Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1869-04-01

proposed Fifteenth Amendment destroy
ing the rigA. Of any State to regulate lis
own suffrage. everything has not worried
so smoothly as the Radicals desire The
intention was to push the proposed amend
nens through the State Legislatures now
in session without giving the people any
chance to discuss the question OF sunraga,
although 50 important matter as chang
ing a: one fell swoop the constitution OF
nearly every State is involved IN the Is
sue A snap-judgment, was. in effect, to
be taken on the masses, and oSlss to the
fact that the requisite number Of States
have Legislatures nouinally Republican,
it was ,hogga. the adoption Of the amend
men. would be easily effected. We are
heartily glad to see that indications favor
the idea that the amendment will not be-
co5ae law. however. until an election
will have interviewed. and tho people shall
have been heard in the matter In such
event tho designs Of the Radicals will be
frustrated. The majority of the Radical
Legislature of Indiana insisted on forcing
the question Of this proposed amendment
on tA>body. even = the neglect o. I'M
portant business of local nature, deman-
ding immediate attention. The Demo
cratic members protested against such
hasty and indecent action. but the Radi-
calls would not hearken. They then ask
ed simply that the matter be postponed
until the important business OF the State
was transacted, but their request was
peremptoriy denied. Driven to the al
Tentative. a sufficient number ofthe Dem
ocratic members then resigned, SO as to
leave the Legislature in the lurch, and
bring the business of tina. body to stand
still. For this act they were roundiy
condemned by the Radical press over the
whole country 1t appears, however
that the peopls Of Indiana, who alone
! have the right 70 decide as to the proprle-
ty or i'm propre,y of this act Of the repre-
seu,atives, by no means join the condemn
! alton the Radicals have seen fit to use
According to recent dispatch from In
dianapolis special elections have been held
in forty-,ix counties to fill vacancies caus-
ed By these designations. All the resign
! ing members were renominated, and all
( have been reelected In very few
counties" says the dispatch, twas there
any opposition" This expression OF pop
ular opinion, doubtless, will be sufficient
to settle the amendment question IN lndl-
ana. The fact is, tho masses universally
are disguised with the action OF the lad
icals concerning this amendment. Even
many Republicans who, were the question
to be plainly put before the people, would
be inclined to favor the proposition to e1-
tend the suffrage universally, cannot
bring themselves to force the measure on
their States in the manner proposed by
the Radical leaders in Congress. The
whole design smacks too much of dlcta-
torial policy and men of fair dealing and
honest intentions, whatever may be their
political proelivities, are opposed to such
species of Imperialism. We do not
know how the Radicals in Legislatures dl-
yiied like that Of Indiana intend to ma
nuevre in regard 80 this matter ofamendlns
the Constitution One thing is certain,
however, not one Of them was elected with
a view to acting on this question, at all +,
and if, in pursuance of party dic.ation,
they propose to force the issue without al
lowing the people to be consulted-the
Democratic membe should take counsel
by the example of their brethren in indi-
ana. If the Radicals will insist in resor-
ting to all kinds of political trickery to
carry their measures, it is only fair that
they should be met on their own chosen
field. i. is sometimes The best policy to
fight fire with hre.