New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-08-27
E. ~ - h.
POLITICAL EQUALITY.

II POLITICAL EQUALITY.
: :. The chief Danger 70 which the instit!
s. tons of this republic is exposed is fro
, the Interpretation placed upon them /
, those who hare been reared under MOI
archical and class governments. Comm
: from establishments which have been nj
tured by centuries, immigrants reasouabl
suppose that q country in which eve,
man has his own way, 90 far as not. II
stricted by law can not be 50 we'll go'
: erned as one ia which the status Of ever
one is ordered by the custom of generi
tons. We have even read ar essay citin
the respect paid to the authority Of ran
and caste in Asia, .contrasted with the n
cognition Of political equality here. 1ndi
is very old country. it is time II ha
establishments of the king who Cover
by, discretion. II has priesthood an
the worship of silva, or Thuggery. Vhe1
comes the degradation of castles, unit
the rights Of humanity are less than thos
of the cattle. India has been the prey o
the conqueror from the days Of Alexande
to the present, when less than one hun
dred thousand Saxon soldiers maintain
sway over two hundred millions OF natives
with their princes, priests and coolies
China, with its system of centuries, has
been overrun by Tartar hordes and ruled
by Tartar dynasties. She has been COM
PEELED to wall out the barbarians, who,
even with the development Of nomadic
! equality, have made, as in the United
States, courage apd talent. the quali6ca-
tons of command.
It is, perhaps, the most complete Of po-
litieal insincerity that .. party calling it.
self Democratic should Oppose the politi-
cal equality of man. "dbsrty, equality
and fraternity" was the watchword Of q
revolution which overthrow the establish
ment of king, noble and priest. 1t
would naturally be supposed that men.
who claim to be the followers of Thomas
Jefferson would incline to extend theright
of political equality to all who are re-
quired to pay taxes or bear arms. It
would be supposed that Democrats would
do this justice, and that if those who we're
admitted to this right were ignorant, they
would instruct them. If liable to the in
fuence Of the corrupt men always ready
to prey upon unprotected ignorance, that
they would by Kind treatment acquire
their confidence. II the vices or sollies of
these political neophytes swelled the tax
ation, and infected the social comfort Of
their fellow-citizans, there would follow
an effort for the moral and inteliectualim.
provemsnt of the inexperienced freedman.
But the doctrine of political equality can
not be well understood in Europe because
i is understood there 10 convey a dis
turbance in the class relations Of society.
THE peasant gibes the cetrtier's heel"
Those Of us who read the true condition !
# European society see that the white !
arm laborer in England is liable 70 i'm.
,risonment for n misdemeanor il he fails
o perform labor contract. We and
hat society will not extend TO him the
light Of suffrage lest he may abuse it by !.
the class and property sela.
ions Of society. Those who there advo.
ate this recognition Of political equality
re denounced az republicans, radicals.
democrats.
As We have as yet no established ranks
r classes, political equality means this
nd no more. The negro race emanci.
ated were recognized as citizens. The
heory of our government is that each
itizen is an equal political integef. Can
% be more or less in q country where
here are no ranks? Shall power be &C.
orded to citizens according TO property?
hen those who are rich. would govern
he country, while those who have little
r,nothing to fight for would fight its bat
es. Should those. who have q high
of science, as Brewster or I
gassiz, govern. the more ignorant? Or
,ould the test Of electoral suprem acy ,
'st' on the ability to- fozge a name j?
quality under the constitution is, then,
Ne right to represent the individual citi- ,
IN at the. polls, or to be chosen
J the representative of a constitu-
ICY, each of whom is the political :
lual. of the individual. This by :
, means implies equality of wealth
rength, intelligence or force. At the r
Ills the equity, infrm. old millionaire is =
Re equal of the poor, athletic man. In :
e field of battle the equity. old million :
re is exempt from service. He intrusts
s wealth to the athletic poor man. If
can intrust his life and property to
is defender in the ranks, can he not
ly upon him at the polls? If man will :.
II his vote, will he not sell his gun? u
aen why put them in the ranks? Why q
It depend upon pratorian, janissary,. :
viss or Hessians? Have these mercen- =
les proved safe dependence for the
spotic authority and the established =
ders which feared and despised the :.
ople? On the contrary, they have in =,
instances either overthrow or deserted :,
E governments they had been hired to ..
otect, or proved unable. to protect their =.