Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-07-26
slavery.

Human slavery in the United States
was not abolished by the proclamation
Of emancipation. Lincoln's edict, it is
true, put an end to that form of chattel
slavery which existed originally in all
the states, but which had continued
profitable only in those of the South.
Nor did 1t, as a recognized institution in
which men are bought and sold like
cattle, fall with the Contederacy, al
though we saw
.That great black idol OF the South
Blown hellward from the cannon's mouth.
While Freedom cheered behind the smoke
Although our government be the freest
upon the earth, slavery in many other
forms and of which white men as well
Ms black are victims, still exists. The
world is filed with slaves of habit, Gus
tom, precedent aud tickle fashion, and
with slaves of party and prejudice.
Men and women who cannot or will
not control their appetites aud passions,
who dare not think and act for them
selves, who would rather a thousand
times break all the tables of the law than
break the dry crust of custom, who
watch with eager eyes the silly weather.
cock of fashion and trim their little sails
to every changing breeze, who cover like
hounds beneath the party lash of vul-
gar political boss, and who await the
decision of some body Of old fogy theolo-
gians in order to learn what is and what
is not the religious creed which they be-
lieve-all these, aud such ms these, are
slaves. And
They are slaves who dare not be
In the right with two or three"
But there is n voluntary slavery far
worse than this. IL is estimated that
One-fifth and sometimes as many as one
fourth of our citizens entitled 10 man
hood suffrage are bought and sold every
few years. prominent Republican
politician at the last national election
proposed the wholesale purchase in
blocks of five" of the white slaves OF
Indiana. For the man who sells his
vote is an infinitely more contemplate
slave than any negro the South ever
contained. For the negro in most cases
could not have become "a freeman even
If he would and when given an oppor-
tunity to purchase his liberty, he nearly
always embraced it. These white slaves.
on the other hand, were born free but
are base enough TO sell for few dollars
the glorious birthright, which their
fathers fought and suffered, bled and
died to purchase for them. Indeed, II
is hard to believe that these shameless
serfs can be the sons of those embattled
farmers who, in 1875, fired the shot
heard around the world I" that sons OF
such men could fall SO low as to sell fol
any price that which even the poo,
negro, born in slavery, has been known
TO toll for weary years to gain.
For this utter baseness there is neithe
PAIliatiOp nor excuse. Others do il, ,
says the fellow who sells his vote
" Others pick pockets would be just a,
good plea. 81 am poor and need tn,
money" says another. Does not tn,
wretch know that by selling his vote b,
is placing power in the hands of thos,
who will use il still further to impover
ish him?
The truth il that honest men have no
done their duty in this matter. The,
should everywhere combine to max,
this kind of slavery as odious in nam,
- 1t is in fact. They should treat tn,
ssrf who sells his vote Is the leper i
trsated In the East. Such slavery il a
5 dangerous ~ 1t il criminal it SHOULD
meet with universal obloquy aud b,
hAnsd with scorn forever from the land