Valley Spirit

Several days ago a Republican and a Democrat got into conversation on the subject of making voters out of negroes. The Republican contended that negroes should be allowed to vote as a matter of right.

"But," replied the Democrat, "that will lead to social equality."

"Let it," rejoined the Republican, "the only difference between the negroes and the white is the color of skin and in the hair."

"Then you think," said the Democrat, "that the negroes should have the same social, as well as the same political privileges the whites enjoy."

"Certainly," replied the Republican.

"Now, suppose a negro and your daughter should conclude to contract marriage, what would you do in regard to that?" asked the Democrat.

"Why, I should let her, of course," responded the Republican.

"And you would enjoy dandling on your knee a mulatto grand-child, would you?" queried the Democrat.

"Oh, no. I should not do that. If my daughter married a negro, I should discard her," replied the Republican with spirit.

"What," asked the Democrat, "discard your daughter for believing and practicing the doctrines you teach? Come neighbor, don't you think you are carrying this negro business too far? If there is no difference really between a negro and white man, excepting the color of hi skin and in the matter of hair, why would you discard your daughter for marrying a negro instead of a white man?"

The Republican hung his head thoughtfully. This is a point all men should thoughtfully think over before they vote on the subject of making the negroes the political equals of the whites. Political equality inevitably leads to social equality, and social equality lays the foundation for the intermarriage of the races.

It is now being demonstrated to almost a mathematical certainty, that the governments of the late rebel States will soon be under the absolute control of negroes. All the legislation of the last Congress seems to have had that end in view. The registration of the voters now going on in these States shows that the black population entitled to vote will far exceed the white. Congress intended to disfranchise the great majority of the white, and it has succeeded in doing so. It aimed at the enfranchisement of the blacks, and in that it has been equally successful. Who are these whites who have been disfranchised? They are the [UNCLEAR] of the Southern people. For what have they been disfranchised? Simply because, when the war broke out and their leaders organized secession, they, having been taught from their youth that their duty to their State was higher than their duty to the Federal Government, espoused the [UNCLEAR] of the rebellion. We of the North saw their error, or if you prefer it, their crime. But they did not see it. They had a mistaken idea of their duty. They held that the tie that bound them to their State was stronger than that which bound them to the Union. The Southern masses were educated into the belief that they owed their first allegiance to their respective Commonwealths. Admit that they were wrong. Grant that they committed a high crime in attempting to dissolve the Union. Now that they have failed, and acknowledged that their fealty is due to the Federal Government, what excuse can be offered for seeking to deprive them of the management of their State affairs, provided they conform their action to the requirements of the Federal Constitution? This they are willing and anxious to do. Remember that they are the intelligent, thinking portion of the Southern people. They are the men who are on all sides admitted to be the most capable of conducting the affairs and controlling the destines of their respective States-the men, and the descendants of men, who in time gone by have won imperishable renown by their patriotic utterances in the councils of the nation. Ah! but it will be said; this is the very reason why they should be degraded and not allowed to have in political matters a voice. Pshaw! who dreads another rebellion in the South? Who is apprehensive of another reattempt at secession? Nobody. It is the merest balderdash. The military power of the South is broken. Its warriors feel that the overwhelming preponderance in numbers and resources of the North must ever prove too strong for it. They know that there is no possibility, even if they felt inclined to entertain the hope, of a dissolution of the Union by force of arms. They have surrendered that idea entirely. The Radicals know this. They believe it. They have no fear of another armed insurrection. They feel that the South is conquered. They are satisfied that it will not again attempt to sever its connection with the Union. And yet they have resolved to persecute the Southern people. They have determined to proscribe the deluded masses. Any man who participated in the rebellion must be deprived of the elective franchise, be he never so penitent-unless he agrees to vote the Radical ticket. Though he may have treaded to his knees in Northern blood, and though he may have starved thousands of Union prisoners, if he will but howl for Congress, and join in denouncing his former comrades in arms, he can have full absolution and be promoted to one of the highest seats in the Radical Synagogue. Those who will not agree to do this must be disfranchised.

And who are to take their places? Who are to hold the reins of government in the South? Who are to control the destines of States which have given to our National history some of its brightest names? The negroes. They are now declared to be the only loyal people in the South except the loud-mouthed cowards who, under military protection, have emigrated thither from the New England States since the war. The loyal negroes, who cheerfully dug the ditches and labored in the trenches at the bidding of white rebels-the loyal negroes, who, while their masters were away in the field, worked on the plantations and raised the bread which fed the rebel armies--the loyal negroes, who clung to the rebel officers through the hardships of the camp and the dangers of the battle-field, in preference to accepting the blessings of freedom under the emancipation proclamation--they are the loyal men who are to found loyal State governments. These negroes too, have just been emancipated from a state of slavery. But a few years have elapsed since the horrors of that accursed institution were being constantly portrayed. What vile epithet was too strong to be applied to the slave-holder? Slavery was denounced as the "sum of all villainies," and as one of the "twin relics of barbarism." It was asserted that the negro of the South was not above the level of the brute. The opportunity for elevation was never afforded him. No ray of light was allowed to penetrate into his intellect. He was kept in the grossest ignorance. pretended philanthropists appealed to the charities of the public, by picturing the worse than Egyptian darkness in which he was enshrouded. He was denied the advantage of schools. It was alleged that he was shut out from the light of christianity, and left to follow the promptings of the passions of his own wicket heart, and that thus slavery, a monster in itself had given birth to the black monsters of iniquity in the shape of these ignorant, uncivilized blacks.

And yet, these same blacks, thus imbruted by slavery, kept in intellectual darkness, and excluded from the civilizing influences of Christianity, have been suddenly invested with the highest political rights, and are expected to make and administer the laws for their intelligent superiors of the white race.

This is not a fancy sketch. It is not a dream. It is not a Rebel canard. It is not a Copperhead lie. The figures on the Registration lists show that the negro voters are largely in the majority in the South. They have thus the power in their own hands. They may elect whites or blacks to office as they deem best. Who imagines that they will be contented to allow the whites to enjoy the emoluments of official positions when they may just as easily flow into the pockets of men of their own race? The negro is naturally impudent. Encourage him to "get above his business" and he soon developes a saucy disposition. So, being petted by Radical place hunters and caressed by Radical strong-minded women, he will soon reach after higher honors, and never rest satisfied until he enjoys them.

Pennsylvanians: Let but the old Keystone State endorse the policy of the Radicals, and before another year rolls around, negroes will hold the chief positions in the Southern States and the Congressional Globe will be publishing the speeches of negroes made from their seats in the Halls which once resounded with the eloquence of Clay, Webster and the honored white statesmen of the past. Are you ready for this? If not, cast your ballot for those who are in favor of having this government administered by white men for all time to come. Vote the Democratic ticket and you need to have no fear of negro governments.

It is the aim of the Radicals to carry Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York in the approaching elections, so as to construe the result into an endorsement by the people, of their impeachment project. They intend, when Congress convenes, to present articles of impeachment against the President.-They desire him to be removed from office during the pendency of these proceedings. They will make an effort to depose him. If so, then will come anarchy and civil war.-Andrew Johnson must never allow himself to be removed from his official position, until he has been convicted of "high crimes and misdemeanors," in accordance with every requirement of the national Constitution. The sooner there is a perfect understanding upon this subject the better. Any effort to accomplish this result illegally, and for base partisan purposes, ought to be met with the most earnest and vigorous resistance. Their programme then, is, after they have deposed the President, to put Ben. Wade in the Executive chair. Then will come wholesale confiscations. Larger swarms of hungry officials will fatten upon the "hunks" which fall from the Freedmen's Bureau. The doctrine of negro equality will be pushed to the farthest extreme. Negro voters, negro jurors, negro lawyers, negro Congressmen, negro Governors will be seen everywhere. Conservatives will have no rights which Radicals and negroes are bound to respect. The corruption which has made the Radical party notorious, will continue to increase. Vast sums of money will be squandered upon the altar of their ebony idol. And the honest, hard-working mechanics and day-laborers will be taxed more heavily to supply these funds.

Laboring men of Franklin County! if you would save the country from the anarchy and civil war into which the Radicals are precipitating it-if you would maintain the superiority of the white race-if you would destroy the vampire of corruption which is sucking out the life-blood of the Republic-if you desire to prevent increased taxation, give one day to your country, and vote and labor for the Democratic ticket

The official report made to the headquarters of the army up to the latter part of August, shows how completely the Southern Sates are now under the control of the negroes, and if the number of voters registered be compared with the population of the several States as given in the census of 1860, it will be seen how terrible is the disfranchisement under the reconstruction bills of Congress.

The registration of the other States is not on file at Washington.

In these four States 238,000 blacks have been suddenly invested with the right to vote. In the same States, out of a white population of 1,549,667 only 190,839 are allowed to vote.

It is the intention of the Radicals to keep the whites disfranchised and to enfranchise more negroes. Can any one doubt that these states will soon be governed entirely by the blacks? What is to prevent it?-We doubt not that the proportion in the vote of the other Southern States will be the same. The whole South then will be under the domination of negroes. Are you willing that this shall be? Do you desire to see the necks of the brave men of your own proud race bend in subjection to the men whom you are unwilling to acknowledge as your equals? But there is another gross wrong done to those men which it is your duty to remedy. They are taxed to support the government just as you are.-Their industry and products must bear their share of the burdens of our national debt. This is right. But while they are taxed, to defray the expenses and to pay the debt of the government, they are not allowed a voice in the halls of Congress. No man from their section is permitted to open his mouth there to present their wants, or to ask for a redress of grievances. An arbitrary, unconstitutional, fanatical spirit has not only placed the seal of silence upon their lips, but will not tolerate their presence even.-This is wrong. This is taxation without representation. It is the grievance of which, most of all, our forefathers complained to King George. It is the oppression which nerved the arms and fired the hearts of our patriot ancestors, and which finally severed the tie which bound the colonies to the mother country. It is the last tyranny which Americans should think of exercising towards Americans.

But it not only does harm to the spirit of our republican institutions. It is an injury to the people of the North pecuniarily.-While this state of affairs exists in the South, it can never contribute to the national treasury the amounts of money which it could contribute if the obstacles to its progress were removed. Its trade is paralyzed. Its business languishes. There is nothing to stimulate the whites to labor. They see a determination to subject them to the blacks. They fear that their lands will be taken from them and be parceled out among the negroes. Hence their soil remains uncultivated. Their great staple is neglected.-They work to support themselves-not to make money. They have no heart to do more. Their resources are therefore limited. They remain steeped in poverty.

Meanwhile, the expenses of the National Government are the same. They must be defrayed. The debt, too, goes on increasing. Its interest must be paid. If the amount due from the South can not be collected, the North must pay it. It must come out of the pockets of our people. Do you not see, therefore, that every moment you hold the South in this condition takes more money out of your purses? Think of this. Examine these figures carefully. Contrast the poverty of the South now with its wealth and productions before the war, and judge for yourselves as to which of the two contributes most to the prosperity of the National Government, and as to which is better calculated to lighten your individual burdens. Self-interest, national pride, and the fundamental principles upon which American independence was achieved-all call upon you to support that policy which would give to the South its just representation in Congress, which will save us from the humiliation and disgrace of imbecile negro governments, and which will at once place the nation on the broad highway to prosperity, greatness and glory.

We are reliably informed that one of the Radical speakers at Greencastle a few nights ago, put himself square on the record for negro equality. A lawyer himself, he announced that he was prepared to welcome his colored brethren to the bar, and would move the admission of any one of them to practice in the several Courts of Franklin county. He was ready to allow him to vote. He was willing that he should hold office.--And as to amalgamation, if any of the whites and blacks desired it, "let them go in." He distinctly asserted that he desired no difference between the two races in social or political rights. This is the man who, during this campaign, has been parading his infamous catechism before the public, filled with the most barefaced lies--the man who does not wish to be jostled by any Democrat in getting into Heaven--the man who expressed his fixed purpose not to vote for any man for pastor of his congregation who voted the Democratic ticket--and the man who got a "ticket of leave" from the War Office for being too fond of pork. People who live in glass houses should never throw stones.

Conservative Republicans of Franklin county! do you wish to vote with the negro? Do you wish to sit in the jury-box with negroes? Do you wish to entrust your monied interests to negro lawyers? Do you wish to listen to negro pastors in your own pulpits? Do you wish your sons and daughters to intermarry with negroes? If not, work for and vote the Democratic ticket. Mark our prediction. If the Radical ticket is successful in Pennsylvania, negro equality will be forced upon you by Congress. Avert it while you have the power.

Our attention has recently been called to the practical workings of a law passed last winter by our State Legislature, imposing heavy penalties upon railroad companies for refusing to permit negroes to ride in any of their passenger cars. As the law formerly stood, railroad conductors could compel negroes to ride in separate cars provided for them. As it stands now, they have the same choice of seats, and berths in sleeping cars, as white people. A friend of ours relates that as he was traveling from Philadelphia to Huntingdon, a few nights ago, he took a berth in a sleeping car, and when about retiring, his attention was attracted by loud talking and scuffling on the platform of the car. Proceeding to the scene of the disturbance, he discovered a huge male negro in a controversy with one of the railroad officials about obtaining a berth in the sleeping car. The ticket agent had refused to sell the darkey a ticket, and the colored gentleman was trying to force his way into the car without the requisite piece of stamped pasteboard. A policeman came up, however, and settled the business, by telling the ticket agent that, under the law, if he refused to sell the negro a berth ticket, on account of color, he would be amenable to a fine of FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS, and subject to pay a like sum to the negro upon an action for debt! This had the desired effect, and the African was handed the coveted ticket. It so happened, however, that but one berth was vacant, and that was half of a double berth partly occupied by a white man. The negro divested himself of hat, boots, coat and vest, and proceeded to appropriate his half of the double berth. White man, who had been dozing, turned around, looked at the new-comer, rubbed his eyes, looked again, and then came such a kicking, tumbling, sprawling, and mixture of white and black generally, as would have done any amalgamationist's heart good. About this time the conductor appeared upon the scene, and the result was that the negro, ticket in hand, tumbled into bed, whilst the white man, growing anathemas at the party he himself had helped to place in power, doggedly put on his clothes and went forward to sit with wrenched back and cramped legs in the passenger car, ruminating over the beauties of Radical legislation. We annex, below, a copy of the law which gives the negro the privilege of choosing his seat or sleeping berth on railroad cars:

AN ACT making it an offence for railroad corporations, within this commonwealth, to make any distinction with their passengers, on account of race or color, and their punishing said corporations, and their agents and employees, for the commission of such offence.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That on and after the passage of this act any railroad or railway corporation, within this commonwealth, that shall exclude, by their agents, conductors, or employees, from any of their passenger cars, any person or persons, on account of color, or race, or that shall refuse to carry in any of their cars, thus set apart, any person, or persons, on account of color or race, or that shall, for such reason, compel, or attempt to compel any person or persons, to occupy any particular part of any of their cars, set apart for the accomodation of people as passengers, shall be liable, in action of debt, to the persons thereby injured or aggrieved, in the sum of five hundred dollars, the same to be recovered, in an action of debt, as like amounts are now by law recoverable.

SECTION 2. That any agent, conductor, or employee, of any railroad or railway corporation, within this commonwealth, who shall exclude, allow to be excluded, or assist in the exclusion, from any of their cars, set apart for the accommodation of passengers, any person, or persons, on account of color, or race, or who shall throw any car, or cars, from the track, thereby preventing persons from riding, shall be deemed guilty of misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall pay a fine, not exceeding five hundred dollars, nor less for one hundred dollars, or be imprisoned for a term not exceeding three months nor less than thirty days, or both, at the discretion of the court.

JOHN P. GLASS,

Speaker of the House of the Rep.

LOUIS W. HALL,

Speaker of the Senate.

APPROVED--The twenty-second day of March, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.

JNO. W. GEARY.

Upon the second reading of this bill, Mr. Boyle, of Fayette, (Democrat) offered the following new section:

"SECTION 3. Provided . That nothing herein contained shall be held to compel the admission of negroes into cars set apart for ladies, or into berths for sleeping cars."

ON this section, the yeas and nays were as follows:

Yeas --Messrs. Adaire, Allen, Barrington, Boyd, Boyle, Breen, Brenuan, Calvin, Chalfant, Collins, Craig, Deise, Fogel, Gregory, Harner, Headman, Heizel, Hood, Hunt, Jenks, Jones, Joseph, Kline, Koon, Kurtz, Linton, Long, M'Henry, Maish, Markley, Meyers, Mullin, Phelan, Quay, Quigley, Rhoads, Robinson, Roush, Tharp, Westbrook, and Wingard. [All Democrats, except Adaire, Allen, Quay, Robinson, and Wingard.]--41.

Nays --Messrs. Armstrong, Barton, Brown Cameron, Chadwick, Chase, Colville, Davis, Day, De Haven, Donaugh, Espy, Ewing, Freeborn, Gallagher, Ghegan, Gordon, Harbison, Humphrey, Kennedy, Kerns, Kimmell, Kinney, Lee, Leech, McCamant, McCreary, McKee, Mann, Marks, Mechling, Melly, Pennypacker, Peter, Pillow, Richards, Seller, Sharpless, SHUMAN, Steacy, Stehman, STUMBAUGH, Subers, Waddell, Wallace, Webb, Weller, Woodward, Worrall, Wright and Glass, Speaker. [All Republicans.]--51.

So this Section was lost, the Republican members all voting against it, except the five above named. See House Journal for 1867, page 684.

On the question shall the bill pass to a third reading the yeas and nays were:

Yeas --Messrs. Adaire, Allen, Armstrong, Barton, Brown, Cameron, Chadwick, Chase, Colville, Davis, Day, De Haven, Donohugh, Espy, Ewing, Freeborn, Galagher, Ghegan, Gordon, Harbison, Humphrey, Kennedy, Kerns, Kimmell, Kinney, Lee, Leech, M'Camant, M'Creary, M'Kee, Mann, Marks, Mechling, Melly, Pennypacker, Peter, Pillow, Quay, Richards, Seller, Sharpless, SHUMAN, Steacy, Stehman, Suber, Wadell, Wallace, Webb, Weller, Whann, Wingard, Woodward, Worrall, Wright and Glass, Speaker . [All Republicans.]--56.

Nays --Messrs. Barrington, Boyd, Breen, Brennan, Calvin, Chalfant, Collins, Craig, Deise, Fogle, Gregory, Harner, Headman, Heitzel, Hunt, Hood, Jones, Josephs, Kline, Koon, Kurtz, Linton, Long, McHenry, Maish, Markley, Meyers, Mullin, Phelan, Quigley, Rhoads, Robinson, Roush, Tharp, and Westbrook. [All Democrats.]--35.

Thus was this bill to force negroes into seats and sleeping-berths on railroad cars, along side of white people, ladies as well as gentlemen passed by the Radicals. Mr. Stumbaugh voted against the Boyle amendment, which was designed at least to keep negroes out of sleeping cars and cars set apart for ladies, but he dogged on the third reading. His colleague from Perry county, Mr. Shuman, stood up for the negro all through. This was the first step towards negro equality in Pennsylvania. Elect Theodore McGowan and Joseph W. Frank, and they will go a step further and vote for a bill to admit big niggers to the jury box and little niggers to the public schools.

White men of Franklin county, the way to keep yourselves where you have always stood, above the negro's level, is to vote for B. F. Winger and John Shively for the Legislature.

THE RADICALS are making a vigorous attempt to elect their candidate for County Treasurer. They have no hope of saving the balance of their ticket. They know that McGowan, Paxton, Etter, Maclay and Witherow, are beaten already. Hence they are putting forth every effort in favor of Mr. Greenawalt. He is their forlorn hope.--They rely upon his wealth and energy to carry him through. It will not avail, however. The people of Franklin county intend to reward a gallant young soldier.--They know Captain Skinner's unblemished record. They have heard of his bravery and of his personal attention to the wants of his men. They have been told of how his men respected and loved him. The soldier vote will certainly be cast for Captain Skinner. Surely the citizen vote will not be against him. Added to his soldierly qualities and untarnished military reputation, are his superior qualifications for the discharge of the duties of the office of County Treasurer. Vote for the brave soldier, Captain Skinner.

The Repository is at a loss to know why Col. Winger left the Republican party and came over to the Democracy after the close of the war. The reason is plain enough.--The Republican party has abandoned the Union cause and seeks to put out the States which Co. Winger fought to keep in. It has "gone back" on the soldiers and on the war resolution of 1861. Col. Winger was a warm supporter of the Lincoln policy of restoration, which Mr. Johnson is endeavoring to carry out, but which Sumner and Stevens have repudiated. He fought to compel the white people of the South to perform their obligations to the Union under the Constitution, not to disfranchise them and transfer their political rights on the negroes. The Republican party having run away from all its solemn professions, and become a Disunion party and allied itself with the negroes, Col. Winger has severed his connection with it and united himself to the true Union and White Man's party. Whoever votes for him will vote for what the Colonel fought for--the restoration of the Union.

We saw at the Bank of Chambersburg, on Friday last, three "bricks" of gold that had been sent in from Montana, by Col. McClure, to Wm M'Lellan, Esq. Two of these were of the value of $2,000 each, and the other was worth $1,250.

For the information of the younger portion of our readers, we would state that gold is a metal which, in the good old Democratic times, used to be coined into money and paid to farmers for their wheat and to the mechanics for their wages. Some of our middle-aged men may be able to remember seeing gold coins when they were young. They were nice, bright and clean, and ringed [?] merrily together in the purses of the people. But when the Republicans took possession of the national government, they banished gold coins from circulation, and in their stead gave the people notes that soon became as greasy as the negroes they were issued to set free and elevate to the level of the whites. Since that unfortunate time, gold has been used chiefly to melt into spoons for Radical leaders and to gild the coaches of shoddy contracts. There is no telling what base use the three shining "bricks" we saw in the Bank may be put to. We suppose they will sooner or later find a market in one of the eastern cities, and in due time (having been worked up into spoons) Beast Butler may eat soup with them.

Or is this the dawning of a "golden era" upon Chambersburg? It was the boast of Agustus that he "found Rome of brick and left it marble." Col. M'Clure left Chambersburg of brick made of clay. Will he, on returning, find it of brick made of gold, all sent by himself from Montana? If so, we hope the far-famed "future historian" will give him due credit.