The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-08-19
CoLoR LINE.

there was not the least foundation in truth
for this assertion"
CoLoR LINE.
The color line was one of the points of
danger and embarrassment in the conven-
ton that gave Ohio a constitution, and had
not moderation and patriotic intention to
Keep peace so far as possible prevailed among
the members, an endless amount of trouble
might have been created. Some two hundred
coIored people were then residents of the
Territory. There seems to have been little or
no question as to whether Ohio should be-
come free State or not. but there was a
great diversity of opinion as to whether the
free colored man should become a citizen or
not. A few of the members were disposed to
give him full citizenship, while others con-
tended against allowing him any other priv
ilege than the protection Of tho laws, and
exemption from taxes and military duty. 1t
was proposed on one hand that the constitu-
tion should expressly declare that all colored
people were ineligible to any office, civil or
military, and also to exclude them from
being examined as witnesses, In Courts Of
the State. against white people.
To prevent trouble, it was finally tacitly
agreed by the majority of the convention
that all suggestions and propositions in con-
nection with this subject should be allowed
to lie quietly on the table-an idea which
for the white people, and ignoring those who
were not white. "White male citizens" alone
became electors in the instrument that was
finally adopted as the fundamental law of the
State. The first occasion on which Ohio as a
State was compelled to take political action
on the question of slavery was in 1906. Mas
| sachusetts had proposed an amendment to
| the constitution of the United States to the
effect that representation in Congress should
be apportioned among the States in the ratio
Of their free population. Ohio opposed this
proposition on the ground that the oonstitu.
ton OF the United States was the result OF
| compromise, and interference with its pro.
visions by any of the States would be pro.
ductive of discord."
THE VIRGIN LEGISLATURES
Met at Chinicothe on March 1, 1903. Nathan
ieI:Massie was elected President of the Senate
and Michael Baldwin Speaker of the House
of Representatives.
AS has been shown above, there was very
| little party strife during the Territorial days
and the early years of the young Common
wealth. But the influences that controlled
elsewhere soon made themselves felt In the
new State. and men supported the party OF
their choice with all the interest and vehe-
mence OF later days.
HER FIRST ELECTORAL VOTE.
In 1904 Mr.. Jefferson was elected President a
second time. Ohio on this occasion cast her
but bravely and loyalty gave them for the
patriot and true Democrat, Thomas Jefferson.
The followers of Jefferson in 1906 dropped
the name Republican" and assumed the one
they have since made Nlustrious-that OF
Democrats. "In all their earlier strifes." says
one writer, "they had been charged by their
opponents with desiring to run to the ex-
tremes of the democratic or mob rule and
fears of a too general belief in the truth of
the charge led them to deniaIs and
rejection of a name which the father of their
party had ever shown fondness for. The
early dangers which had threatened their or
ganization, and the recollection OF defeats
suffered in their attempts to establish a Gov
ernment Anti-Federal and confederate in
composition, had been greatly modified by
late successes, and with characteristic cute
ness, peculiar TO Americans, they accepted an
epithet, and sought to turn it to the best ac-
count. From the Ninth Congress the Jeffer-
sonian Republicans called themselves Demo-
Gratis, and the word Republican passed into
disuse until later on in the history of our
political parties, the opponents of the De-
mocracy accepted it as a name which well
fitted the meaning of their attitude in the
politics of the country"
Ohio was still Democratic In 1s0s. casting her
three Electoral votes for James Madison.
In 1872 the growing discomfort with the
Presidential Office being so long given to vir-
ginia. took an open form, and De Witt Clinton.