The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-05-07
Practical Illustration of the Fifteenth
Amendment.

Amendment.
Last Monday was day long to be re-
membered by the colored men of Elkton,
or of the whole county, as the hour which
brought them tangible evidence of pledges
fulfilled which are promised in the princi-
Piles so long contended for by the Republi-
can party, which are the perfect freedom
and political equality of every citizen not
only possessing the right which alone marks
the distinction between the citizen and the
sulject-the ballot-but the power to exer-
else that right in appointing his rulers.
At the town election on that day, up
wards of fifty colored men cast their ballots
for the first time as free American citizens,
in the fullest and broadcast sense entertained
by the inspired words of the Declaration Of
Independence, which proclaim that all men
have the right to 'ife, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness. That, to secure
these rights, governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed
The White Man party, which is only the
last phase of the cid Democracy-that party
has new phase for every new issue, but
notwithstanding its many phases, like the
moon, it remains the same old party of
prejudice and dead issues-having made
count Of their forces, felt pretty certain
they could carry their ticket, and concluded
it would be "big thing, and have
powerful "moral effect to make a square
Al. I,
appearance as voter. Consequently, this
programme was carried out. Elkton has a
large per centage Of loafers among her pop
ulation, who can for a certainty always be
counted on by the party of g treason, STRAIT
agem and spoils,'' and are also Just as Ger
tain to be on hand at all times. The col
ored men at this season are all at work,
and large numbers of them are on the fish
ing shores, and at other distant points,
which prevented them from attending the
registration. and also kept them from the
election.
There were 272 votes polled which was
about IS less than the registry not includ-
ing, perhaps, that many more who were
entitled to, but were not registered. BY
far the largest number of those who did
not vote are Republicans, so that had a full
vote been out, the election would have been
very close. Under the circumstances, the
White Man party, with black principles
succeeded in electing their ticket by about
80 votes. The result numerically, how
ever, was of No Importance. The grand
principles of freedom of the ballot, promul-
gated, and so long and steadily contended
for by the Republican party, was trium-
phantly indicated, and the colored men,
by their manly decorum, as they deposited
their first ballots, showed that they felt all
the weighty responsibilities resting upon
them as men and citizens of the greatest
and freest nation on the globe-great in
her vast resources, in her moral power, in
the enterprise of her citizens, and great in
her institutions.
We must accord the White Mans party.
or the Democrats, the merit of acting hon
erably and in spirit of fairness toward
the colored men, and with few exceptions.
frankly declared their right to vote under
the municipal law. the word ':white" in
the charter, being pronounced by every
lawyer in town, as stricken out by the pro-
visions of the Fifteenth Amendment The
registration, by authority of the Town
Commissioners, was not considered of any
binding force in law, and the judges of
could establish their right under the cor
poration charter to vote. Some over-zeal-
Gus persons tried to raise an issue over the
decision of the judges to accept all votes
that were legal under the act of incorpora-
ton and the Fifteenth Amendment, but
finding the moral weight of the most intel
ligent of both parties against them, they
soon subsidized. The election was great
triumph of the cause Of political rights,
and drew broad and distinct line between
the dead issues of the past and the living
future. Let the colored men rejoice and
take heart and fresh courage from the happy
omen of last Monday, and with redoubled
effort, press onward in the new life which
is opening before them, striving at every
step to rise higher i'll moral worth Let
ei0SS VIM CIV ahC'tu, uoSioO llC iCSo lol Iu-
nate among their brethren; cheer on the
laggardS and encourage them to mount
higher in the scale of manhood. and on all
occasions, show themselves worthy of the
great boon which Providence has placed in
their hands.
And now that the weapons of political
warfare have been placed in their hands.
and their old enemy has drawn up in solid
column before them, it becomes every COL
ored man to dc battle valliantly against his
natural foe. Organization is now the great
necessity, and it behooves those who are
capable Of assuming the lead among their
brethren to take measures to effect all Or
ganization which will perfect and consoli-
date the strength of the colored vote as the
vote Of one man. The object of the new
White Mans party is to divide and demon
alze the colered vote, and thus neutralize
their strength, and by that means still re-
tain their hold on power and keep the col
ored people under foot; and it should be
the steady purpose of the colored voters to
defeat this last strategy of the schemng
Democracy. Organization is the only
means. Let it be rapidly and thoroughly
effected.
FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT.-Grea prepa
rations are being made in Baltimore to
celebrate in an imposing manner the adep-
ton Of the Fifteenth Amendment, on the
18th instant. \ large number of special
invitations have besn issued to distinguished
Republicans and the members of the Repub-
lican press Of Maryland. Among the dis
tinguished guests invited are the President
and his Cabinet and the Vice President.
Governor Bowie is among those invited
from Maryland, who sends with his regrets
the following note:
STATE OF MARYLAND
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
AZ