The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1869-02-18
THE PROMISE AND THE PERFORMANCE.

Grant for the Presidency adopted, agreeaD'y
to usage, a "National Platform" the secona
resolution of which reads thus
The guarantee by Congress OF equal su aa1 e.
to all laval men at the South was demanded Dy
e7ery consideration of public safety, OF graz
tude. and of Justice, and must be u,aiiitalneu
while the question of suffrage IN all inc ioy"i
States properly belongs to the people oi 'nosc
Stares.
TO that Platform, in detail and in whole the
candidates, Grant and Coltax, and all OF Tic
Radical party stood pledged Now leu US sec
with what manner of faith the Radicals IN o'ln
Houses of Congress propose to observe lniS
:. suffrage plank" of their own Natlonal fiat-
form, which we copy above. Early IN inc ses-
sion, Senator Stewart of Nevada from the 0u-
dietary Committee reported the following pro-
posed amendment to the Federal Constitution:
ARTICLE XV.-The right of citizens OF the
Initial St,t.s TO vote and hold office shall not
he denied or abridged by the United States or
any state on account of race, color or previous
condition of servitude.
few DAYS subsequently, Senator Thayer OF
Nebraska proposed this
M male citizen of the United States, 81
veors of age. and upwards, shall be deprived OF
the riobt to vote ut any election held by the
p.ople of the United States. for National, State.
or municipal officers. or for Representatives
in Congress, unless guilty of crime, of winch he
has been duly convicted by the law.
Next, Senator Williams of Oregon offered
the following:
Congress shall have power 10 abolish or alb
rOgatt any restrictions upon the right 10 vote
or hold office, prescribed by the Constitution
or law of any State.
And, Senator Wilson, of Massachusetts, has
proposed to amend the Constitution III this
manner:
| ARTICLE XIV. Sec l. All the male citizens
| of the United States, residents at the several
States now or hereafter cOnprchcnded III The
Union, of the age OF II years and upward, al
sound mind shall BE- entitled to an equal vote
! in all elections IN thu State wherein they snail
reside, the period of such residence as a quail.
fed voter to be decided by each State, except
such as have been engaged i'll rebellion or III
surrrctinm or shall be- duly convicted OF trra-
son or other infamous crime.
See , The Congress shall have power To en-
force by appropriate legislation. the provisions
OF this Article.
Arr. XVI. See l. The right of citizens of
the United States to hold office shall not be de-
MED or abridged by the United States or any
State, on account OF race, Color" previous con-
ditlou of Srrvltudc.
Sec. ,. The Congress shall have power to
enforce, by appropriate legislation, the pro'Is-
! ions at this Article.
In the House, Mr.. Lawrence Of Ohio, pro
posed that
No State shall make or enforce any law
which shall deny or abrldgr to any male citizen
of the Untrd States of the AZ" OF - years or
over. and who is OF sound mind, and who has
resided in such State one year, and has COM
Piled with such regulations, equally applicable
IL all electors as Ia registration and local resi-
| irnct. not greater than one year, as may bc
prescribed by law, AN equal right 10 vote by
ballot at all elections in such State. except only
to such rs have aided or participated in, or
who may aid or participant" N, lnsurrecti"n or
rebellion against the United States or any State,
or to such as shall be duly convicted OF treason,
| felony or infamous crimes.
And, finally in that body, the following
amendment. reported from the House Judicial
~ Committee by Mr.. Boutwell, of Massachu-
sets, was passed by the vote of all except three
of the Radical members, and with every Dem.
ocratic vote against 1t
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States Of .1mcri-
ca in Compress assembled (two-thlrds of both
Houses concurrag). That the following Arti-
Gle be proposed to the Legislatures of the sew
eral States as an amendment 10 the Constitu-
ton of the United States, which. when ratified
by three fourths of said Legislatures, shall be
held as part of said Constitution, namely:
Section |. The right of any citizen of the
United States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States, or any State,
by reason OF the race. color, or previous con-
d,tion of slavery or any citizen, or class of cil-
zens, of the United States
Sec 3 The Congress shall have power to
enforce by appropriate legislation the provis
ions of this Article
We have not the space to comment upon this
last fragrant violation of their pledged faith by
the party in power as we wish to, but will pass
upon it briefly.
The Radical party of the whole country, by
their own chosen delegates in National Con-
vention, May u, 1865, passed the resolution
which we quote above as plank in their Ma
tional Platform. ard next the entire party, by