The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-03-04

their exclusion from the State, nnors
stringent measure. was submitted as a dis
tinct proposition To the people. Ii was ho'
mixed up with other questions or in1e'-
ests. Naked and alone it was presented
to the people to pass upon. BY a major
ity of 81, 900, the voters of Indiana decided
that the following provision should De
part of the fundamental law Of the State !;
"No negro or mulatto shall come into,
or settle in the State, after the adoption
OF this Constitution"
The wisdom OF that provision will YET
he vindicated, and we have no doubt IL
the suffrage amendment was submitted
as the negro exclusion clause in the Con-
stitution was, that the people would re-
fuse to ratify it by an overwhelm-
Ing vote. The prejudice of caste is fiat
of the Almighty and it will prevail over
all the maudlin philosophY OF en-.
The mixture OF the negro and white man
has been failure wherever attempted,
and it will not be wisdom to attempt 10
join what God hath put asunder.
The considerations We have named are
complete justification of the action OF
the Democratic members of the Legisls-
ture. The adoption of the Constitutional
Amendment by the Radical majority in
Congress, after the solemn pledges Of that
party that the suffrage question should
not be disturbed, Is great wrong TO the
country. There is no apology for it. The
constituency of the members who have
resigned are opposed to the ratification
of the amendment. In doing what they
have, they have only obeyed the instruc-
ton of those they represent, To defeat the
ratification at all hazards, until the ques-
ton is fairly submitted to the country,
and with its verdict, whether for or
against the amendment, not a dissenitent
voice will be raised.
People of Indiana! the question is sub
mitted to you. 1t is for you to determine
not only whether negro and Asiatic sur
frage shall prevail, with all tho OWLS that
political equality viii entail upon the
n~,iun, but whether you will surrender
those political rights that you have ex-
ercised since the foundation of the Gov
eminent, and which our wisest statesmen
and most profound political thinkers
have regarded as essential to the preser-
walton of civil rights, personal liberty and
a constitutional government.
The Democratic COngressmen from In
diana to the People of the State.
BY telegraph yesterday we received
from ex-senator HENDRICKS and Con-
gressmen NIBLACK, HOLMAN and KERR,
the following cordial Endorsement of the
action of the Democratic members of the
Legislature, to defeat the ratification of
the Constitutional suffrage amendment by
the present General Assembly and forci-
BILE appeal for its submission to the whole
people for approval or rejection:
To THE PEOPLE OF INDIANA.
1t is the highest right of the people to
vote upon every proposition to change
their Constitution or to revolutioniZe
their domestic policy. The question OF
suffrage has never heretofore been sub
United to the people of Indiana. The
resignation of the Democratic members
of the Legislature, in order TO give the
people a chance to determine this great
question at the ballot-bo for themselves,
is an act OF self-sacrificing patriotism de-
serving the admiration and support of
the whole people.
T. \. HENDRICKS,
w. T.. NIBLACK,
WIN. =. HOLMAN,
NJ. c. KERR.
WASHINGTON CITY, March D, loo9.