The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-07-09
Gen. Cary on Negro suHrage.


in tho Cincinnati Enquirer,
in reply TO certain questions pro-
pounded TO him, thus defines his
position on tho subject of negro
suffrage, al embodied in the so.call-
I'd Fifteenth Amendment to the
Federal Constitution
When the proposed Fifteenth A.
mendmcht was before Congress, 1
recorded my vote against II. Whom
its passage vas certain, 1 voted with
its opponents to submit to Legisla-
lures thereafter TO be elected. l
believe that no radical change
should be made in the organic law
until tho People were consulted,
and tho opportunity gwen them to
decide upon it; that tho Constitu-
ton was ordained aud established
by the people, and it could be prop-
crly changed only by their wills,
clearly expressed through Lcgisla-
lures elected by them.
The fathers who framed the Fod-
eral Constitution wisely left the
question of suffrage to tho States,
respectively, and each State has in
its fundamental law, prescribed the
qualifications Of electors. In the
Constitution of OHIO, whi.o male
citizens only can exercise the cleo.
tive franchise. If, at any time, the
people of Ohio, by a constitutional
majority, choose TO extend this
privilege to persons of color, it is
their exclusive right to do so, as
we'll as to WITHHOLD 1t from them. /
know of no good reason why other
States and the Federal Government
should fOroo us to accept negro suf.
frage in the election Of State and
municipal as well as Federal officers.
[ believe that n State has some
rights which tho Federal Govern
mcnt is bound 10 respect.
Thocoursc pursued and the
adopted by tho dominant party to
secure tho ratification of this "
mendmcnt should alarm every hon.
est, fair-mihdod man, who desires
TO preserve u Republican form OF
Government. II, as some say the
end just'ios tho means, who shall
fix n limit to the encroachments up-
on the rights Of n people by the
party in powcr2 With what indie.
cent haste have Legislatures ratI-
fed this amendment, against the
known wishes of a largo majority
of then constituents. With what
criminal disregard ofthe will of the
people did un%scrupulous party lead
crs in Indiana attempt fraudulent
ly to adept the amendment. And
what honest man does not LOOK with
unuttcrablo loathing and disgust
upon the SPECIAL pleading of those
who assert that IL has been consti-
tutionally ratified in that STATIC
This outrage IN Indiana only eX-
ceeds those which were porpotrated
by Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota and
Michigan, all of which States ut
their last elections, by direct votes
rejected the proposition to admit
negro suffrage, by overwhelming
majorities.
With q full knowledge of the fac
that the constitutional three.fourth
of tho States would not VOLUNTARILY
ratify the amendment, and assured
fully that there was no other way
to perpetuate the power in tn,
hands of the Republican party blu
by the votes of negroes, Congress
made it a condition precedent tina
Virginia, Mississippi and Tcxa
should approve this measure hefor
they should have their places IN tn
Union and a representation in tn
councils Of the nation. What frau,
might fail to accomplish, force j
invoked to complete.
Congress has no moro right I
shut ont Representatives from Tex
as until she ratiies the amcndmen.
, than II has TO turn out Ohio's Rep
] rcsontatives because her LegIslatur
rejected il. The American peopl
would bo fully justified IN treatin
, as a nullity an amendment adopte
. by II fraud and force, and the FIJI
. teonth Amendment cannot be rat
fed in any other way.
8 l am IN favor Of leaving tho que
t ton of suffrage where the FEEDER
Constitution now leaves it, viz: 4
Y the States respectively, The PEI
pie of Ohio decided, two years az
by a majority of more than fit
thousand against negro s%uffrag
: and although voted with the m