Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-10-01
The Fifteenth Amendment.

AswE suggested last week, the resoluIlon
of both wings of the Democratic party aI
the North to resist the Fifteenth Aulenu'
mont oives peculiar and unexpected mn
rortonce To the political situation. ina.
amendment provides that no State snal
diefranobise a citizen by reason OF Color,
and il is opposed upon two GROUNDS: hrst,
that the subject should not be regulated
nv the National Government; and, sec
ond that colored citizens ought not to be
allowed to vote upon equal terms with
others
The tone adopted in pressing the first
objection, as if there were some outrage III
submitting proper question to the coun-
try in the constitutional manner, is merely
ridiculous. Even if it were undesirable
that the conditions Of suffrage should be
determined by the National Government,
it is certainly not improper that the peo-
pie should be asked to decide the question
in the manner that they have themselves
provided Consequently the assertion OF
the Ohio Democratic platform that the
attemnt to regulate suffrage in ONO by
means of the so-called Fifteenth Con-
stitutional Amendment is subversive OF
the principles of the Federal Con-
stitution" is transparent folly. The
ederal Constitution is the body OF
fundamental laws, to which additions are
made as experience and reflection suggest
The principle of the Constitution, so to
speak, is that it shall be supreme all over
the States in every particular that snail
seem expedient for welfare. Thus, the
Thirteeth Amendment forbids any State 10
tolerate slavery; the Fourteenth secures
the equal civil rights of every citizen OF
the limited States; and the Fifteenth pro-
poses to prohibit unreasonable dlsfran-
chisement.
Is it desirable, then, that the states
should be allowed to prescribe qualli1ca-
ton for the suffrage founded upon color?
Unnuestionably not, because nothing is
GAINED by it but the qualification OF
prejudice. Color does not determine in
telligence nor political capacity. The color
of the skin is disqualification as unrea-
sonable as that of the hair or eyes. More
over, it is a disability which, by perpetual
ing distinction of caste among the cltl-
zens, forever renews the freshness OF the
feelings from which the war arose. The
Pennsylvania Democratic platform de-
clares that the party il that State is OPP
posed to comforting upon the negro the
right TO vote" 1t gives no reason, and
how could it? How could party which
courts ignorance, and which does not con-
slider habitual drunkenness to be valid
bar to the suffrage, offer any plausible
reason for excluding honest, intelligent,
sober colored men from the polls? 1t is
opposed to the voting Of the colored citi-
Zens because it knows that the votes OF a
class which the Democratic party has done
it's best to degrade will naturally be cast
against it, If the colored vote of Penn
sylvania and Ohio were sure for that party,
does any observer suppose the party
would object to the voting of negroes !?
IF the same vote were not sure to be
thrown against the party in New York, is
it supposable that the Democrats would
insist upon the present inequality OF the
suffrage in this State? The Democratic
party endeavors by every kind of fraud,
as at the last election in New York, to
secure the voting of the most ignorant
foreigners who have, and can have, no
possible knowledge of the merits or
tendency of the issues; is it conceivable
that such party opposes the equal voting
of intelligent native citizens because they
are colored?
Until this question is settled there can
be no escape from the old issues; and the
question may be postponed, but it can be
settled in one way only. No man in his
senses can imagine that this State, or this
country, will finally rest in policy Of
discrimination among citizens so baseless
and Infamous as this. A qualification OF
residence, of education, of familiarity with
the language, is reasonable and intelligi-
ble but one of color is contemplate and
exasperating Apparently the Democratic
Convention in this State will declare
against the Fifteenth Amendment, and
against the provision of the new State
Constitution that equalizes the suffrage.
1t will then be for the orderly and intelli-
gent citizens to determine how the public
welfare is to be promoted by the success
of party pledged to perpetuate upon
such grounds the difference that has so
long and so cruelty vexed u.s.
Or are there other considerations in
favor of it's success that make this obec-
ton insignificant? Ohio will, undoubt.
edly, reject Mr. Pendleton; but shall
him and of his reputation? If there is
general discomfort with the character Of
the Legislature, let the voter reflect wheth
er it is likely to be improved by being
composed entirely or in majority of such
members as the city of New York now
sends The Republican party is the friend
of the Fifteenth Amendment, of the ma
tional faith, of equal Suffrage in this State
of strict registry, and of the utmost pro
lection of the ballot-box against fraud Of
every kind. 1t is certainly not less honest
and economical than it's adversary. When
it is added that it is in favor of settling
the long disturbing difficulty of our poll
tics in the most just, reasonable, Ameri
can, and inevitable manner, can any man
who has hitherto sustained it doubt as to
his duty ?-Harper's Weekly.
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