Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-09-30
THE FIFTEENTH 4 MENDNFlN7-
L,IAINII I,LIM lYIlRLr


A careful review of the situation in which |
thc proposed Fifteenth Amendment to the
Constitution now rests, is stated us fol- |
lows:
Eighteen States have ratified the Amend |
ment, including Kansas and Missouri, whose
copy of the proposed article was received
by telegraph, and s said to have been i'm
perfect; if SO they will perfect their action.
Rhode Islands Senate-but not the House
has ratified. The latter will no doubt
complete the requisite approval
Indiana has ratified, but it is claimed that
legal quorum was not present when the
action was taken. This claim is probably
not well founded, and Congress,and the Sec
retary of State will no doubt decide lndiana's
ratification valid one
Twenty States, therefore, may be relied
upon in the above list, and as there are
thirty. seven in all, of which twenty-eight is
required, to make three four,hs, we need
eight votes besides those named. Now of
those remaining, the following, just eight in
number, are certain to ratify the Amend
mcnt: Alabama Iowa, Misnesota, Nebras-
ka, Vermont, Mississippi, Texas, Virginia.
And this makes the requisite number, We
have not counted Tennessee, although there
Is still a pretencc that Governor Seniors
friends as well as himself, are pledged to
ratify. Nor have we encountered Ohio, in
which State we are fairly certain of securing
the Legislature, at the approaching election;
nor Georgia, in which there is good pros
pect, both of restoration to place OF the IL
legally expelled colored members OF the
Legislature, and also Of a charge in political
feeling, favorable to ratification. All oi
these are chances for superabundant votes.
In order for the Amendment to be defeat
ed, ten votes must be cast in opposition.
Delaware, has already cast hers, and Mary
land, Kentucky, and California are certain
to follow, while Oregon and New jersey
may be safely counted the same. But thi'
makes only six, and Tennessee, Georgia
and Ohio, only nine, while we shall surel,
get one of those three, and leave the opposi
tlon at least two deficient.
The new Amendment, then, thong
brought to closer vote than we at one tim
hoped, is still secure, SO far as ordinary fore
sight can go. Unless there shall be som
serious failure on the part of the hepubl
cans, it will become part of the Constitr
ton, inside of six months.
We appeal to our fellow Republican
throughout the country not to remit the
vigilance, nor spare their best exertions, III
til this most important amendment, cline
Ing the successive measures of our part
and securing beyond peradventure the r
suits of the war, shall be made entirely s
cure. 1t is now the vital issue, and must
main so, until it is finally and conclusive
settled, and no one must permit himself
rest unconcerned, while its ultimate dispo
ton is in tho smallest possible degree qu'
tionable.
The President and his Administration Q
firmly and ardcntly committed to the rat
cation nowhere has our party declined
undertake the work; now let us consnmm'
this great measure of statesmanship, a
settle forever, all question as to the coloI
American Citizens right of suffrage.