The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-04-17
THE INFERIOR RACES.

Amendment TO the fcucrat C0nStltW-
tion claims that neither Cinnamon nor
Indians can vote, even though that
Amendment be adopted. If this be
tho true construction of this Article
why do Williams and Corbett advo-
cate amendments to it denying to In
dians and Cinnamon the right of suf-
frage? Both of our Senators mani
testify arc of the opinion that the fif.
teenth Amendment does clothc Indi-
ans and Cinnamon with the right of
suffrage.
The I4th Article of tho Constitu-
tion provides that "all persons born
or naturalized in the United States,
and subject to the jurisdiction there.
OF, arc citizens of the United States
and of the State wherein they reside"
The proposed 10Th article is as fol-
lows:
''The right Of any citizen Of the United
States to vote shall not be denied or abridged
by tho United States, or any State, by rea-
son of race or color, or previous condition
of slavery Of any citizen, or class of citi.
gems, Of the United States. Congress shall
haYe power to enforce, by appropriate legis-
lation, the provisions Of this article.n
With these two Amendments be-
fore us, it is plainly to be seen that
the only question to be decided is !:
Who are citizens? According to the
18th article every citizen may vote, no
matter what his color or "previous
condition" No one, we believe,
questions this. The 14th article is
equally explicit in defining the quail
fcations of s'citizen." According
to it, every person born in the United
States, or naturalized, and subject to
the jurisdiction thereof, is q citizen.
No person, we suppose, will deny
that Indians are born here; hence,
the only remaining question is, are
they subject to the jurisdiction of the
United States 1? It may be true that
the wild, rowing tribes of the plains
and the rocky mountains are outside
of the jurisdiction of the United
States, in the same sense that the
outlaw is beyond their Jurisdiction ;
and if they are, they have no right to
vote; but this is not true of the tribes
settled on Reservations. They are
most completely under the jurisdic-
tion of the United States. They are
amenable to the Z. States laws as
fully and completely as white men,
If one of them steals, or robs, or
murders, he is tried by the judicial
tribunals of the country, and if found
guilty he pays the penalty ike white
men. If they pay no taxes, it is not
because the Government has no right
to collect taxes of them, but because
they own no property except blank
ct and a few filthy rags to cover their
nakedness. If the government doc.
not force them to render services fol
the protection of the country agains
foreign or domestic foes, it is no
because we have no right to d.
so, but because they arc so treach
erous that it is considered impolitic t,
employ them very extensively as sol
diers. In point of fact the Unitel
States exercise their jurisdiction 0
power over Indians living on Reserva
tions, more fully, and completely, anc
vigorously than they do over a simila
number of white men, whether natur
allied or native-born; and these In
dians will vote, in due time, if tn
18th amendment becomes a part O
the Constitution. Any one who vii
read the Congressional debates an,
the leading Radical newspapers from
the States will see that this view /
taken by the leading Radicals; an,
the only reason why Corbett an,
Williams take opposite ground is
they know that the policy of confer
ring the right of suffrage upon China
men and Indians is not popular upol
the Pacific coast at present. Their
was time-and not a great Will
sgo-wben the Radical party denied
- solemnly and persistently, tha
they were for negro suffrage, a
some now deny that they are in hvo
Of giving suffrage to the Chinamal
and Indian But now, when the,
think it safe to do so, they boldl
throw off their disguise and advoeat
negro suffrage; and the time vii
come when they will assume simila
ground relative to Cinnamon and II
dians. The truth is, the Radical part
Is fast becoming innoculated with th
doctrine of universal suffrage. No
many more months will roll roun
ere that party will incorporate i
their party platforms the dogma tha
all men-including fools, and idiots
and penitentiary conyicts-all n.
groes in all states and territories-a
Indians, and Cinnamon, and greaser
and knaVes, and women,-in short. q
men and women of every grade, col