The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1870-04-13
! Pieayune, 81 April |

PROCLAMATION OF TIE SECRETARY n
STATE.
iPieayume 81 April
Inc following important document, wer
'eiegraphed t" the Western press in full
ana appear in the issues of March RI.
THE MESSAGE.
WASHINGTON, d. c., March 30. 1870
= To the Senate and House of Represe,,,,iv.s
1T Is unusual to notify the two Uo1s..
" congress by message of prouuleatjo,
> oy proclamation of the Secretary of Stat,
oi the ratfhcatlon of Il constitutional amend
heht. La view, however. of the vast imnor.
ttnce OF the fifteenth amendmen. of the com.
sututlon this day declared part of that re
ter'd instrument, deem departure from
'he usual custom Ju>tifiabl@. A measur,.
whieh makes. at once. four millions of rto-
pie voters, who were therefore, declared Lv
tne highest tribunals in the land not citizen .
OF the United States, nor eligible to bncomo
So, with the assertion that at the time II II q
declaration of Independence th. ,,,,i,,i,n ,v,,.
hxed and universal in the ciyilizrd nnrti,,
of the white race. and regarded as AN axiom
IN morals as well as IL politics that the oI,ck
men had no rights which white men w.r,
bound to respect, is indeed a measure. ,f
grandrr Importance than any act Of til. Kind
'o'i III" Iouh"ation OF our free Government
!" 'ne present tiine Institutions like ours
III III "hich all power Is directly derived fro.
the people. must depend mainly on tb,.i,.,..
| telligence. patri tism and industry. ca.i
| tue attention. therefore. of the newly e,,fr.,,,-
chised race to the Importance of ,b,.;.
striving in every honorable manner =.
| make themselves worthy of their nm,
privilege. To the race more favored h.'.,,
| tofore by our laws. | would saw. wi,rh,It
no legal privilege of advancement TO tba
new citizens. The trainers of our C,I,.r,,',
ton firmly believed that Republican f,r,,
OF Government could not endure witb,.ti
teliIgPnce and education generally diffns.d
among the people. The Father of his Co,,,,-
try, in his farewell address, used ,bis Ian-
guage: Promote. then, as Il matter of
primary Importance, instructions for ,h..
general diffusion of knowledge I'm pro,,r-
'nh as The structure of the Goyern,',a,,,
gives force to public opinion, it i ,....,,til
mat public opinion should be enliph,e,..,I,,
III MS hrst annual message to Compress ,b.
same views were forclbly presented AMI
are again urged in his eighth me-s,,.
repeat that the adoption of the fifteentb
I'hehohieht TO the Constitution. cn,u,g.t..
'"e greatest civil change, and con.,i,n,,.
, '"c ihost important event that has occurred
oeiofe the nation came into Gf. m.
change will be beneficial in pro,,r,io,, -
the heed that is given to the ure,,.n, r.,....',
mehdatlon of Washington If tb.,e r.co,,,
mendatIons were important then. witt. ., o,,,,
uia'ion of but few miions how ,a,..,,
more important are they now with p,,,,-
'a'ion or 40OOOO0O. and iucreasng in
rapid ratio. l would therefore cali unon
congress to take all means within their CON.
st" utional power. to promote and enco,r,oo
popular education throughout the conntry
anu upon people everywhere to see to it tha,
an VINO possess and exercise political rights
sn"" n"'e an opportunity to acquire the
=, h"oWieege which will make their sbore i,
me ~ Government blessing and not danger.
Dy such means only can the benefits CON
tuition be secured. oo"S''-
C u. >. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, March m 1874
HAMILTON FISH.
Secretary of the United States
lie SECRETARY OF STATES PRocLAMA
TON.
10 all whom these presents NAV c,mo
x ,e.ung: Anow ye that che -Con.r... ~,
la'SH' in words and fsarr:. a 81 fsa1ns: ,st
wit:
y nL,pLo iION proposing amendment to the Con-
stution of the United States " i"o wi"
hes0toed' by the Senate and House of
the United States of America in C,ngr.ss
as>fhoi'd, thirds of both houses con
c"rrinS' lhat the following article be pro
Posed 10 the Legislatures of the s,ver,I
states as an amendment to the Con,,itutio,,
'l 1he United States, which, when roiit;ad
oy thfee-fourths OF said Legislatures. .h,rI
re valid rs part of the Constitution. namely.
ARTICLE FIFTEENTH.
SHcTloN !. The rights Of ~ citizens ,f
lhe United States to vote, stall no, be de
i'ed OF abridged by the United States, or
~ any state, on account of race or color. or
previous condition of servitude,
SEC. =. Congress shall have power to en-
orcf .his article by appropriate legislation.
ANU iurthef, Ihat1t appears from official
documents on file in this department that
me amendment to the Constitu;ion of the.
nited States as pronRsed as aforesaid. has
States of North Carolina. West yir,,i.,i,
Wisconsin, Maine I1,.is,
IA, Michigan, South CafoIiua. PENNSYLVANIA,
L d.. N
lowe, New York, Newham,-bi,. NJ.
vada. Vermont. Missouri, Virginia. AIab mn
Kansas. Mississippi. Minnesota, Ohio RboTe
Island. Nebraska and Texas-in all. 30
States; and further. that the States whose
Legislatures have SO ratified said proposed
Amendment constitute three -fourths Of the
whole number OF States in the United STATES.
Aud further, That it appears from an
official document on file in the DEPARTMENT.
that the Legislature of the State of New
York has since passed resolutions claiming
to Withdraw said ratification of said amend
ment, which had been made by the LegisIa
OF that State, and Of which official notice
has been filed in this department.
And further. That it appears in an official
document on file in this department. that The
Legislature of Georgia has. by resolution.
ratified said proposed amendment.
Now. therefore, be it known. Thot
Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State, Of the
United States, by virtue, and in pursuance
Df the second section Of act of Congress-.
approved both day Of April, in the year
loio, entitled, IAN act to provide for the
publication OF the laws of the United States.
md for other purposes. asA part of the con-
'titution of the United States.
In testimony whereof, have hcreun,o set
ny hand, and caused the seal of the Deparr-
neDt of State to be affixed
Done at the City of Washington. This
'Oth day OF March. in the year Of our Lord.
$40 and of tho independence of the United
states, the 9th.
HAMILTON FIsu.