Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-07-14
PARTY ISSUES.

Ohio:
The matters involved in this election not
only reach to every department of our
State Government, but will affect the APP
portionment of our State and the revision
of our Constitution. II will affect you in
the national councils, and will be deci-
sivo sign TO the great presidential contest of
1879 IL Is therefore matter of pride and
satisfaction to see the Republican party of
Ohio, with its glorious history and proud
record, enter into this canvass with tick
ct worth its support, with its principles
sanCti6ed by great success, ready TO enter
upon new reforms, and able W carry them
out.
And we enter upon our canvass with
one satisfaction that does not often fall to
the fate of party. We have the indorse.
ment and approval of our political adver-
saries. We have administered the Gov
ernment of the United States and of this
State for now ten years. We have had
many contests, in war and in peace-con-
tests involving great changes in our gov
ernment-contests political and admins
trative. We have realized the original
idea of the founders of our government
a central government, supreme in its linn
tied powers, surrounded and supported by
thirty local State governments-snd
all now move along in harmony. We have
emancipated four millions of slaves. We
have secured, by the highest constitutional
sanctions, the liberty and equality of all
citizens before the law. We have admin
istered our internal affairs so that our credit
is untarnished, our industry is prosperous,
our Territories arc forming into States,
new railroads are building, old disputes are
dying away, and nothing is needed on the
mart sNf tho frNNsCT-,ynnnt hs1t tho fair an
forcement of the Constitution and laws
for the protection of persons and proper
ty We have SO managed our internal
affairs, and so borne ourselves with foreign
nations, that we have now no dispute or
controversy with any nation of the world,
and our strength and power have been so
demonstrated that we need not fear that
any nation will desire a contest with us.
The theory and principle of republican
government is so strengthened by our eX-
ample as everywhere to enlarge the pow
ers entrusted to the people. Even the
poor negro-emancipated by our laws,
and clothed with political power-is re-
cognized by our old Democratic adversaries
as a man and brother.
i congratulate you, that we have now,
in Ohio at least, the formal approval of
the great distinguishing measures of Re.
of Democratic politicians here in Colum-
bus. They tell lis that they recognize as
accomplished facts the three amendments
to the Constitution, and they pledge them
selves to the full and faithful enforcement
of the Constitution as it now is, so as to
secure equal rights to all persons under it,
without distinction of race, color, or con-
dition. So far well. 1t is great matter
to secure even formal acquiescence in con-
stitutional changes, especially when they
involve the rights of millions of people,
and when they have been so steadily op
posed in all stages by the Democratic
party, North and South. They were the
issues of the war. They were mainly the
issues of the last presidential campaign
Opposition to them was the starch-the
uniting element of the Democratic party
Where would they have been without the
hate of the negro? What bond holds the
mass of the people of the South to the
Democratic party but negrophobia. Where
will Kentucky be without this tie? Her
old affinities were not with the Democratic
party. Where will be that great mass OF
honest but mistaken men, who feared the
effect upon our institutions of the citizen
ship of emancipated slaves? Where will
be that other class of Democrats, whose
only political idea was founded upon pre-
judice against and hate of negroes, and
who, in the mobs of New York, and in Or
ganized mobs of the South, hunted down,
whipped and murdered negroes to prevent
them from exercising other civil or politi-
cal rights, and who whipped, scourged
and murdered white men and women, too,
for educating and being friends of the
negro racer What will JEFF. Davis say,
who, though his life was fairly forfeited
1xyh h afAslS t,,Ht ,.,n
over more votes in the South than we
have Democrats in Ohio? What will the
large minority of Ohio Democrats say
who protested in the convention against
acquiescing in the amendments? Still, in
spite of all this uncertainty, it is glori.
Gus fact, of which every Republican may
feel proud, that majority of the Demo-
Gratis of Ohio acquiesce in the great meas
ures we have brought about promise obe-
dience to them and enforcement of them,
and beg of us no longer to consider them
as political issues before the country.
We would have greater cause for rejoic-
ing If we did not see so many reasons for
regarding this new departure as Trojan
h6rse-a new device of the enemy to steal
into our camp and betray our cause. What
do they mean by denouncing the extraor-
binary means by which the amendments
were brought about? The only means by
which the amendments could be adopted
was by vote of two-thirds of each house
of Congress, ratified by three-fourths of
the States Was this consent given9 If
so, the amendments are the supreme law.
Do they dispute the fact? If not, why
this back handed lick at what they ratify
and agree to eDforce2 Again: What do
they mean by vigorously applying the
Democratic rule of strict construction TO
the amendments? Docs this conceal some
covert purpose to defeat themY Is this a
new Kentucky resolution OF '98, contain
ing the heresy of Secession and Nullifica.
tion? The 18th amendment is, mainly,
only the true Interpretation of the old
constitution, but the vital principles and
guarantees of the old constitution we're
nuliifed by strict construction, or rather
by false construction. Hence the necessity
OF the 14th amendment, which defines who
are citizens, what are the rights of citi.
zen, and specifically gives Congress the
power to enforce them by appropriate
legislation. If Calhoun's doctrine of strict
construction is to be revived to defeat the
amendments, then nothing is settled
What we mean is, that these amendments
arerthe logical results of great civil war
which brushed from our atmosphere all
taint of slavery, secession, and Calhoun
ism that they shall have their full opera
tion according to the plain meaning o.
English words, and that Congress shall
from time to time, pass laws TO enforce
them and that the President shall execute
these laws fully and efficiently, subject only
to the judicial power of The Courts of the
United States. If that is what they meal
by the new departure, il is all right. L
not, it is mere political trick, too shallow
TO mislead or deceive any one.
Again; What do they mean by theil
fifth resolutionY Is it the mere naked
axiom that acts passed by Congress arC
subject TO repeal? If so, why pompousll
utter what all admit. But the contex
shows that they mean repeal of all thu
acts passed to enforce the amendments
The amendments without the appropriate
legislation, are mere dogmas without in