The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-09-30

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In the recent NeHsyork ponvsntion;;
MI Tilden said: I5s IS
fUTEENTH :AhlENDaIEkr. S
Notwithstanding that great matters Of
nafional coneern are treated with Ievity,
the administration Of General Grant has
been assiduously endeavoring to work
what is practically revolution in the
most important element-the Constitu-
ton Of our Government. / mean the
suffrage ky the fifteenth amendment.
They attempt, in the first place, to take
from the people of the States that con-
troll of the suffrage which they have i'm
memorially exercised, OF saying who
shall vote within those States, and trans
fer that question to Congress-. They are
creating state Of the law in which, by
a change of the naturalization laws, 600,-
600 Chinese may be brought into the
State Of New York and made voters
without the consent, and, in fact, against
the will, Of the people of the State of
New York. They are creating state of
the law in which, without any change in
the naturalization laws, 500, 600 liberated
African slaves can come within this State
and become voters against the will of the
people OF this State. Now, gentlemen,
let me not be told that 500, 900 Chinese
will not come, or that 500, 900 Africans
will not come. What I object to is, that
such state of the law is greeted. It has
no effect, no practical purpose; it has no
utility. If it is going into effect practi-
oally to the extent of its operation, it
will be not only a certainty, but crime
against the people of this State and
every other State against whom the mea-
sure may be enforced. This is not all.
In the second place, the measure trans
fers all control from the people of the
State. At present, no State Legislature
can change the suffrage laws in State.
You can only change it by an amendment
to your State Constitution, and that has,
in this State, to be twice submitted to
the people. Now, say this fifteenth
amendment takes away all voice from
the people in this important matter, and
gives it to Congress-, as in any ordinary
matter of legislation. Again, by the
vague. loose, general phraseology of the
ment, Congress takes to itself the power
of determining what legislation is neces-
sary to carry out the amendment. Any
legislation that Congress may think fit is
authorized under this section. Now,
Congress may object to the way in which
the amendment may be carried in par
ticular State or district under State laws,
and may claim to appoint inspectors of
election to establish and enforce new
registry laws, and may send United
States Marshals into each district to 90
vern the workings of the law in that dis
trict and make it operate exclusively
from the suffrage. 1 say the phraseology
Of the section is so broad, sweeping and
loose that it is capable of the most dan
gerous construction; and that construc-
ton will, no doubt, be put upon it if the
Republican party remain in power. And
how is this measure to be carried out
and made the law of the land? It is by
force and by fraud, and by no other
means. Virginia, whom we fought and
conquered because she tried to 20 out of
the Union, is now considered out, and is
required to submit to this alteration in
the franchise as o condition to her read
mission; and then, that being gained,
her assent is employed to establish and
enforce the same rule in the State of
New York, which fought against her.
For it is not now a law for Virginia or
South Carolina, but law for New York,
for Pennsylvania, that is to be established
and enforced by the coerced assent of
Virginia: say, then, that the force is
exercised against us, the people of the
United States. It is a wrong to us, and
if there be any justification for forcible
change of the suffrage on the States
lately in revolt in the rights of war or in
the alleged necessities created by the
war, what excuse can there be in inflict-
ing the same measure on those who
fought on our side. It has in it, also,
another element of fraud. The platform
on which General Grant was elected
pledged the Republican party to leave
the suffrage question in the loyal States
to the people of these States. Grant ac-
cepted that pledge. The people who
voted for him voted with that under
standing. and yet the moment he gets
into Office the pledge is violated and set
at naught, and the attempt is made to
force the amendment upon u.s. say
that it is fraud. 1t is fraud on the
Republican party. and through them q
fraud on the people. I know it is said
we must let bygones be bygones; that we
must accept the situation of things
which resulted from the war; that we
r,,,at acoant all fha nhaooae tbot bova