The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-09-30
GEN. DURBIN WARD.
FIFTEESTH AMENDMENv
on the

very lengthy and able speech on the
political issues at Mason, Warren
ty,.Ohio, on the 18th inst. AT
ter review of the nature and charac-
ter of the Government, and search
ing analysis of the encroachments of
the Radical party upon the Federal
Constitution, he spoke as follows of
the proposed Fifteenth Amendment:
l have dwelt so long upon the Or
ganic nature of the Federal Govern
ment, and upon the primary impor-
tance of the States, because the very
statement of these principles prepares
US to see the full significance of the
Fifteenth Amendment, and constitutes
tle strongest argument against its
adoption. The State being the author
and guardian of the civil rights Of the
people, its sovereignty ought to be as
much dearer to them than that more
distant power the Federal Govern
ment, as the civil rights it protects are
dearer than the political privileges
conferred by the Federal Union.-
While both should-be dear to every
patriot heart, and i'll our affections,
Gone and inseparabie," the State is
our domestic government, and has
about it the odor and. sanctity Of
home,
Gentlemen, the rightto organize the
State Government according to the
pleasure of its own people was never
invaded till the Federal Government
fell into the hands of the party now
i'll power. BY that party it has been
a right constantly ignored, and is now,
by the Fifteenth Amendment, sought
| to be overthroWn.
If we consider the right of regulat-
| ing suffrage with which this amend
ment proposes to deal, we shall at
once demonstrate file truth OF this
Hast statement. Under our constitu-
tions of government all political pow
er resides in certain officers called
g electors" The voter, the elector, is
essentially an officer in the Govern
ment, and really the most important
officer in it. Like other officers, he is
required to have certain qualifications
for the exercise of his official func-
! tions. These electors-voters OF the
people-are the primary fundamental
officers, whose suflrages directly OF
| indirectly choose all other public
agents. Chosen themselves by the
! Constitution, they elect all other Off
GERS. Each State Constitution fixes
the qualifications of "electors fol
that State, and the Federal Constitu-
ton, as it now stands, makes the cleo
tors in each State the electors also fol
Federal officers.
To give the Federal Government
therefore the control of suffrage, is tc
place the sovereignty of the States
under the control of that government
and to change the very organic nature
of the American system.
The whole people i'll no Govern
ment, however democratic, have eyel
been electors In our country they
are about one-fifth or sixth of thl
whole population. The power theI
4 of deciding who shall be electors i
the power of deciding the whole char
acter of the Government. An Eng
lish statesman. once said, "let III
make the electors in & popular Govern
lnent, and I am its master WhoeYe
| else may claim to be SUCH" Not onl,
the laws and policy of the Govern
ment, but also its very Constitution
arc in the hands OF the voters; bod
of men responsible to no one, ant
sovereign over the persons and prop
/ erty of the whole people. If the ex
ercise of any desired power is forbid
J den by the fundamental law, they hav
: but to alter the Constitution an
rlothe the Government with it. VIII
shall estimate the magnitude of th
right Of suffrage? Who shall pre-
serve any cherished institution if tn
electors are the yassals of power be
yond the State? What IS the value c
: a,soFereignty which begs permissio
of a superior to rule? And what
that liberty worth which is strippe
of the right of self-goyernment an
/ left naked to its enemies?
+ When the Constitution was formed
control of suffrage was in the sewers
> States, and the qualifications of cleo
tors were almost as diverse as tn
= number of the States. In some State
a property qualification was required
in some a religious test, and III som
the lest of race; some allowed a
-elector to vote in all the countie
I wherein he owned lands, and som
limited the right to the town of h
domicil. In some the qualiticatio
differed in respect to the officer to |
chosen. Negroes were allowed
vote in some, and were excluded
others. Female suffrage, that ne pll
ultra Of g Woman's rights" was a
lowed at one time in New Jersey
The Federal Constitution left all tn
as it found it. Nay, it went furthe
and not-only recognized the principl
but made it one of the basis of til
Federal Constitution. 1t is a strikin
and instructive fact, that the grei
controlling officers Of the FEEDER
Government are all chosen by office
of the State Governments. The Fet
eral Constitution provides for Pre-
ident and a Congress, and these of
GERS, directly or indirectly, choose a
others. Indeed, they make all laI
and treaties, and by themselves
their appointees are the Governme
itself. Now, how is it provided tn
the President and the Congress shf
be chosen? The President shall
chosen by " electors who are ther
selves appointed by each State i'll SUI
nd manner as the Legislature there
to shall direct. Does the Constitute
o. impose any limit on the method
app ointment, except the will of
State Legislature? May not the lie
islature direct any manner it mi
choose consistent with the Constit
ton and laws Of the State? 1t mig
5, direct that the Governor, the Suprhr
Court, or the Legislature itself shou
appoint, or the State by its Constit
ton might require the Legislature
call convention of the peoplein th'
original sovereign capacity every fo
years, to choose these electors. Or
the Legislature has generally DONE
may require their selection by anotl
,on class of of1icers-the primary elect!
''A the voters of the State. But has t
Federal Government any right to co
plain whatever the method may be
Certainly not, sir. 1t is the letter a
spirit of the bond, and "you can 1
argue the seal off the bond, nor I
words out of the instrument"
We come next to the Senatc-tl
In is chosen directly by State officers
" the Legislature. This much needs
illustration it is as plain as churC