The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1870-06-23
What Shall Be Our Policyl

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ent with our past record on the suffrage
question, aud maintain our respect, aud
the respect Of these who differ with US
From the earliest agitation Of the ques
ton whether the African should receive
the ballot, the Democratic party, with
great unanimity, has been opposed to it
Without going into al explanation Of
the reasons why We espoused the mega
tive Of this question, it is sufficient for
our purpose to state briefly, that our
party have always believed that it was
intended by its founders that this should
be White Mans Government, and that
it was not for the interest of either race
that they should be joined in its admin.
istration. While holding this doctrine
the party, at the same time, has believed
that the negro should be secured in all
his personal rights, treated with respect
and kindness, but in no manner made
the political or social equal of the white
man. This, we repeat, was a cardinal
principal of the Democratic party, and
IN its advocacy We were not moved by
any hostility to, or hatred of, the negro
All the antagonisms engcndered were
caused By those who held opposite views.
attempting to force the black man out
of his natural position into one of per.
feet equality with the white race. In
the great struggle over this question we
have been worsted, aud the opposite
party, by means the most dastardly, fed.
eral baycnets, despotic exercise of power,
aud an entire disregard of constitutional
provisions and the will of the people,
have been successful. The majority
has been overridden and the negro de.
elared voter 1t matters not that the
Fifteenth Amendment is in reality no
amendment at all; it matters not that
if Judged BY the test Of justice, or the
constitution itself, il cou d not stand
moment; we must now view it as an
accomplished fact, aud consider the ne.
gro voter. As forcible resistance is
out of the question, and must not be
thought Of for moment, We must make
up our policy, whatever that may be.
with the negro meeting us at the ballot.
box.
Aud what shall be that policy? Can
any sensible Democrat doubt what it
ought to Beg Can we turn round like
weather vaue in storm aud give the
lie direct to all our previous professions.
by counting the negro voter They
know as well as We that they are not
indebted TO the Democratic party for
their right to vote. If We were to ask
them for their votes VIC should DOT ret
them, and were we to thus demean our.
selves we should receive their CONTEMPT
as well as our own, and We would besides
be the laughing stock of our political
enemies. Then the only course left for
us to pursue, to be consistent with our
principles, ten thousand times pro.
claimed, is to ignore the negro vote EN-.
tircly, disclaim any intention of seeking
to control it, and appeal solely to the
white men Of the country for support
In making out this policy We would not
have straw laid in the way of the
black man exercising the right of suf
irage in the fullest and freest manner
possible. The negroes are not to blame
that the ballot has been put into their
hands. They did not ask for il, if we
except few ambitious ones, aud now
that they have got it, they have as many
doubts as ever about their ability to
exercise it with judgment.
We, then, advise the Democratic party
OF this State to appeal to the white voter
for support As heretofore, we will ap
peal to the White Mans Party, and
unless we are greatly mistaken, the ap.
peal will not be made in vain. The
Fifteenth Amendment has really come
upon the country so suddenly that the
people cannot yet realize the full effect
OF 1t. 1t does not stop at voting merely,
for if it did the evil effect would not be
so great, but it will be felt far beyond
that Equality at the ballot.box means
political equality in every sense of the
word. Negroes will not be satisfied
with simply votiug-they must hold
office in Pennsylvania. Then they will
be commissioned in the Army and Navy.
and white mems sons 10 these branches
OF the public service must be made sub
jeet to them. All distinction in the
public schools must be broken down,
and 10 every other place the negro will
claim there shall be no difference made
between him and the white man. Then
they will claim social equality, and al.
ready in Washington the Radical dig,
nitaries invite negroes to their social
entertainments, because they have po.
litical strength and dare not refuse them
Every negro knows that the white is the
superior race, hence their anxiety to
have white blood mingle in the veins Of
their descendants Are the white men
OF this country willing to have this thing
called negro suffrage carried out to its
Legitimate conclusion? We do not think
they will be when they come to view it
in its naked deformity, but We believe
they will repudiate it aud maintain the
honor OF their race. As to the negroes,
the mass of whom are innocent of ali
wrong in this matter, they will be the
heaviest sufferers. The Fifteenth
Amendment has raised up new and
dangerous antagonisms that never op.
posed them before, and they must noS
stand the political assaults Of the white
race. In the contest that must take
place they will be ground to powder
between the upper and neither milestone
OF political power.-Doytestopn (Pa.)
Democrat.
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