The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1873-10-09
WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?

the Democratic papers:
when Senator William Allen, Of Ohio,
was asked what Democracy was, he re
piled: Democracy is a sentiment not
. to be appalled,, corrupted or compromised.
1t knows no baseness; it covers to no
danger; it oppresses no weakness; de-
structive only of despotism, it is the sole
conservator of liberty, labor and proper
ty it is the sentiment of freedom, Of
equal rights, of equal obligations, the law
of nature pervading the law of the
land.
Now let us see how this party has been
on the question of equal rights, and equal
obligations Here is a resolution passed
by the National Democratic convention
in $50:
Resolved, That the enactments of
State legislatures to defeat the faithful
execution of the Fugitive Slave law are
hostile in their character. subyersive of
the Constitution, and revolutionary i'll
their effect"
Here are some resolutions passed by
the Ohio Democracy in State convention
during a series of years:
Resolved, That we have seen with in
dignation the intimation of the Governor
of Massachusetts, that State will be slow
in furnishing her quota of troops, unless
the war be carried on for purposes of
emancipation.- 1862.
Resolved, That the emancipation
would throw upon the border free
States, and especially upon Ohio, an i'm
1mense number of negroes to compete
with and underworld the white laborers
of the State, and to constitute, in various
ways, an almost or quite unbearable nui-
sance if suffered to remain among us.
And we would deRm it unj just to our gal
Ilant soldiers to see them compelled to
free the negroes of the South, and there
by fill Chic with a degraded population
Ito compete with these same soldiers upon
their return to the peaceable avocations
of life 1862.
"Resnlyed, That we protest against the
emancipation proclamation as unwise, un-
constitutional, and void 1868.
Resolved, That the effort now being
made to confer the right of suffrage upon
negroes is an insidious attempt to over
throw popular institutions by bringing
the right to vote into disgrace; that the
negroes are not competent to the exercise
of that right, nor is it necessary to their
safety or protection on the contrary, its
exercise by them, if attempted. would be
fraught with terrible calamities to both
them and the whites, and we are, there
fore, unequivocally opposed to negro
suffrage 1865.
Resolved, That we are opposed, both
in principle and policy, to negro suffrage
-[IS6S.
Resolved, that the attempt
to regulate suffrage in Ohio by means of
the so-called fifteenth constitutional
amendment is subversve of the princ-
- 81, Il
Resolved, That we regard the act re-
Gently passed by Congress to enforce the
fifteenth amendment as unconstitutional
unjust and oppressive; an invasion Of
the rights OF the State, subversion of
the best interests OF the people, and
therefore demand its unconditional re-
peal.-[IS70]"
The Democratic Legislature of Ohio,
May 6, 1869, passed the following act:
An act supplementary to the act enti
tied ''An act to preserve the purity OF
elections" passed March 20, 1871. CO. L.,
vol. 80, page l3.)
SECTION l. Be it enacted by the Gene
raj Assembly of the State of Ohio, That
any person whoshall vote at any election
held under the laws Of this State, not be
ing white male citizen of the United
States, shall, on conviction thereof, be
imprisoned in the penitentiary and kept
at hard labor not more than five years
nor less than one year.
SEC 2 ANY person who shall procure,
aid, assist, counsel or advise any person
not being white male citizen Of the
United States, to vote at any election
held under the laws of this State, shall,
on conviction thereof be imprisoned in
the county Jail of the proper county, not
-sl a, Al
month; and shall also be liable to Il civil
action for penalty in the sum of one
thousand dollars, which may be broughu
against him by any elector of the county
or district in which the vote was received,
in the court of common pleas of any
county where process can be served upon
him; provided, that there shall be but
one recovery for each violation of this
act; and failure to prosecute or convict
shall not in any manner affect the right
to proceed for the recovery of such pen
atty.
SED. 3. If any Judge of the election
shall receive or sanction the reception of
vote from a person not being a white
male citizen of the United States,on con-
viction thereof shall be imprisoned in
the Jail of the proper county, not more
than six months nor less than three
months, and shall also be liable to u civil
action for penalty in the sum of one
thousand dollars, which may be brought
against him by any elector of the county
or district in which the vote was received,
in the court OF common pleas of any
county where process can be served upon
him; provided that there shall be but
one recovery for each violation of this
act, and u failure to prosecute or convict
shall not in any manner affect the right
to proceed for the recovery of such pen
atty.
SEC. 1. All prosecutions under the
provisions of this act shall be by inClict-
ment before the court of common pleas
in the county where the offenso was COM
mitted; and this act shall be given in
charge to the grand jury at each term of
the court of common pleas, by the pre-
siding judge thereof
SEC. 5. This act shall be in force from
and after its passage.
+. w. THORNHlLL,
Speaker of the House Of Representatives
j. c. LEE, President of the Senate.
On the 4th of May, 1859, the same
Democratic Legislature rejected the Fiji
teenth Amendment TO the Constitution
of the United States permitting colored
men to vote. See Vol Sc Ohio Laws,
pages 424 and 425, Here it is;