The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-10-22
AN APPEAL TO YOUNG MEN.

AN APPEAL TO YOUNG MEN.
A most important period in young
mans life is when the glory of SOW
ereignty falls on and rests upon him.
The responsibilities that come with it
adds new dignity to his character and
inspires him anew with love for his
country. And here he should pause
and consider we'll what he does with the
ballot, that bloodless but irresistible
weapon Of a freeman, that has just
been entrusted to his keeping.
If he has been rightly taught by his
mother he will be inspired with con-
scientious determination to cast his
first vote to promote the highest good
of his country. To do this he must
candidly examine the claims of the
different political parties who ask his
suffrage. He cannot Of course expect
to wholly absolve himself from the po-
lltial prejudices of his father. If his
father is a Republican, he will natur-
ally incline to that party; if his father
is Democrat, his prejudices will in
cline him to the Democratic party.
But when young man, at the age OF
tWenty-one years, acquires the fran
chises of American citizenship, he is
answerable to God and his country for
wise and right use of those franchises.
Because his father is Democrat or is
a Republican is not sufficient reason
why he should support the same party.
He ought to have good reasons of his
own, and possess that independence of
character that will lead him to have
his own convictions and express those
convictions at the ballot box.
And now, to the many young men
of Kenosha county who will cast their
first ballot at the coming election, we
want to present few plain facts for
your candid consideration.
The Democratic party has always
been the pro slavery party; has always
been foremost in granting the institu-
ton of slavery all possible protection
by national legislation. 1t is scarcely
necessary to stop to characterize sla-
very. For fifty years all civilized
countries have been engaged in the
work of aboiishing the institution, and
there is not country which is
cursed with it where it is not in pro-
cess of extinction. 1t is not surprising
that in the Southern states where
their civilization was founded on black
slavery, that they should seek for it
the protection of national legislation.
But it is surprising, and immensely hui
initiating, that the Democratic party
in the free states should prostitute IT.
self by giving so vile an institution it's
support.
The Democratic party of the free
states are responsible for the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise, a solemn
compact between Freedom and Slavery,
in which it was mutually agreed that
slavery should not extend north of
Mason and Dixon's line. They are al
so responsible for the enactment of
that infamous statute, the Fugitive
Slave Law, which compelled every free
man in the North, if called upon, to be
slave catcher, under penalty of fine
of one thousand dollars, and imprison-
ment for REFUSAL and turned the free
homes and farms Of freemen into a
national hunting ground for profess
sional slave hunters and bloodhounds.
The Democratic party of the South are
the secession party, and dragged elev-
en- states out of the Union as far as
they could take them out, and, rein
forced by secessionists from Missouri
and Kentucky, fought four years to
destroy the Union. The Democratic
party in the free states aided the re-
bellion by their sympathy expressed
in their party platforms and party
press. They opposed the draft, they
opposed the issue of greenbacks, they
opposed every measure Of the govern
ment to conquer the rebellion. In 1860
the Democratic party was defeated in
open field and fair fight; the control
of the national government was taken
away from them, and by constitutional
methods was placed in the hands of
the Republican party by the election
of Abraham Lincoln as President and
Hannibal Hamlin as Vice-PreSident of
the United States. In 1864 the Demo
cratic party of the free states assem-
bled in national convention in Chica-
60, resolved that the war to restore
the Union was failure, and appealed |
to the people to be restored to power.
The resolution was responded to by the
South, and the rebel armies, confront
ing the Union forces, made the air
ring with long repeated cheers for
Little Mac, the Presidential nominee
If the Democratic party of the North.
The appeal was responded to by the
and loyal Democrats with
overwhelming defeat and the re-elec-
ion of Abraham Lincoln. After the :
var, the Democratic party obstinately
opposed all the measures of the gov
rnment for the reconstruction of the