The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1869-03-09
Fifteenth Amendment Passed.

foiiaNs nv
sAStr,t-f5! The right Of the citizens
of the United States to vote shall not be
abridged bv the United States or by any
State on account Of race, color or pre-
yous condition ~ serrifuje i-
We have taken occasion tprcfer to this
smepdment twice before and do 50 sgsin
believing tina, the people ought to be full
~ advised OF the nature and full intent Of
the same Much may be gained by fre
Iucnt and honest discussion The rage
for tinkerins the fundamental compact
has reached such point that il becomes
essentially necessary to make an amend
mentcvcry six ortwclve months to Sc
cure the full operation and benefit Of
some previous one, As this is the con
clusion now arrived at by the Solons of
Congress we can see no good to be ac
complished by 'skicking sgainst the
pricks," and so We say let all amendments
proposed by Congress be cheerfully
adopted by the new dismautled States
The right to prescribe the qualifications
ola voter or office holder in The Sfates
has been fully conceded by usage, to
Congress, so that the States have ouly a
nominal control over their internal af
fairs. In this condition of bondage there
can be no use in kicking in the traces.
Any struggles the States NAY make only
make the chains sink deeper in the quiy
ering Hesh and drive the rivets further
home II is no doubt contemplated to
submit this amendment to the present
Legislature for ratification. Although
they we're chosen at time when this
amendment was not dreamed of by the
people, and the people will thus he pre-.
vented from having any voice in the mat
ter, still vote OF the people under the
present system of registration is but
farce and an insult to their intelligence.
Hence we can see no necessity for incur
ring the expense of an election, Let the
Legislature ratify at once. Connecticut
soon votes for Governor and other State
officers, and if the amendment is adopted
soon che may enjoy tho luxury of Negro
suffrage and thus secure Republican
victory, In this view OF the matter, poll
cy would dictate to the Republican party
to hurry up the vote on this amendment
and thus early reap the golden harvest of
wise husbsndmcn. The present Lcgisla-
ture is the Legislature of reconstructed
Arkansas and can certainly act with per.
feet legality upon this amendment attheir
present session. We say then by all
means let them make haste to slip this
new plank into our National platform.
And let Us continue to slip new ones in
until our platform is wide enough and
afroa0 annieh to hold thA ~arli ere, -
We are fast losing all the spirit of Re-
publicanism and why should we stand
whining over the dead body. The PEG.
pie. no longer able to express an honest
and gpnrestrsined opinion at the ballot
boz, have bat the emblems of a faded
power, and IL is bitter mockery to set
them powerless, upon a mimic throne
and place in their aerveless grasp bauble
for1a soeptrs. Let them no longer be
burdsued with tsxstion merely for the
purpose of securing to themselves the
empty form 81 dclegating power they
nc, longer possess, They may groan un-
dsrthe killing weight OF taxation already
imposed for the payment of spendthrift
ei1ee hokiers, but in the name OF heaven
do not tax them again for farcical elcc
ton, Letthe Legislature rush this amend,
meut through at once and let Connecticut
and other Northern States taste some of
the sweets Of Reconstruction.