Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1870-10-22

order In society situated like ours. II
the white race retain the government
in their own hands, and legislate alike
for all. and make all races of men citi.
zens who desire to be, for the purpose
of protection to their person and pro
perty only, then all will be satisfied,
if we sternly say to all opposite races,
you may come here if you are oppress-
ed ut home, and we will make the
same laws for you that We do for our
selves; we will protect as faithfully
your person and property, but we will
not pass to you the reigns Of Govern
ment by giving yeu the ballot and
allowing you to hold Office. then all will
understand our position, and all who
come will be content. Apply the OPP
posite rule, and what will be the result?
The experiment so far has already
proven, in the first place we extended
il to the African in the South, and it
was said it should be extended no fur
ther, but very soon men saw that it was
not just to say that the African should
have the ballot, simply because he re-
sided in a certain locality and the AT.
ricans of all other localities also raised
the cry of injustice, an ! clamored for
their rights. We yielded to the demand
By violation of our former pledge, and
extended il to the African of the terri
tories Of the United States and all
other places over which the general
Government had exclusive jurisdiction,
and then we declared both long and
loud we would go no further, but did
we stop? no, and why? simply because
we had stepped over the line of race.
Then was raised again the cry of injus-
tice, as before, because. said its advo.
Gates, if il il right that the African
should vote in the Southern States in
all our territories, and in the district Of
Columbia, then it is right that. they
should enjoy the same privilege in NIL
the States. And then came the Fif-
teenth Amendment, extending to Afri>
can citizens all over the land the bal
lot But were the friends of universal
suffrage then satisfied? by no means /;
the same cry OF injustice was raised,
and they said, If race is to be wiped
out, then why not allow the African,
who is foreigner, to become Q citizen,
so as to enable him to vote also. And
the reasoning was unanswerable, be-
cause il was founded upon tho very
principle of which we speak. If We
give to one of a race the privilege of the
ballot, We must in justice give it TO oil.
Then came the proposition to extend il
to oil Africans, with NIL their ignorance
and barbarism, and this was only the
legitimate fruits Of the first act; and
now the frien!s cf unive~ oil suffrage
are raising the same cry of injustice,
because We refuse to extend the ballot
to the Chinese and Indians and they
have just as much re- son for making
this demabd, as thy had for making
the first request to step over tho line OF
race for, il it is true. as claimed, that
a mans rights cannot be protected in
this Government, unless you give him
the ballot. then it is just as necessary
for the Mongolian to enjoy il rs the Af
rican, or any other race of men. end TO
apply Mr.. O'Meara's rule of fitness,
the Chinese. as a people, would have
and enjoy it for a century, before the
African would possess equal qualifca-
ton. And this demand for Chinese
suffrage will be urged, and that, too
with great force, until we shall be COM
PEELED to acccde TO it, on the principle
ct cqnali y and justice, as long as we
recognize the right to pass the line oil
race for if it be right and just to ex.
tend that most sacred privilege to one
opposite race, then il is but just that al
should enjoy it. It is impossible to
wipe out the natural antagonism ol
race. Go to the African to day, to
whom has been given the right to vote
and ask him if be is willing the China
man should have it, and be instantly
and Indignantly answers no, and il
ready to fight, in order to prevent it
We maintain, then, that it would be
dangerous TO permanently fix any line
of qualification. save that of race ant
| we believe the American people mus