Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-04-07
/ FOUR MILLIONS MORE
ELECTORS
Ratification Of the XVIII Amends
ment.
OF THE PRESIDENT.



WASHINGTON, March 30.
To the Senate and House Of Representatives;
1t is unusual to notify the two
Houses of Congress by message Of
the PRONUNCIATION by proclamation
of the Secretary of State Of the rat
i6cation of a Constitutional
Amendment in view, however, Of
the vast Importance of the XVIII
Amendment Of the Cor stitution,
this day declared a part of that in
strument, | deem q departure from
the usual custom justifiable. A
measure which makes at once four
millions Of people voters, who
we're before declared by the high
est tribunal in the land not citizens
of the United States, nor eligible
/ to become so with an assertion at
the time of declaration Of indie
pendence, the opinion was fixed
and universal in the civilized por-
ton of the white race, and regarded
as an axiom in morals as well as in
politics, that black men had no
rights which white men were bound
to respect, is indeed a measure OF
grander importance than any other
one act Of this kind from the foun-
dation of our Government to the
present time. Institutions like
ours, in which all power is derived
directly from the people, must de
pend mainly upon their intelli
gence, patriotism and industry. ]
call the attention therefore Of the
newly enfranchised race, to the i'm
portance of their striving in every
honorable manner to make them
selves worthy OF this new priv
iIege. TO the race more favored
heretofore by our laws would
say, withhold no legal privileges OF
advancement to new citizens
The trainers Of our constitution
firmly believed that a Republican
form Of Government could not en-
dure without intelligence and edu,
cation generally defnsed among the
people, The Father Of his Coun.
try, in his Farewell Address, uses
this language: promote, then
as a matter Of primary Importance,
institutions for tho general dif'u-
sion Of knowledge. In proportion
as the structure of Government
gives force to public opinion, it is
essential that public opinion should
be enlightened" In his first an
nual message to Congress the same
views were presented, and again
urged to his eighth message. | re-
peat that the adoption Of the Fif-
teenth amendment Of the Constitu
ton completes the greatest civil
change and constitutes the most
important event that has occurred
since the Nation came into life
This change will be beneficial in
proportion to the heed that is given
to the urgent recommendations of
Washington, If these recommen
datlons were important then with a
population of but a few millions,
how much-more important are they
now with a population Of forty
and increasing in rapid
ratio p?
| would therefore call upon Con
gress to take all means within their
constitutional power to provide
and encourage popular education
throughout the country, and the
people everywhere to see to it, that
all who possess and exercise politi-
cal rights shall have an opportunity
to acquire knowledge, which will
make their share in the govern
ment blessing and not q danger.
BY such means only can the bene
Cts contemplated by this amend.
mcnt to the Constitution be Sc
cured.
U. S. GRANT,
Executive Mansion, March 80,
1870,
HAMILTON FISH,
Secretary Of State Of United States
The President states thst the
has been ratified by
the Legislature of the states of
North Carolina, West Virginia,
Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Maine,
Louisiana, Michigan, South Caro-
lima, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Con
necticut, Florida, Illinois, Iowa,
Indiana, New York, New Hamp
shire, Nevada, Vermont, Missouri,
yirginiu, Alabama, Kansas, Mis-.
sissippi, Minnesota, Ohio, Rhode
Island, Nebraska, TeXas-~in all 20
states. And further, that the states
whose Legislatures have ratified
said proposed amendment, consti
.ute three fourths of the whole
of states in the United
States, And further, that it ap
pears from an official document on
Iile in this department, that the
Of the state Of New
York has since passed resolutions
claiming to withdraw said ratiilca-
ion OF the amendment which had
been made by the Legislature of
that slate, of which official notice
had been filed in this Department
and further, that it appears from an
official document on fle in this De |
partmont that the Legislature of
Georgia has by a resolution ratified
said amendment.
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A special from Manchester,