The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-28
PETER 3. SWEENY on The FIFTEENTH
AMENDMENT.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
In the HERALD Of day issue is taken with me on
my remark that the fifteenth amendment s.poes
beyond the negro" and gives to Congress the power
to absorb the whole subject Of suffrage. NOW let us
see how lar wrong am in The esign OF the proposed
amendment. 1t is as follows:-
ARTICLE xy.-The right OF the citizens OF the
United states TO vote shall not be denied or abridged
BY the United States by any State. on account Of
race. color or previous condition OF servitude
COMPRESS snail nave the power to enforce this arti
Gle BY appropriate legislation.
After prohibiting the denial OF the right to vote on
account OF color. race or previous condition OF servl
tude, the authority Is conferred on Congress to
enforce the article by appropriate legisatlon.n
Suppose Congress should deem 1t "approprateu
to do this by appointing directly or through
It's agents, inspectors for every election pom In
the United States to decide on the qualifications OF
electors and to receive and count the votes cast
Womb not this be absorbing in Congress the sub
ject OF suGragef II Congress may SO appoint the
Judges OF elections, may II not appoint them all OF
the deepest dyed radical stripe and import them
from one State to conduct The elections In another
Statef What tribunal is to decide the meaning and
limit Of appropriate iegishtions why, Congress
l,sei IN the first instance least And n the power
should be resisted in any State We would see
petition OF the sceess OF 1854, when our democratic
esca in the CITY Of New Yos were
overawe the people under the command OF such
Butter. ...,.--- :.
Such constitutional amendments do not mean re-
construction--tbey mean revolution.
NAY % Said that tho assumption by Congress-
-, "si viis amendment to enforce It's operatlon nv
cxare,s,, supervisory control over the eIeclIons
would be s%cl Of Sg.hority. When did q
radical Congress ne- tats 70 !, stretch or strain
authority or override res..'stiQqs for I'M, me accom-
pshment Of . political object or 10 aggrsSsSize
p0weri
1t would have been a very different matter II CON.
gress had simply defined the rights OF citizens
without regard TO color, race or previous condition
ana stopped there. Then the right OF the
colorcd man would have stood In the same
category with those OF the white man, and could
nave been exercised and enforced Ia like manner,
leaving the regulation and control OF elections wcro
they we're placed Dy the trainers of the constitu-
ton--in the several states-for their protection and
preservation against destructive Capitalization,
Many measures OF Congressional usurpation have
Deen tolerated ~ the people rs war measures"
during periods OF Imminent peril, such as the as
sumption OF the power TO issue paper currency when
taking away from the States the control OF the
militia under the name OF volunteers and the sus-
pension OF the haDeas corpus IN peaceful DISTRICTS
These instances were digect nvssons OF the consti-
tuition. But this amendment strikes At the vital ex-
lstence OF the States ana 10 subversion Of the es.
founded. would he glad 10 belcve that you are
right IN Jour view of she scope OF the amendmonti
but the language employed II meant, for AL its value
- OF TOO broad import know that repupLcen
politicians ciAim for u all that aege, aud do not
hesitate TO boast Of the measures which WIN oe
Adopted under - Authority 70 hold the control Of the
general adnnutrauon 10 spite OF any democrauo
majority. PETER y. sWEENf.