The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1875-04-15
a Cru.nh of Comfort

Since the recent dissaters to the
Radicals in Connecticut, Cincinnati,
Columbus, Cleveland, and generally
throughout the country, the leaders OF
that party have been striving to ex-
tract little consolation from the re-
suit of the election in the little State
of Rhode Island. They affect to be-
lieve that the reaction against their
party has been stopped by the result
in that State. Commenting upon this
subject the Enquirer says:
We are glad 10 know that it has the
effrOnterv to boast of this. What has
the Democratic. party 10 do with
Rhode Island! Is it to. be supposed
that an organization whose cardinal
;principas lie in the respect of the pco-
pie can succeed where they are only
partially and imperfectly recognized Y
How could the Democracy expect to
carry State where u property quali-
fication is required for the elective
iranchise? Not only IA property quail
ification, but n peculiar kind OF quail
ticaiiou-;it must be the possession of
one hundred and thirty-four dollars
worth of real estate. A man may
have the wealth OF William B. Astor,
but if it was invested in United Stat es
bonds and other personal securities he
could not vote. Then again, if he
happened to be born out of the
country-if he was German, Irish,
Eaulisn, or Scotch-he could not hold
any Office, however humble, although
the people haye elected him to it. lie
might have the talent and elOquence
Of Carl Scharz, but still he would be
DISTINGUISHED. But in the mean time
the most worthless, the lowest and
vilest negroes are eligible to all offices
including Governor. Thus the wealth
lest citizen of the State who may
have invested his means in personal
property may be denied the right OF
suffrage W hich, is enjoyed by his negro
coachman. This is State which, un-
til lately, was governed by the royal
charter of King Charles H., as its
fundamental law issued more than
two hundred years ago. The men
who encrgetically tried to rid Them
selves of this charter and obtain a
Government of the people were ar
rested and sentenced to the States
Prison for life. The great factory
owners, Brown and Ives, Gotten print
men, own and run the State. They
appoint Governors and Senators just
as they do their superintendent and
foremen oftheir establishments. They
are benefited by high duties upon tn /.
articles they. manufacture. They take
care to receive them at the expense Of
the people. Could the Democracy
carry such Il State as this? OF course
not. While Rhode Island is governed
by such an infamous system; while
real estate votes and man has no vote
while plantation negro from South
Carolina can by law be made Govern
or and Carl Schurz is net legally elig;-
bic to the Office OF Constable, we want
Rhode Island to go Republican. There
is W here she belongs. There is where
her statutes tend to place her. The
moral effect of being responsible for
such q government as Rhode Island
viii cost the dominant party, which is
guilty of its iniquities, a hundred fold
more than they will receive i'll its adj
hesion TO them. A Democratic defeat
in Rhode Island, in the genera, result.
Urn der the circumstances described, is
equal to Democratic victory i'll Con.
necticut. af ... s....