The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-04-02
rae BLACK Deed coNsuMMArED.


Bfrshrfgas OF the People.
On Thursday last the House of Rep
resentatives at Harrisburg, ratified the
proposed XEth Amendment TO the Con-
stitution ofthe United States. The State
Senate having previously ratified it,
the consent of Pennsylvania is now Civ
&c to the adoption of the Amendment.
This consent, however. is not irrevo-
cable, provided three fourths of all the
States do not ratify before the meet
ing of another legislature adverse TO
the action of the present one. 1t is
hardly probable that the requisite
three fourths will ever ratify; at least
it is impossible for them TO do so be-
fore the assembling of our next Iegisla-
ture. Hence the people will have an
opportunity at the polls to rebuke the
Representatives who have betrayed
their trust, by electing others who viii
reverse the snap judgment obtained O.
gainst the freemen of Pennsylvania by
the treachery Of the legislature.
And, DOW, we come TO make eur ap-
peal direct to the masses of the Repub-
liean party. We do rot come to ask
you, fellow citizens. to do any wrong
to The African, or the Chinaman, or the
Indian, or any man of any race under
heaven. We only ask that The right Of
the people Of the sere'al States to control
and regulate Suffrage for 1aelaseIres shall
not be taken oioa.s from them. This
right was reserved by the people to
themselves when they framed the gov
ernment. 1t has never been yielded up.
But now it is proposed, by this XVth
Amendment, that the people shall sur
render that right and confer It upon the
Federal Congress. Nay, more. The
Radical majority in our State Iegisla-
ture have assumed the authority to
vote away this right without consul
ting the wishes Of the people in regard
to il. They have not only betrayed
The trust committed to them by their
constituents, but they have deceived
their own party friends whom they as
sured that they would stand by the
Chicago Platform of last year, which
pledged the Republican party 10 the
doctrine that p all the 1oyaI states. the
suffrage question should Be Zg5t 10 the con-
trol Of the people thereef. Hence the
Radical majority ID the legislature are
guilty Of DOUBLE CRIME, of usur-
ping right that belongs to the people
and Of defrauding their own political
supporters.
We are sorry that we are cali
ed upon to record the names of
MEssRs. STUTZMAN, LONGENEcKER
and WELLER, ,theSenatora and Represen-
tatives from this Senatorial and Repre-
sentative district, among the Radical
majority which thus attempts to sell
the birthright Of Pennsylvania. Each
and every one of the7 voted for the A
mendment and against the PROPOSE
ton to submit the question to a vote Of
the people at the next general election.
Thus are they upon the record. They
despised sud deded the popular will.
RemOnstrances against the adoption of
the Amendment. signed by thousands
of Republicans, many of them constit-
tuents Of these men, were read in their
hearing. but they laughed them to
scOrn. They knew, too, that they could
never have been elected to the places
they fill. if they had dared to avow.
nay if they had not persistently and
positively denied, that they were in IA
vor of Negro Suffrage, but they cared
not for their pledges to the people
The fiat Of the Radical ring-leaders
at Washington had gone forth, and
these cringing, crawling, lick-spittle
slaves dared not to assert their indie
pendence and speak out the voice of
their own people. The leprosy of Of
fice-getting had unnamed them, and
they We're held in the Radical leash like
so many whipped dogs.
Let not the reader think US severe.
We have no terms of reprobation
as strong and stinging as should be
employed in denunciation of Represen-
tatives who sell their own constituents
birth-right, and who violate their sol
emn pledges to the people that chose
them to office. Their blood be upon
their own heads. They have dared the
vengeance of an outraged people and
they must not complain if they fall be-
fore it. Mr.. Longenecker has been re-
nominated. He mltSt and lcW be defea-
ted. And, now let the Radicals of the
district re-nominate Stutzman and
Weller, if they dare.
ze=~@--z--=-s-----zs-se@<--
TIE members Of our State legislature