The State Rights Democrat

ON NEGRO SUFFRAGE, &C.

The Albany Democrat remarks that the majority of the American people have decided in favor of negro suffrage and negro equality. As this is a republic where the will of the people is a law, we would like to know what he is going to do about it.

We are not 'going to do' anything about it particularly, except to keep telling the people what we think of it. You will allow us that privilege, won't you? Don't, that's a good fellow.

The Sentinel, and others of his ilk, would be much rejoiced if we, and others, would make a threat to the effect that we will not submit to it; but they are not likely to be gratified in this particular. The Democratic party have always been law-abiding—in fact they are the only party in this land that has been law-abiding and true to the Constitution.

It will be recollected that we, and other Democratic editors, told the people before the election that the Radical leaders were in favor of negro suffrage and negro equality; but they generally stoutly denied this charge; but here is a tacit admission, on the part of one of them, that our charge is true. Negro suffrage and negro equality have been successful, says the Sentinel: 'and now we would like to know what you, Democrats, are going to do about it. The Radical party carried it—they voted for it; and now we would like to know if you intend to try to thwart us in this pet scheme of ours.' It is a tacit admission that the Radical party is in favor of negro suffrage and negro equality. We wonder how any one can believe that they are not in favor of these dogmas. They have enfranchised the negro in the District of Columbia; they have enfranchised him in all the Southern States and in all the Territories of the United States; and their intention is to confer the elective franchise upon the negro in every State of the Union; not by the action of the States themselves in their individual and sovereign capacity, but by Congress. In a recent conversation with Gov. Ballard he admitted to us that negroes vote in Idaho Territory the same as white men—he had seen them vote there on more than one occasion. It is so in every Territory—the privilege having been conferred upon them by act of Congress. These facts conclusively show that it is the intention of the leaders of the Radical party to enfranchise the negroes everywhere.

If a Radical is asked why he favors negro suffrage in the South, he will invariably tell you he does so as a means of protection to the negro, and not because he believes negro suffrage right; but no such excuse can be given for negro suffrage in the Territories. No one pretends, we believe, that his rights are trampled upon in them; and the conclusion is irresistible that Congress has enfranchised the negro population of the Territories simply and only because Congress believes in negro equality and negro suffrage.

We said at the outset that we bow to the will of the majority. We always have; although for the last eight years we have had numerous occasions to dissent. If we cannot get that will changed, by constitutional means, we submit without a murmur. So do all Democrats. But submitting to an evil is one thing, and to believe that evil right is quite another. We believe a paper currency to be a nuisance—we are in favor of a gold and silver currency only;—but for the last eight years this nation has been flooded with greenbacks. They are floating through every vein and artery of the commerce of our land; and it would be folly in us, or anybody else, to attempt to carry our theory into practice under such circumstances. True wisdom dictates that we acquiesce in an evil we are powerless to remove, and make as much out of it as possible. Just so with negro suffrage.—We believe now—we ever expect to believe—negro suffrage to be wrong; but if ever it be introduced into Oregon by Congress,—as we honestly believe it will—we give notice that we shall do all we can to induce every nigger voter to vote the Democratic ticket. We will make as much out of the evil as possible, just as we now do with the greenbacks. Besides, the negro, as a race, being incapable of using the ballot aright, we will think for him and thus do him a kindness.

Most of the niggers of the South think that the right of the suffrage is something to eat, instead of being the means whereby they can govern white people.