The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-09-30

longest time and most onerous terms for
the people certainty. To elect him is to
give all monopolies q new lease of life
sucked from the veins Oft public.
To elect General Hancock 10 to do all
this and in addition TO rob the robbed of
his one hope Of escape, his franchise. It
is to go back in our record twenty Ave
year,. and more, far more, than that, to-
ward barbarism, for one step backward
counts against q hundred forward.
With sorrow we recognize the fact that
30 long as a solid South exists there is DO
hope for the laboring man of the South.
With equal sorrow we recognize the COM
panion fact that 40 long "a the North sup
ports bondholding and bond-breeding
aristocrscy there is no hope for laboring
man of the North.
most terrible spectacle would it he for
free. horn men to stand by and witness the
renewal Of slavery in the South. the in.
ception of another awfnl struggle for the
right Of a man TO own himself; but just az
terrible would it be, and Ia, to stand by
and see no, four but thirty-fve millions
cast into 3 bondage which only a more
fearful struggle can break.
The slavery of four millions of another
race was a national sin 80 henious to q
sense Of right, so pregnant with disaster
that in every State in the Union the mon
umental marble rises above the thousands
Of dead slain in the hope of making clean
the nation.
The advancing slavery of millions white
men il a crime so hateful 10. the sight Of
Heaven, 40 pregnant with disaster, and so
dangerous to the universal man, that not
monumental marble or its thousands Of
dead victims will alone tell its woes; but
the annals of centuries will repeat, and
the tears Of future generations blot the
record, that these men of the nineteenth
century resold the world into slavery.
Do you say that such things cannot be?
Men of to-day you, rs individuals, are all
that stands between the oppo. .tunity of
the present and this state of things for
your children. Ifyou, with all traditions
of liberty warm in your hsarts-with all
the knowledge of how. to purchase the life
of that principle, blood has flowed till
it is touched the saddle bow, you are not
strong enough or brave enough TO stem the
tide of encroachment and tyranny, what
added strength can you bequeaih 10 your
children, or how gift them with bravery
to accomplish iR No, sir; it lies with
you, to-day, TO strengthen the bulwarks of
your rights, that your children may hold
them s.aunchly for themselves to- morrow.
Is not mans vote much? Do you
think the protest to be made by casting
that slip Of paper 10 a very small thing,
meaning only that and nothing more2
Every ballot cast represents the physical
force which lies behind il to enforce that
protest, should il be too long unheeded
A thousand votes represents q regiment
ighters; and that slip of paper, saying 81
would have it So" represents the manual
power which is able to say at shall be So"
That ballot is not for the defense of the
weak against the strong; strength can easi-
ly override the ballot. 1t is the protest OF
Of man against man, and it represents the
power to enforce its demand, on the ballot
would have as little effect npon the tyrant
as the whispered wish of the oppressed
IL is not request; it is a command.
The man who votes without being willing
to back his vote with his life, if need be,
is a weakling and hindrance to any
cause.
The ballot takes the place of the bnllet,
and does It's work peacesbly because men
dread the bloodshed and cruelty of the
bullet. Greenbackers, see to it that yonr
protest be to emphatic that there shall he
no future need of bullets.