The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-10-07
itself sufficient to the citizen to determine his


10 ascertain my duty as citizen; having put
aside, so far as possible to human infirmity, all
nope, or wish even, for political preferment
which might swerve my Judgment, have come
mere 10 meet you, fellow-citiZens, face to face,
10 give you the result of that thought and de-
liberation on my part, SO that those with whom
l have been accustomed to act in political mat
tiers shall understand and appreciate some of
the reasons, at least, which induce me to give
my voice and vote, to avail what they may, in
favor Of change in the party policy that has
governed the United States in the last four
years.
NOT CANDIDATE.
That my words may have all the weight they
can, or ought to have, let me premise by say
ing that am not, and shall not be a candidate
or aspirant for any Office elective or appointive
at this election, under the incoming adminis-
tration, so that my vote will be the free-will
o.fering of patriotic duty when it shall be given
to my comrade-in-arms in the war for the
preservation of the Union, the tried and loyal
soldier and patriotic chieftain, General Han
cock.
In doing SO I shall neither detract FROM or
add, one jot or title to that declaration of
principles which has been my guide in political
life. Equal rights, equal po,oers, equal bur-
all men, by lao under the Government. The
realization of these is true democratic govern
ment. They are true republicanism. Without
their fulfllment this republican government
can not be preserved, and without them they
would not be worth preserving.
have examined with care the platform of
principles enumerated by the Democratic party
at Cincinnati, and / find nothing therein to
contrayene them. Indeed, they are more dis
tinctly set forth therein than in the platform OF
the Chicago Convention. Neither of them go
SO far as could desire in specific declaration of
the right of every man to vote in the election
OF bis rulers, and to be represented in his Gov
ernment simply because he is q man; but in
this regard even the platform of the Cincin-
natl Convention is the more specific
I may be met with the objection that party
platforms go for very little in governing the
action of the administration elected under
them. That is too true And perhaps there is
no more strikingly illustrative example of the
fact than the course of the Administration of
Mr.. Hayes during the last four years, regard
ing the plank in the platform under which he
was elected-of civil service reform. Or, if
that Illustration does not convince my Repub-
hcan friends, with whom labored for Mr.
Hayes election, of this truth, let me give
them another illustration, which will SO do.
dence.
Our platform in 1876 proclaimed, in words
not ambiguous, the necessity of the protection
of the colored man of the South by the whole
power of the Federal Government How that
was interpreted by our candidate is certain
to his neighbors in Ohio in November, 1876
soon after the voting, when it was generally
understood that Mr.. Tilden was elected
wherein he said, in substance, admitting the
probability of his defeat, that the result af-
fected him only as the result affected the con-
ditlon OF the poor colored men at the South,
who would be now left without protection.
Yet the very first acts of his Administration
nay, the very consideration for which he was
counted in-was that he would abandon, as he
did abandon, all care and protection of the
colored man, both he and his party had there
tofore understood their duty.
And Mr.. Hayes has lately told us, in his
speech at Yale College, that his policy in that
regard was determined, not by the platform
and principles of his party under which he was
elected, but by the instructions he received
fromAlr. Woolsey, highly reputable school
teacher of that institution.
Would it not have been better to have
elected Mr.. Woolsey President instead of Mr..
Hayes, and so had the policy of the country at
first hands, fresh from the mint, and not dis
titled through the alembic of Mr.. Hayes bar
gains and fear?
I may be told, that to find whether this, the
highest and most important to Republican
democracy of all rights-aniversal suffrage
is to be assured, that am to look to the acts,
and not the platforms of parties.
Be it SO: before examining that question, LET
us carefully distinguish between what is done by
great political parties and the action of indi-
viduals of those parties, and fail to see in any
law, constitutional or Legislative, any action of
any portion of the Democratic party in any
State North or South, which discriminates
against therght of all men to vote; except, per-
haps, in a single State where taxation is made
prerequisite qualification of the voter. But
does it lie in the mouth of any Massachusetts
Republican to raise that objection to the Demo
cratic State of Georgia? Does it lie in the
mouth of the Republican State of Rhode Island
with its property qualification of the voter
to arraign anybody upon the question of
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MANHOOD SUFFRAGE
1t has been said that men have been KEPT
away from the polls by intimidation and VIC
lence in some of the Southern States. Thai
has been too true. Nothing can be more un
just, evil, and wicked than such acts. And, II
1870 labored necessarily, day in and day out
to pass through Republican Congress, of &
two-thirds Republican majority, an efficient Law
to remedy the evil. That urgency brought
upon me the i'll opinion of MANY of the Demo
cratic minority Of the House. The record will
show, in March, 1870 three several resolution.
passed to adjourn the session to prevent sucf
enactment, part of the earnest efforts of lead
ing Republicans, one of whom is their nominee
all of whom are making the leading issue o.
this campaign these very outragss of bad mel
in the South. when the passions and deer
strong measures imperative to restrain tn,
various and unprincipled men who use intimi
dation and force to prevent free and full bal
lot. That matter should have been settled the1
and forever, for ali men, North and Sonth; anC
the voter not left 10 intimidation by either tn
shotgun of the marauder or the threats o
starvation by his employer.
To the credit of Massachusetts be it said
nearly thirty years ago, under Democratic
administration, she passed an effective law re
quiring the use of a secret ballot, by which
Z man could vote without employer or neighbo
knowing how he voted, to protect her humbl
| citizens against the influences and intimidation
of bad men.
And later still she has passed another law lev
eled at the same abuse. But in spite of all
within twelve months, it has been proven be
fore Congressional committee of investiga
ton that convocation of some of our manu-
facturers and business men was had, by Fed
eral officer, to devise ways and means for ''civ
ilized bulldozng," by which voters in Massa
>chusetts could be kept from the polls, or mad
| to deposit a ballot not of their free choice
| The instigators of these practices against tn
| freedom of the ballot in Massachusetts, we re
ward with judgeships and Senatorial dignities
lut, 1 am led to believe, with less importan
Offices in the South.
1t has been pleaded in palliation of thes
wicked devices to control the free ballot tina
l3universal suffrage is unwise and dangerous
that there should be some restraint upon th
people, either to restrict or control their vote:
/ that uninstructed people, if left to themselves
i x
| press the few, that the poor would harrass an
despoil the rich. Is this true? Show me an il
stance where the ballot has been taken advar
tage Of by the poor men to impose taxes upo
the men of property: Show me the instaas
where municipality has been run in debt, b
the votes of her workingmen, for extravagar
public buildings and eAtravagant municipi
expenditures, against the votes of men of prof.
s6ty. Nay broaden the range of Observance
and show me where in the world the many ha'
oppressed the few. No such case can be foun
Every page of the history of nations is illum
mated with horrible examples of wrong al
outrage where the few have oppressed Il
many. What complaint has ever been just
made in this country of the results of univers
suffrage? Take an instance of its worst exl
bition, and where the surroundings are mo
unfayorable to its just action. Take the city
New York, where the ballot is universal, go
erning itself with cosmopolitan mingling
nationalities, each and all having the right
vote even without previous instruction in Il