
to perish by thousands Of starvation
and at the hands of the exasperated reb-
els, but would have remanded them to
slavery and would have prevented the
elevation of the free blacks of the North
to citizenship, Not only would it have
done so at the close of the war, but we
are justified by evey utterance of the
party in suppOsing that it would do so
now had it the power.
This party is now before the country
asking the control of the National Leg
islature. Its record and purpose is so
familiar and patent that he who runs
may read and that the wayfaring man
though a fool need not err in Judging
them. Especially upon the Fifteenth
Amendment is its record clear and its
purpose to treat it as null and void pro-
claimed in platforms aud public address
es. Afew facts will exhibit their record
and purpose:
Not single Democratic member
ofCongress voted for the original rcsO-
luton, and not a single Democratic
State ratified it, OF the lhirty-six States
which voted upon the ratification. but
one or two Democratic members of a
Legislature in the Northern States vo-
ted for it. These were in Maine. In
the Southern States, Democrats voted
for it in Georgia, Mississippi, South
Carolina and Virginia In New York,
a Republican Legislature had ratified
it, but the Democracy coming into pow
er the next year, voted to recind the
the ratification. The Democratic Leg
islature of Ohio rejected the amend
ment, but the Republican LEGISLATURE
elected last fall ratified it.
2 In July last, resolution was adopt
edinCongress declaring the right OF Con
gress TO enforce the Amendment
and that it was binding upon the Fed
eral State and Territorial Governments.
Every Democratic member of the
House but one voted against it, aud
every Democratic member of the Sem
ate who voted at all, voted in the neg
ative. Should Cong ess become Dem
ocratic at any time, it will repeal all
laws and resolutions relating to the OBJ
legation and enforcement Of the Amend
ment, and thus leave it imperative
where the Democracy choose to make
it so.
3. In their platforms, the Democracy
are as pronounced against the Amend
ment as in their votes. The Democra-
cy of Ohio, in their State platform, de-
clare it unconstitutional, unjust and OPP
pressivc," and therefore "demand its
unconditional repeal" The Democ
racy of Indiana, in their recent con-
vention, "solemnly protested against
Indiana being counted for said amend
ment" and declared their "unaterable
opposition to its ratification" The
platform of the Democracy of Arkansas
declares, "we do more especially recon
mend to The people of Arkansas
that they reject Negro suffrage when
ever and in whatever shape it may be
proposed to them"
4. The Democratic press is still more
pronounced than Democratic platforms.
The New York World declared, before
the amendment was ratified, that "even
if it should be ratified, it will ever be
null and nugatory." The Philadelphia
Age, the leading Democratic paper Of
that city, declares that the amendment
is ga deliberate aud indubitable fraud,
and its enforcement bold and shame
less usurpation." The Pontiac JacksOniaa
a Democratic organ in Michigan, says
"The Democracy of MiohIgn will re-
pudiate the Fifteenth Amendment as
a gross and rascaly fraud"
An English nobcman once sent his
stupid son to Rowland Hill, in order
that he might be educated, accompanied
by note, in which the father said Of
his hopeful son: 81 am confident that