The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1870-08-08

made voter by the Fifteenth Article Of
the Federal Constitution, and will vote
in every County in the State at the Fall
elections.
The war, it must be remembered, has
forced upon us great and radical changes,
and established new theories in our sys.
ten of Government; aud It is with these
changes, and these political problems,
we have now to deal. In word, we are
to take things as We find them. and make
the most Of them. It is tho living polit-
ical issues of the day, and what may urisc
in the future, and not those of the dead
past, which have been settl,d by the ar
bitrament of the sword, with which we
have to contend.
Those cherished principles Of State
Rights and Constitutional. Freedom, hand.
ed down to US by the fathers of the Re-
public, have been rent and torn and trod.
den under foot in the frenzy and madness
of the strife, and upon the wreck and
debris Of our once glorious magma charta,
has been erected great centralized and
consolidated Empire.
We must open our eyes to the fact that
the National Government Of to-day is not
that which came from the hands of Jeffer-
son and Madison. The Resolutions Of
'9S and 30 have been buried in
blood and silenced in the victo-
rious shout of tho conqueror.
The immortal defenders Of Constitutional
Government now sleep in their graves.
National fiscal agencies and national bay
oncts mako the laws and govern the pco-
pie. Every branch Of the Federal gov
ernmcnt. and indeed Of nearly all the
States. is held and controlled by the re.
publican party. and to continue their lease
Of power have passed laws to renew them
at:.ihe end of their terms, by going through
the form Of sham elections Of the people.
To arrest and correct these evils, and bring
hack the Government as It was in the days
Of Jackson. should ba tho mission Of the
Democratic party and the friends Of good
Government throughout the whole coun.
try. Preliminary to 30 desirable m ac-
complishmcnt. let us first enfranehise the
di.tronehi.el rhih citizens efom State Z
And this is the vital and real issue be-
tween what is termed the lihcralists and
bitler enders. II is 10 fact the issue Of
the campaign, and should be seriously
considered by every friend Of the white
race. Remember that The negro is now
voter. and was made such by Republic
can Congress and Republican Logisla-
tures; and if he. so recently freed from
ignorance and slavery, il qualified and
entitled to vote under our State Govern
ment. Of which he knows so,littlc, and
which he only nominally supports, can
there be any good reason why the intolli.
gent, law.abiding, large tax paying, white
citizens, should not be allowed to vote too !?
And this is tho question now submitted to
every Democratic and Republican voter in
the State. The Flick Amendment has
passed ono legislature it has 10 pass an
other, and be submitted and ratified by
the people before it becomes a part Of our
State Constitution. Ifa majority Of the
T.cgislaturcG elected in October should be
opposed to it, they will vote it down, and
that will be an end Of rebel enfranchise-
ment in our State for years to come.
Thus tho Importance Of eleciing I.egis-
lature in favor oft. Ny firm belief is.
that tho future growth and prosperity Of
this State depends in great measure upon
the early enfranchiscmcnt Of the disfran-
chised, and installment Of more liberal
and conservative party in power.
Having disposed Of the FIRST and impor-
tant question propounded IN your letter, ]
now come to the second, and answer there
unto by begging. most respectfully, to de-
cline being candidate for the State Sen.
atc-lclicring can do more for our cause
FREE AND uyrRAAMELEp. Thanking you
for your good opinion, I am, very respect
fully, yours &c., WV. Z. ARNOLD.
FROM BRAxTON.