Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-07-31

commensurate body of seameB in order
to place ourselves on a war footing with
the military and naval powers of Eu-
rope. Such a course would not be CON-
patible with the peaceful policy of our
country, though it seems absurd that We
have not the effective means to repel a
wanton invasion of our coast and give
protection to our coast towns and cities
against any power. The great moral
force of our country is so universally
recognized as to render All appeal to
arms by US, either in protection of our
citizens abroad or in recognition of any
inst international right, quite improba-
BILE. What we most need in this direc-
ton is firm and vigorous assertion of
every right and privilege belonging to
our government or its citizens, as we'll
as an equally firm assertion of the rights
and privileges belonging to the general
family of American republics situated
upon this continent when opposed, if
ever they should be. by the different
systems of government upon another
continent.
An appeal to the right by such gov
ernment as ours could not be disregarded
by any civilized nation. In the treaty
of Washington we led the world to the
means of escape from the horrors of war
and it is to he hoped that the era when
all international differences shall be de-
cided by peaceful arbitration is not far
Off
EQUAL RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP.
The central idea of a republican form
of government is the rule Of the whole
people as opposed to the other forms
which rest upon privileged class.
Our forefathers, in the attempt to erect
a new government which might repre-
sent the advanced thought of the world
at that period upon the subject of gov
ernmental reform, adopted the idea of
the peoples sovereignty, and thus laid
the basis of our present republic. While
technically government of the people,
it was in strictness only government
of portion of the people, excluding
from all participation certain other
portion, held in condition of absolute,
despotic and hopeless servitude, the par
allel to which, fortunately, does not now
exist in any modern Christian nation.
With the elimination, however, of
another cycle of advanced thought, the
American republic suddenly assumed
the full character of government of the
whole people, and four million human
creatures emerged from the condition of
bondsmen to the full status of freemen,
invested with the same
civil and political rights possessed by
their former masters. The subsequent
legislation which guaranteed by every
legal title the citizenship and full equal
ity before the law in all respects OF this
disfranchised people, amply
covers the requirements aud secures te
them, so far as legislation can, the priv
ileges of American citizenship. But the
fact Of the case is.that while
we are in the enjoyment of
a government of the whole people, prac-
were in the antebellum days Of the Re-
public. There are but few leading and
indisputabIe facts which cover the whole
statement of the case. In many of the
Southern states the colered population
is in large excess of the white. The col
ered people are Republicans, as are also
a considerable portion of the white peo-
pie. The remaining portion of the latter
are Democrats. In face Of this incon-
testible truth these states invariably
return Democratic majorities. In other
states of the South the eolored people,
although not a majority, form very
body OF the population, and
with the white Republicans are numerr
ically in excess of the Democrats, yet
precisely the same political result OBJ
Democratic party invariably
the elections. 1t is not even
OF unimpOrtant election to be carried by
the Republicans as "blind," or stroke
of tinesse.
Careful and impartial investigation
has shown these results to follow the
systematic exercise of physical intimids-
ton and violence, conjoined with the
most shameful devices ever practiced ia
the name of free elections. So confirmed
has this result become that we are bro't
lace to face with the extraordinary po-
i1ical fact that the Democratic party of
The South relies almost entirely upon
The methods stated for its success in ma
jional elections.
This unlawful perverSioR of the pop
llar franchise, which l desire to state
1ispassioaately, and in a manner COM
porting with the proper dignity of the
occasion, is one of deep gravity to the |
American people-in double sense.
FirSt-It is in violation, open, direct, |
and fragrant, of the primary principle |
lpon which our government is supposed |
20 rest, viz: that the control of the gov
is participated in by all legally |
qualified citizens, in accordance with the |
plan of popular government, that major
ties must rule in the decision of all |
questions.
Second-It is in violation of the rights |
md interests of. the states wherein are |
centered the great wealth |
and industries of the nation, and which |
pay an overwhelming portion of the ma
,ional taxes. The immense aggregation |
IF interests embraced within, and the |
greater population of these |
other states of the Union, are subjected |
every four years to the dangers of a |
wholly fraudulent show of numerical |
strength.
Under this system minorities actually |
attempt TO direct the course of national |
Affairs, and though up to this time suc+ |
cess has not attended their efforts to |
elect President, yet success has been SO
periloHsly imminent as to encourage a |
repetition of the effort at each quadrien-
lial election, and to subject the interests |
of an overwhelming majority of our |
people, North and South, to the hazards |
Of illegal subversion.
The stersotyped argument in refuta
Jon of these plain truths is. that if the
element was really in the |
.he majority they could not be deprived |
Nl..Ns., -. Ia, 4 H. L