Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-02-27
T0URGEE's APPEAL TO CESAR.


quc.t Of the Pod Mr.. J. NJ. O4borne made
some notes upon the work which we re-
produce below, and which gives Hn idea OF
the contents Of the book TO those who have
seen thc book, s,r recognize Mt
glance that II treats on queslion Of the
most vital importance to the people OF
this republic. 1t lisa question that win
not adult Of being treated with the pred
jndices OF thirty or twenty years ago.
We voted for the amendment to the con.
ststution TO place tie ballot IN tile hands
Of the ignorant blacks Of the South under
protest, and s we hoped, the better choice
OF two evils, that Of ruling the South by
tho bayonet or giving the blacks nm oppor-
tunity 20 protect themselves with the hal
lot. that tho good intention Of this meas
ure should prove failure could only be
expected where total ignorance OF the
wants and requirements OF republic were
ht,lly eclipsed in darkness We have al
ways felt that an educational qualification
should he The requisite of the privilege Of
suffrage. The well meaning unerancc OF
an old minister in New York and The few
days subsequent appeal 10 The predJudices
Of The more iguorant changed, IL was csti-
mnied, from $1,000 TO 10000 votes aud
placed The Government into The hands Of
the Democrats. Ju.t on the cluse of that
contest we heard Of whole company Of
colored Blaine and Logan Knight, who had
drilled during tho campaign in the Repnb
lican ranks, aud through ignorance and
svarice sold ont 4, Il man ~ the organizer nf
the Knights Of the Go'den Circle who did
nl in his power TO keep thcir race IN bond
age aud disrupt The Union OF Shts. The
destiny Of The nation hinges largely upon
lie ignorant vote of both North aud South.
Following is Mr. O.bvrnes review OF IL.
| book
ToURGEE's APPEAL TO CESAR.
This book is one VIII oh VIII well repay
reading. The statistical information from
the census Of 1880, AN he has grouped ii, is
an object lesson that the Americ,n ~ people
will do well tu study. While they May
nut assent to all his inferences, they can
not deny the force Of his logc, nor can
they evude the responsibility II having
freed aud placed the ballot at the disposal
If millions who were totally unrrepared
Tor the intelligent use OF ii. As To wheili
er this WAS wisdom on the r'rt OF those
who were Immediately responsible, is not
nnw u d, baiable question: But the result
Of enirnmchised ignorance is likely To have
II seriously damaging effect upon our insi-
luiions, aud may even sap and possibly
destroy then.
In round unmhers there were in the
slave st,tes in 1860, s 100000 white, and
900 900 black by the census of 1880,
there were 12,000,000 whie and 5000 900
: ll,ck. of the black, 80 per cent, were il
literate. and of the white and black COM
bned, AZ per cent, were illiteratc.
Mr.. Tuurgee makes clear, s'rong plea
for the education Of these large masses who
cannot read the ballots they vote. He
considers that as matter of justice we are
bound To educate them, and that as a mat
e ter OF economy it will be wisdom 10 do
4 this rather than run the risk and incur the
cost of suppressng by force OF arms differ
ences between the races. He shows how
" the old race difference, predominant in the
K. days OF slavery, still exists, and that, too
g without the restraint of self interest whlcl
a formerly governed the white population
He shows the falIacies that have delud
ell all regarding relative increase OF th'
races. In the decade 1870 to 1880, the in
crense of whites was 20 per cent. and tha
OF the blacks was 30 per cent. Al thi
rate the whites double IN 30 years and th
blacks in 90 years.
- Another interesting fact developed b.
# the census report Is that there are more M
Is tives OF the South, VOW residing in North
=, ern States than there are natives OF lh
= North residing in Southern States. Til
n theories that southern habits OF though
u and modes OF business were 10 lie 800
Is sI;,o,i III. ,ral,',, ,lo na
n are h"' :" pe reni'Le"; ine N,i VII" w "' "a
y main where he il and the laborinp man q
$. the North is unwilling TO attempt To com