Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1869-04-01

| amendment TO the Constitution OF
the United States.
RESOLVED by the Senate and House
of Representatives Of the United
States Of America in Congress as.
sembled, two thirds Of both Hous.
es concurring, That the following
article be proposed to the Legisla
lures of the several States, as an
amendment to the Constitution OF
the United States which, when rat.
ifed by three-fourths Of said Legis
latures, shall be valid as part of the
Constitution, namely:
Article XIV, Sec. /. The righ's
of citizens Of the United States to
vote shall not be denied or abridg.
ed by the United States, or by any
State, on account Of race, color,
or previous condition of servi-
tudc.
Sec. 2. The Congress shall have
power to enforce this article by al
propriate Legislation, and
WHEREAS, Three. fourths of the
Legislatures of the States compos
ing the United States are required
TO assenttothe said proposed amend.
ment to the Constitution ofthe Uni.
ted States before it becomes a part
thereof, and
WHEREAS, The people Of Ohio
by over $4,000 majority have re.
jectcd negro suffrage, therefore be
lit
ReSolred6y The General assembly
Of the State Of ohio, That the
Legislature of this State hereoy re.
jects The said XVIII article proposed
as an amendment to the Constitu.
ton Of the United States, and on
behalf Of the State of Ohio refuses
to ratify the same.
Resolved, That the Governor be
requested to forward copy of the
foregoing preamble and resolution,
properly attested, to the Secretary
Of State Of the United States, our
Representatives and Senators in
Congress, and to the Governors Of
each Of the thirty seven States in
the Union.
After few m0res by different
members on the political chess
board, the discussion ran as fol.
lows:
Mr.. WARREN said that, accord.
ing to his long and well-settled
opinion, 1t was the constitutional
duty of the National Government
to do by legislation, and without
any constitutional amendment, pre-.
ciscly what is sought to be done by
this constitutional amendment
But by long established usage the
plain letter of the Constitution up
on this subject has become so com
pletely obsolete that It seemed i'm,
possible, after long trial, to obtain
any administration Of the constitu.
ton rs IL is. II it could be so nd.
ministered, it would be far better
than to make this patchwork amend.
mcnt. But as it cannot, he con
sented to the amendment as the
next best thing, and in fact as a
necessity under the circumstances,
and should vote for it.
Mr.. BAKER said the question
involved the right Of Chinese, In.
dians, Negroes and others to vote,
1t was, therefore, question Of inn
portance, and should be met by
mature deliberation For that reas
on he desired to defer its consider.
alton till next week, that members
might have time to consider the
subject in all its bearings. As this
act Of courtesy had been refused,
he would discuss the matter now,
He continued his arguments at
some length, showing that the Chi
namen in few years, under the
amendment, would control the Pa.
ci6c States, He denied the right
anl expediency Of this Legislature
to act on the amendment 1t was a
question whether this Legislature
had been instructed on the subject,
It was true the question of StrikingI
the word white" from the Consti.
tuition had been before the people
but this question is more extended
in its effects, because it changes the
fundamental laws Of the land, He
thought, therefore, the whole mat.
ter ought to be referred to the
people for approval or rejection
before 1t should be disposed of
here.
Mr. LEETE thought this identi.
cal question had been presented to
and decided by the people Of Ohio
two years ago IL was then claim
ed that Il the Democracy did not
carry the State the fourteenth
amendment woGll become o part
of the Constitution. He regarded
this question Os one of unprece.
denteh Importance, The revolution
was COINS on, end States were rat
flying the amendment by telegraph,
He was willing to meet the question
now, and dispose Of It like white
mon.
Mr.. SCOTT, Of Warren, respon.
ded to the arguments Of Mr., Baker
and said Le thought many OF his
objections to the new amendment
were without serious weight, He.
did not think the amendment would