The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1873-01-23

We are just thro ugh Incorporating
after a peculiar fashion, the princsple
of universal suffrage without "regard
| to race or c9lor or previous condition
of servitude," in the Constitution of
the United States. But no sooner is
this done; no sooner is all power ap-
parently given to the people, than pop
ular movements are on foot to greatly
abridge and limit that power. The
tendency now is, in all the large cities,
to narrow and restrain within very
small com pass the popular voice in
their control. The more important
officers are not to be elected by them,
but are to be appointed for a long
term of years by another authority
1t seems to be the doctrine now that
the less power over their municipal
affairs which is given to the people
the better. And if they are not to be
intrusted with power over their own
local affairs, how much more unfit are
they in reference to general matters
of government, of which they are not
near as competent to Judge? Propos-
ais are now being made, and most
formidably sustained, to abandon the
principle of the elective judiciary, and
to have Judges selected by the
Governor aud Senate. 1t is also urged
that the President and members of
Congress and State officers generally
should all be elected for longer terms.
and be more amply endowed with
salaries. These movements arise Ell
ther from reaction against the doc
trine of universal suffrage or from a
desire to hedge or guard against its
probable effects. 1t has been the OBJ
vious policy of those who desired the
extinction of q republic and the estab-
lishment OF an aristocratical or mon-
archical form of government in this
country, to first cheaper, lower and
degrade the right of suffrage. The
more that is done the more easy it is
to reconcile the people to its loss alto
gether. 1t is the debasement and clip
ping of coin that renders it impossible
to be circulated. The late Emperor
Napoleon, before he made his coup
d'etdt, distinguished himself as the
champion of g universal suffrage 1t
was upon that issue that he appealed
to the people in his contest with the
National Assembly. But he soon con-
trived means to render useless, for all
purposes of freedom, this recognition
of barren principle.
r. What has universal suffrage
amounted to in the South Has it
given tothe people more security and
larger measure of liberty? Let the
late elections in Arkansas. Louisiana
and Alabama answer. Universal suf-
frage" there has only been the color
for the universal exercise of the bayo-
net and the establishment of one
man power over those States. Thir-
teen years ago we did not have uni
versal suffrage without regard to race,
color or condition, but then the writ
of habeds corpus was never violated i,
and was always regarded. There was
not so much voting done, but what
was done stood, and was not over
ruled and set aside by the fiat of one
man, There were not as many called
upon, in the first instance, to take part
in the election of agents to make laws,
but then better agents were chosen
and better laws enacted, with infinite
| Iy less corruption in their. enactment.
Life, liberty and property were better
! protected. with far less expense.
We refer to these things because il
| is important that the people should
not be deceived by names. The pecu-
liar champions of suffrage, without
regard to race, color Or previous con-
dition of servitude are doing all they
can, after that suffrage has been at.
tanned, to render it practically useless
and injurious to those who have it,
| EuOuirer