Year: 1867

The Verdict Of the Feopie.


Tf,he recent elections teach the Radi-


cal party no other lesson, they will GER


,,ialy conviuce them that the people of


.bs Northern States are utterly and un-


,It4rably opposed to negro suffrage.
Wherever the proposition to eufranchise


.,s NEGROES has been submitted to the


Northern people, it has been emphati-


c,Ily and Indignantly rejected. With


opt single exception, every Northern


State that has voted upon the question


has expressed its hearty and earnest


d,t.station of the scheme. Connecticut,


Ohio, Minnesota and Kansas have ut


tered their voice directly against the


f,yorit, IDEA of radicalism, and it


cannot he denied that even


in States where negro suffrage was not
directly before the people the fact that


the radical party in other States was
openly committed TO the doctrine has
operated to swell the Democratic gains


and increase Democratic majorities.


And, involved with the popular con-
domination of negro suffrage which is
indicated by the recent elections, is al
so stern and pointed disapproval OF
the congressional plan of reconstrac-
ton. If negro suffrage is deemed in
iadciouS for the North, it is certainly
mnch more worthy of detestation when
forced upon the people of the South
against their will. Look at the State
Of Ohio, for example. There are COM
paratively few negroes within the linn
its of the State; if all were permitted
10 vote, they would exercise but very
little influence on the government of
the State. We don't believe that they
could elect single negro representa-
tive to either branch of the Legisla.
tlrc, or give permanent aud uniform
success to either of the political parties
with whom they chose to cast their
vote. In addition to this, consider the
fact that the negroes of Ohio have been
long free. They have learned as much
about the theory of our government
as it is possible for negroes to
learn and are as we'll fitted to vote in
telligently as it is possible for negroes
to be. Well now, if the people of Ohio
decide Gas they have decidedly by over
fifty thousand majority, that they will
not permit these few and comparatively
intelligent negroes to vote, do they not
express even more strongly their disap-
PrOval of the so-called reconstruction
that hands over eleven States to the
domination of negroes but lately eman-
cigatei from slavery and, at this
day, as ignorant of the manner in
which they should vote as the horses
they used to drivei


The sooner the leaders OF the radical
party recognize these facts and govern
themselves accordingly, the better it
will be for them and the nation at large.
And although, as Democrats, we desire
the utter overthrow Of the miserable
faction now ruling Congress, and itself
the author of all the woes that are
grinding the people into dust, and be-
iIeve that the MORE extravagant and
ianatical and outrageous the course it
pursues the more complete and swift
and deadly will be its downfall, yet, for
the sake of too patient and long suf-
iering people who must wait still an
other weary year before they can peace
ably rid themselves of the hideous
monster now preying upon their vitals,
we trust that the Congress may heed
The warning the people have given and,
at least. attempt some measure of
Reform. 1t is too late for
the radical party to reinstate
itself in popular favor. Even though it
should now change front and endeavor
to undo all the mischief it has done,
The bitter recollection Of its past mis-
deeds will still rankle in the popular
mnd aud, at the first opportunity, hurl
u from power, never to rise again. But
still it may somewhat ease its fall and
blunt the edge of popular hatred, by
deyoting the remaining months of its
rule to bringing forth "fruits meet for