Year: 1868

Guido Mangenberg, an influential German of
Virginia City, Nevada and who fought in the
revolution of l84S, has issued the following elo-
quent address to his countrymen in the United
States:


| FelIosc-Citizens AS the contest is drawing
nearer and nearer between the two great politi-
cal organizations of our adopted country, let me
implore you to cast your sutfrages for the Re-
publican party-the only party which is entitled
to your support. The contest is between Tree
dom and License, Patriotism and Treason. 1t
also involves the existence of the only republic
the asylum of the exied-which is destined,
if maintained, to lead US forward until we have
gained liberty and equal rights for the whole
human race. l appeal to you, my German
friends, who have suffered with me in the old
countrywide were first in lS48 to raise the
banner of Liberty, and who emigrated to the
New World rather than submit to Serfdom and
subugation in the Old.


| AS we understand republicanism at home, we
are the strongest democrats in this country-as,
! in fact, republic can exist without the widest
democratic basis. In free republic the will of
the people is the law of the land and those
whom we elect to represent US in Congress, or
any minor Office, nothing but the executors
| of our will. The extreme part of the extremists
at home call themselves '' Red Republicans.
| There is not much difference between the two
denominations, only that the latter are of a more
POSITIVE character, ana WOulu SOOHeT turn every
cross from the grave into swords and tight for
the liberty of all races, than to lose one iota of
their red-republican principles.


| The Chicago platform left it to the States
themselves to decide whether the negro should
be allowed suffrage not. This is no radical
measure, understand radicalism. We Red
Republicans would Ito vulgar cxpression)
have faced the music, and have given suffrage
to the educated of all races. But let us consider
this only as a political measure of the Republl-
can party at large, and not from a radical stand
point 1t was, perhaps, best to leave this ques-
ton open, so as to secure the fruits of the last
sanglinary civil You know under what
difficulty the last Congress worked, and how
nobly it has performed its duty. The Republ
cans gave protection to the freedmen of the
South they gave us the homestead law; they
gave us the law affirming the right of expatria-
ton, which will henceforth protect US in our
travels abroad Yes, the Republican party in
tends TO pay, dollar for dollar and cent for cent
in hard cash, the national bonds, which Ger
mans, believing in the stability of the republi-
can government of the United States, took to the
extent of $500 000, 900, so as to aid in carrying
on the last war for liberty and republican insti-
tutions. Would you, fellow citizens, see another
civil war inaugurated? Would you give up all
the victories gained by our slain volunteers and
followed up by the wise legislation of Congress?
Would you vote blindly for the mock q Demo-
cratic" ticket which we call at home the ticket
| OF the reaction party NO, no; never, never!
know you better. know you will vote for the
Republican party, which should be even more
radical than it is; but, as it is the only party
which promises progress, liberty and equal
rights to all human beings, let US vote for it in q
body, let us help it, and thus defend the wall
which the Republican party has thrown up be-
tween democracy and aristocracy, republicanism
and monarchy. Vote for the so-called Demo-
cratic party, and you help to destroy the re-
publican institutions of this great republic and
inaugurate another civil war. Rise, rise, my
German brethren to defend Liberty and Equal
Rights Follow those who carry the banner of
Liberty, and save this republic Don't forget
that our downtroddcn brothers of Europe look
to you and the Republican party to break down
the chains which enslave them. and to make the
tyrants tremble upon their crumbling thrones
Remember the words of our beloved poet


Der Mensch ist frei ind in Fssen geboren.'
(Man is Free even if born in chains)


And help the Republican party to fulfill its mis-
sion: GO To gather all oppressed nations under
the banner of Equal Rights