Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-08-29

1856 and 1850 they tried to fasten |
slavery permanently upon the whole |
country. About this time the Nation
al party sprang into power and was
at once defed by the South.
We never had ADLER men than we
had then-men who believed in liberty
and pleaded for 1t in the halls Of Con-
gress. When the party began looking
for a candidate Lincoln was compare
lively unknown, was found as back
woodsman In Illinois, who believed in
liberty and human rights. 1t was no
easy task to elect him against the great
statesman, Douglas, and when he did
enter the high Office, some of the
states had begun seeding and had got
arms ready to oppose Lincoln in his
fight against slavery. Lincoln field
the responsibility as keenly as did
Washington when he became COM
mander of the army. Section was ar
rayed against section. 1t was at this
time the National party declared for
human rights and liberty. What was
it. He said: we cannot live half
slave and half free.' Four years of
| terrible warfare for human liberty and
equal rights for all in the eyes of the
law followed. That was Republicans
ism then and would that it were the
Republicanism of today, and for an
time to come. Let us go back to it il
We have wandered away. We stood
by Lincoln then, let us do it now. Let
us reconsecrate ourselves to his noble,
patriotic principles and rally to them
with the same enthusiasm as when we
answered his call for men to uphold
the union with, we are coming, Faith
er Abraham. 100000 strong
"Lincoln's plan was not only to wipe
out slavery, but to eliminate every
principle that ieopardized human
rights, and Are not we to maintain
and guarantee that same protection
now as then?
what are they doing in the south
today -disenfranchising negroes-tak-
ing from them the franchises we gave
them, and which we guaranteed to
them. Shall we stand by the guns
which were fired during those four
years to give liberty to all? say
we will.
["We'll all stand by them," inter-
rupted the crowd with a strong Choir
us.l
"They are making educational tests
of the negro who aspires to vote in the
south, and l believe there are many
negroes as capable of voting as intel
ligently-more intelligently, than some
of the ignorant white citizens. l would
be in favor of having law passed max
ing it compulsory for every voter of
questionable intelligence to read his
ballot to the election judge. This dis
enfranchsement of negroes is in direct
violation of the Fourteenth amend
ment provided especially for the black
man. If the disenfranchisement of
negroes continues, | think Congress
should pass laws reducing the repre-
sentation of those states in which the
observation-disclosures is made. When
they take away the franchise of some
as good and loyal citizens as they have,
/ believe their representation in the
electoral college, congress and the Sen,
ate should be cut down accordingly.
"Are we true to the Republicanisnl
of Lincoln in other respects? Are we
not tending toward commercial ways
that deny rights to some? l don't be,
leve my little business should be
forced out or bought up simply because
/ haven't as much money as competi
tors. / want to run my own business
as think best l want to make what
ever kind of agreement with my EN-
ployes as we can agree upon and as ID
right. l want freedom.
"And with reference to the politics
of today, l believe that there is more
money spent in this state--and not il
this state particularly-during sin
gle campaign than we spent to elecI
Abraham Lincoln. | can recall that in
that campaign we bought our own uni
forms and other equipment. 1t is not Sc
now. We young men went to Millers
burg once during the Lincoln cam
paign and yelled for three hours-ant
we didn't come home drunk, either
Now, If Abraham Lincoln We're livin,
you couldn't elect him to Congress from
one of our districts, no matter how
2 badly he wanted the Office simply be
cause he wouldn't have money enough