Middletown transcript., 1874-10-24

State government.
The terms Bourbon" and ''dead
issue" have ever afforded most ready
and convenient answer to our progress
sive opponents whenever any Of their
past deeds were brought into question.
But at the risk Of being called .
Bourbon" aud being scoffed at as
rakiug up .:dead issues" We would re-
mind our Republican friends Of q few Of
the many fair promises they made us in
the past. Take for instance their con-
duct in regard to the negroes. How
many and how fair we're the pledges
they. offered Of the manner in which
they intended to deal with them. Not
step did they take. in elevating the
negro to the position he now occupies.
without invariably declaring most posi-
lively before hand that they did not
mean to do it, The platform on which
Mr.. Lincoln was nominated was pledged
to non interference with slavery, but
how long was it ere military neces-
sity" furnished an excuse for its aboli-
ton Then when the Democrats &C.
cused them Of an intention to place the
ballot IN the hands Of their freedmen,
they denied most bitterly any such in
tention. But they soon forgot their
promises and ''to prevent the rebels
from again getting into power" the
negroes of the Southern States were
given the right Of franchise. When in
1858 we predicted that, if they were
entrusted with another lease Of power,
they would extend the suffrage to all
the negroes throughout the country,
they declared most emphatically that
they would do no such thing that they
had neither right nor intention to inter-
fere with the lights Of the States to
regulate suffrage within their own
borders. Yet no sooner did congress
meet than bills and amendments to the
constitution to this very effect were in
troduced and carried through both
Houses and by system Of maneuvres.
in which force figured much more ex-
tensively than free will, they procured
fraudulent endorsement of their
scheme by the requisite number Of the
States and tackled on to the constitution
so-called amendment by which the
negroes are permitted to vote all through
the United States. Then came the
'.Civil Rights" bills, to secure to the
negroes equal rights and privileges
with the whites. Who does not re-
member the bitter complaints made by
the Republicans of Democratic misre-
presentation when we foretold their
action in regard to those bills? Yet as
soon as the elections were over these
bills were passed, and now when they
tell us that they will not pass the
!" Supplementary Civil Rights bill,
we point to their past record and say
'.you deceived US these many times and
we cannot trust you now" Despite all
their fair promises to the contrary we
believe they will. as soon as congress
meets, pass that bill with all its sdious
and Objectionable features, unless they |
receive such rebuke from the people |
as will convince them of the error
which they have committed. and though
Mr.. James R. Lofand "voted to bring
it up in order to kill it" his vote, if be
should be reelected, will not be found
recorded among its opponents.
With this long record Of violated
pledges and broken promises staring
them in the face they yet have the pre-
to come before the people of
Delaware and make moro promises Of
what they will do if the ''dear people"
will only give them the power. As
they have done. SO will they do as
they have not been faithful in that
which was greatest. they will not be
faithful in that which is least
Now what are ssme of their promised
reforms y" They promise 'better
common school system" That is they
would devise plan by which the chill
iren of our people could be better edu-
,ated than they now are. Would the
people Of Delaware enjoy better oppor-
unities for educating their children
With the provisions of the odious Civil
Rights bill in force, whereby the chill
lren of both races would be compelled
% attend school together, or be totally
deprived Of all educational advantages
even those they now have? Our school
'ystem needs improvement, we all know
hat and admit it, and the Democratic
party is ready to make that improve
nent. This is evidenced by the pas
,age of recent acts amending the school
avs, and providing for a more ex-
;ended free school system; and
sven as they now stand. very fair
advantages are offered our people for
he education of their children if they
will but make use of them. all of which
hey will be deprived Of if the Civil
Rights bill is passed, for white children
cannot 60 to school with negro children.
Tow N hat ara soma of fhoir nro,picoe