The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-01-15

The Radical demagogucs, and especially
the cniored orators and conventions, are in
the habit of dwelling on the alleged nm
conquerahle antagonism between the white
and colored people in the South on the sub
lect OF the equality of rights, political,
civil and social. Constant references Is made
te the utterances Of prominent men in the
South. made years ago, in support Of this
sweeping charge. No allowance is made
for the great changes which have occurred
in the views of these gentlemen, nor in the
general sentiment of the country. Colorcd
orators Of the class Of Chester and Burch
make mp these inilammatory haangues of
this sort Of staff. The perverse prejudice
Of the old pro-slasery aristOcrlcy is their
favorite orltorical trick. Il never fails Ia
prove telling one, and is always loudlyap-
plauded by the carpet bag manipuators of
the negro vOters-rthe very fellows who. "a
little while ago, were the iiercest dcnoun
GERS OF all prctensions to equality of rights
or qualifications on the part OF negrpes.
The Ignorance or dishonesty OF this game
Is exposed by reference 10 the recorded
declarations on this subject OF their most
prominent ehiefsand lcatiers---s8mt Of them
even now their great idols - 81. the party
which claims TO have been the Steady and
invariable defender Of the rights of the
colored people.
We propose TO refresh the memories Of
these demagogues and Of their Victims on
this subject, by reproducing some cNtnets
/ from these records.
+ The great contest OF 1856, between Doug
las and Lincoln, is we'll remembered hy AN
who took note of the signs Of the times.
The conflict between those who then Dain
tanned the Constitution on the question 81
slavery and those who assaulted il la dcro
CATION of that instrument had come 90 u
head in contradictory debate, carried ON 'hy
the competitors before popular meetings.
In defending the guarantees of the COnsli
tuition, so far as il safcguarlcd the s0vef-
eign rights of the Statos to maintain domcs.
tic institutions not contravening the organic
law, Stephen A. douglas. with the impas
stoned eloquenee which all knew to have Ice.
longed to him. spoke in this strain
Il hold that this government was made
on the white basis, by white men, for the
benefit of white men and thcirpostcnty for
ever, and that it should be administered lV
white men and none Others. ,lo not be-
Heve that the Almighty made tho negro "a
pablo of self-government."
This was a bold declaration AMI 81 defiant
challenge, which could not well be avoided
or which. in the alternative, would have
sitiOns. Yet, did DC oppose Il. No: ON
the contrary, he took it up ailirmatiyely,
and with What the French would call q reh
advertisement Of indignation, carried IL far
beyond Douglass dictun. Here is his Ian
guage:
II am not, nor ever have been, in favor
OF making voters or jurors OF negroes nor
of qualifying them to hold Office nor inter
marrying them with white people; and
will say, in addition to this. that there 5 ~
physical difference between the black md
white race, which, i believe, will forever
forbid the two races living together on terms
Of social and political equality. And inas
much as they cannot so live, while they do
remain together, there must DC u positionof
superior and inferior. and l. as much ns
any man, am in favor Of having the superior
position assigned to the white rice.r
Abe Lincoln, usquc nj h0c Now for Sen
ator Morton on the samu subject In his
message, addressed to the. Legislature Of
Indiana, on the fourteenth Of November,
1863, he used this language THE subject
of suffrage is, by the National Constitution.
expressly referred to the determination Of
the several States, and 1t cannot be taken
from them without a violation Of The letter
and spirit Of that instrument. But without
stopping to discuss theories, or questions.
Of constitutional law, and leaving them out
Of view, it would, in my opinion, be unwise
to make the work Of reconstruction depend
upon condition Of such doubtful utililyas
negro suffrage.
'sItis fact 50 manifest that It should not
he called in question by any that n people
just emerging from the barbarisn Of slavery.
are not qualified to become q part of ON
political system and take part, not only III
the government Of themselves and their
neghbors, but Of the WHOLE OF rHE t'NiIKD
STATES" These capitals are mine sI5y
some it is thought that suffrage Is already
cheap enough ii this cotfatfs and the inl.
mediate transfer Of more than half million
of men, with all the ignorance and dcgn,
dation.upon them which the slavery Of zen
erations upon Southern fields has produced.
would DE u declaration 70 the world that the
exercise Of American suffrage involves 40
intellectual or moral qualifications, and thai
there IS no difference bctwcch an American
freeman and m American slave which nay
not be removed by an aet 81 Congress.
Mortons suffrage IS piFcady ellnp
enough, Is but the cello ~ bis b0sonl
friend Judge james HUGHES. one ~ tie
ablest men Of Indiana, on negro suffrage
Hear his cheerful merry song. j ain ol,
posed 10 negro suffrage. not bccause they
are negroes OF arc black negro anil black
are identical, for those are matters 81 taste
and prejndice-bnt because the rkbf ~
suffrage has already been too much ceail-
ened in this country. ] DO NOT hesitate a.
declare no matter how unpopular il may
be, that II the negro rsce aud one liaif ~
the white race had good masters and mis-
tTesscs. they would be much bcfief 81. aDd
the government would ic safer and
stronger"
Let these suffice fof the present Ne
might multiply them ~ igbaaaW. 10 slpN
that when The opposition and aniagoli.m
10 the recognition Of even tile political
rights II colored people, 50 often referred
~ lgY the Radical Lfators. - pecnliar -
the old ''Alays-loiding arisl0cfacy. pr
vailed ia tho country. II was held a. we'll
by leading chiefs Of the Radical party. -
BY prominent men Of tie South ~ ~
PieqgHAe.
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