Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1869-03-10
Hhe Negro Suffrage Question 20 ID
Docaded Again.

Two weeks ago last Friday, hang
mans day, the two Houses OF the
Rump Congress agreed to force Ne
gro Suffrage upon the States even If
they are opposed to it. Our read.
ers well remember that the question
OF striking the word WHITE from
the Constitution Of Ohio and giving
negroes the right to vote, hold office,
&C. was voted down, two years ago,
by more than fifty thousand major.
ity. 1t now appears that Congress
has taken the question in hand, and
we are to have another decision
upon it. The following is the
Amendment to the Constitution
agreed to by Congress at the time
above stated, which amendment, if
ratified by the Legislatures Of three
fourths of the States, will be part
and parcel of the Constitution of
the United States:
| BE ii enacted, &c., (two-thirds of
both houses concurring), That the
following amendment to the Consti-
tuition of the United States be sub
mitted to the Legislatures of the
several States, and when ratified by
three-fourths thereof it shall be q
part Of said Constitution:
ARTICLE Is. The right Of the cit
izens of the United States to vote
shall not be denied or abridged by
the United States, or by any State,
ON account of race, color or previous
condition of SerUitude.
SECTION 2. That Congress shall
have power to enforce this article
by appropriate legislation.
The Ohio Statesman says that
during the late Presidential CAM
paign, the party supporting General
Grant, when charged with an in
tention to forco negro voting in
Ohio and other States, which at
election repudiating it, as Ohio did
by $4,000 majority, denied the soft
impeachment and pointed to the
Chicago platform ON which their
candidates were nominated, which
asserted in strong terms that in the
Northern States at least the question
Of voting was to be left to the State
Constitutions.
1t is 9 fitting commentary on
Radical profession before an election
and Radical practice after the cleo
ton is over, that the present Con-
gress, the majority composed Of the
most corrupt and venal body of men
ever elected to high Office, should
thus, before the President, elected to
Office, on q platform of principles, is
sworn in, abandon the platform
which saved him from defeat.
! The Legislature Of Indiana is now
in session and has . Radical major.
ity. In that State negro suffrage is
so unpopular that tho party sup
lporting itdared not make it an issue
before the people, or to allow them
to vote yea or nay on engrafting it
on their State Constitution. The
Legislature Of Indiana viii give the
assent Of that State to the amend
ment above given, and thus, against
the wishes of the people, that State
will be counted as one Of the three
fourths, that is to make the rule alb
solute that, ss white men are inca
pable Of self-government, negro aid
must be called in, by making voters
OF all the blacks over the age of 21
years, within the State limits.
! AT the Fall election of 1857, which
elected a majority Of Democrats to
the Ohio Legislature, negro suffrage
by a proposed amendment to the
State Constitution, became a living
issue, and by over fifty thousand
majority, the voters Of Ohio pro.
nounced against it. In obedience
to the will Of the people, then and
there expressed, the Democratic
Legislature will promptly, by joint
resolution, say TO the Radical major.
ity in Congress, that Ohio refuses
her assent to allowing negroes to
vote.
Failing in the attempt to get the
required threo-fourths of the States,
by their Legislatures, to give their
assent to the political equality Of
the blacks with the whites, an effort
will be made to elect to the next
Legislature a majority Of negro
suffrage members, SO that. ohio's
assent to this negro suffrage amend
ment can be given---the Radical
party, almost 40 a unit voting for
negro suffrage members, tho De-
mocracy, ono and indivisible,
against 1t.
We have no fear Of the result If