, 1869-03-02
THE SUFFRAGE AMgHpMMT.

l0e CpasAtuuuHAi 8uenQment guar
autceirg impartial arage to all citizens
Of the United States passed the House On
Thursday lAss, by yeas 14s. nays 43, and
passed the Senate, on Friday, by yeAs 50.
nays IS, and IL now submitted to the
States for ratification, 1t Is the last, but
not the least, OF the great measure, OF
Justice and reconssruction made neca.
ss1y by the slaveholders' rebellion. Il is
the cspstone Of the edihce-:he keystone
oithc arch-and It's incorporation into the
organic law Of the nalion Is essential 10
the future peace and stabilis, Of the
Unior.
II reads as follows:
Be Il rrsoirtd, dc, ttro shtrdt or bon hoasts
cone&'r 'rt@o. Thst tie following amendment to tho
Constitution Of The United Bt.tea b submitted
10 TIE Lralslatnres Of the several States, npd,
uher Fatided bJ three fourshs thereof It shall b
apsn Of raid constitution
"An71c1.1 u. The right Of The c1,tzens Of the
Urlted states 10 yotc shah not be den,ed or
aertterd BY the United shtee, or b. anr stase, on
account 6I Esee, color OF previous condition Of
kYvisuae.
"sxc.s. The core.ess shalt have power 10 en-.
force tb's article b. Appropriate lcRssla,ion.".
Corgress spent months before egreelng
upon the Fifteenth Amendment The
Southern Senators insisted on Including
the right to hold Office Is we'll al the
right 10 vote, and Others wanted "a pro-
vent educational and other ses.s; but
6nallya Conieseree Committee q greed
On the above phraseolosy, which
was adopted by both houses
OF Congress, ~ the best and simplest
and least objectionable that could be
cc7ised. .Thiaamendmcni, whsn r&.tflc
b7 the States, will take 'he negro gucs-
hon out, pt. politics, snd :ermtnh'e Q for.
ever the long tlslurbance Of the public
pcacs over The civil xnd poltsfoat status
OF the black man. Thereafter The coIored
Individual will cut no figure In Amerl.
can politics 40 IN element Of ~dlscosd
and dangerous Contention. lie will have
oil bis natural and political rights guar
Auteed 10 him ard then must work out his
own temporal salvation. The long agita-
ton commencing with the repeal Of the
: Missouri Ccmpromist, fly years ago, will
be hsppily ended and discontinued, and
Grants prayer, "Lct US have pc.ce,''
win be realized. No member OF Con.
Rrcss or OF the Republican party is moro
dcsirols Of the adoption o. the Fifteenth
AneLdment than President Grant. A.
every fitting opportunity this winter he
urged members Of Congress to frame
nnd submit suitable amendment
guaranteeing impartial suffrage 10 all
nen and making suffrage na,ional
and constitutional right OF every citizen.
No longer sgo than yesterday several
Senators called on the General to learn
how he stocd On the constitutional
amendment giving equal suffrage Norsh
and South. General Grant replied
"that he urderstocd the amend.
ment srd hoped the States would
1atity II. BE replied shAt the Re-
publican party were bound to see
tnn sanciusiou realized. This s.atemen,
ne oehred al The gentlemen present 4
understand ~as not for their privzte In
formation alone, but Tor the whole couu,
Try 10 heAr."
There are twenty-three Republics1
legislatures IN session ut present. az,
none Of 1hEm shUuld adjourn until the,
have ratified this important amendment
twill require the ratification Of twenty
SIX States to adopt the amendment. Tw
Republican Legislatures have sdjourne6
but can be re-assembled, which make
twenty five out Of the tWenty-six, an
it Is morally certain that the Republican
will carry the Legislature Of either Ohio
Oregon or Caufornla next fall. Tire
States remain to be reconstructed: VII
ginta, Mississippi md Texas, and the raj
ihcation OF the impartil-suffrage ament
meut Will be condition precedent I
their representation in Congress.
TIE Democrats will not combat th
amendment with their old in'enl
-malignity toward the colored ma
They have become sick an
tired Of the negro agitation, an
besides they have made nothing by the
past opposition to giving the black ms
his rights.
Let our 1llinois Legislature promptl
, rzsity the impair tikl-suhrags amendnen
-,There IL no use In Visiting time in long
..;E1pded discussion over It 4t this late ds
OF the session. II the Democrats want
.1naks few demagoeical .hhsangues Il
-buncombe, let them do 80, and then c.
the ayes and noes and recom the er
phatic ratification Of Illinois Of this mes
ure OF justice, right and pseldcsuon.