The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-12-29
The Georgia Outrage and the Fit
teenth Amendment.

of the State OF Georgia
has passed the Senate and will un-
doubtedly pass the House of Represen-
tives.
For more than four years tie Radi-
Gals have been endeavoring so to regu-
late the governments in the seeding
States as to secure the ascendency of
the Radical party. At almost every
step some new obstacle has presented
itself, and they have often had to urdo
their work and do it over again. But
when the States, under the last recon
struction bill, adopted constitutions
permitting the negroesto vote and dis
franchising enough whites to give the
Radicals the majority, it was generally
supposed that the end of reconstruction
had in reality come. But it seems that
all this is a mistake. 1t seems that it
is perfectly competent for a Radical
Congress, after overturning one State
government, to overturn another when
ever there happens to be any danger to
Radical ascendency. Georgia accept
eG all the conditions that were impos-
ed upon her and formed Constitution
in accordance with Radical ideas, and
yet the Georgia Constitution is to be
nullified, because Georgia is unwilling
to obey any further the behests of a
revolutionary Congress.
The particular necessity of further
legislation to meet the Georgia case is
unblushingly avowcd by the Radical
leaders. After counting up all the
States which will ratify the, 18th
Amendment, they find that the amend
ment cannot be carried without the
vote of Georgia. Hence an act is to be
passed denying Georgia representation
in Congress until she ratifies the
amendment. .1ei
We are pleased to hear that this ac-
ton of Congress has failed to win over
any opponents of the measure in the
Legislature of Georgia. We sincerely
hope that Georgia will take firm
stand in this matter, and that she will
refuse to be dragooned into measure
to which her people are opposed. Let
her take all the outrages that can be
committed against her, if she can there
by save the country from the passage
of the infamous amendment. She can
not suffer any more than she has al
ready been made to suffer, and there is
no guaranty that any further conccs-
sions will obtain for her the hoped for
immunity from oppression.
Every day there are presented new
reasons why this amendment should
not be ratified. Mr.. Peter B. Sweeney
of New York, in recent letter against
| it calls attention to the fact that the
amendment provides that Congress
shall enforce it by appropriate legisla-
ton. He thinks that a Radical Con-
gress will assume to appoint the COM
missioners of election in all the States
and thus always carry the elections by
corruption. We think so too. Oncs
pass the amendment and the States
will forever lose control over the
question of suffrage within their owr
limits. The State lines will thus bt
virtually obliterated, and consolida-
ton forever established.
The question of negro suffrage does
not enter into this discussion at ALL
Negro suffrage may be a very bat
thing, or very good thing, but cacl
State should be allowed to settle thu
question for itself. 1t would be al
outrage, for instance, for the amended
Constitution to force negro suffrage
upon New York and Ohio after thu
people in those States had voted by ;
large majority that they would no
have it. Il would be equally an out
rage for the Constitution to say tina
Massachusetts should not have negr'
suffrage finer people want it.
We sincerely hope, therefore, tina
there is one Southern State which ha
some manliness left, and that Georgi
will refuse her assent to the l5tl
4 Amendment. - l " -