The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-02-17

NUt6S. IL says Va tHG AnOu0lASub.
1.-THE question now arises. what
shall be done in the premises? Our
answer is ready. Fraud and force
sanetify and give validity to nothing.
Its action is a nullity. No attention
should be paid to a declaration of the
Secretary of State, that the Fifteenth
Amendment has been adopted as
part of the Constitution"
The Enquirer proposes to stand by
the enunciation of our last Demo-
cratic State Convention-analterable
opposition to the Amendment. The
State Sentinel, we are panied to OBJ
serve, is in a state Of indecision. It
is anxiously looking around for soft
place to land, but don't exactly know
which will be the best way to jump.
But the paradise of Democracy is
Kentucky. There the doctrines and
practices Of the party are found in
their purity. To that State we must
look, if we would ascertain correctly
the real feeling and intention of the
party on any given question. There
are no dangerous minorities in Ken
lucky to warp the judgment OF the
party, or to tempt its leaders to the
utterance of uncertain sounds. How
stand the Democracy of Ken
lucky ON this question of col
ored suffrage? By referring to
the acts of the Legislature now in
session, we learn that no sooner did
it become absolutely certain that the
Fifteenth Amendment would be rati-
fed than bills were hurried through
both branches. so amending tie char
tiers of various cities, changing the
time of election and lengthening the
terms of Office as to virtually dis
franchise the colored mea for years,
Such an election was held in Hender-
son the other day. Similar changes
will be made in the charters of Louis.
vile and other towns in the State, tol
no other purpose than a prolonged
disfranchisenent Of the colored men, Sc
far as their municipal affairs are CON.
cerned.
Not content with this party jug
glery, we notice that the Legislative
correspondent Of the Courier Journa
! has made the discovery that one OF
two districts in the State are in dan
ger from the eolored vote, and ht
urges the prompt re- districting of the
State, so that no Kentucky Con
gressional District is lost to the De,
mocracy.
But still more pitiful and near
manifestation of spite towards the
colored men was displayed by this
same Democratic Legislature the
other day. The colored people, il
view of their approaching enfran
chisement, "have determined to hold
a State Convention at Frankfort foI
the purpose of considering the new
and responsible duties soon to b.
demanded at their hands as citi
zens of the United States and this
(Kentucky) State They have selected
the 23d instant as the day for theil
meeting. In order to procure a suit
able Hall for their accommodation, a
Committee of Arrangements was APP
pointed, consisting of three of their
number, to confer with the Legisla.
ture, and if possible to obtain
for their temporary use. the Hall oil
Representatives. The Committee &C.
cordingly prepared a petition ad
dressed to the Speaker and members
of the House of Representatives o.
the State of Kentucky stating the
purpose for which their Convention
was called, and requesting the per.
mission of the House to occupy the
Hall. The Committee, as matter OIL
courtesy, first presented the petition
to the member from their own Crank.
linz county, the Hon. Richard
FL. Bowen, who is a staunch Dem.
ocrat, and who positively refused &c
submit the petition to the House
for its consideration, but kindly sug
gested a conference with some Repub
lican member. Their next applica
ton was TO Hon. George S. LYTTLE
whom they designate as true Re
publican, who did not slight thei
request, nor find it inconsistent will
his position to accord proper re.
spect to the right of petition of hi
colored fellow citizens. On Frida.
last Mr.. LYTTLE presented the peti
ton of the colored men to the Hous,
as requested. The resolution wa
summarily disposed of by a referenc,
of it to the Committee on Public
Offices by large Democratic major
ity. A subsequent attempt to requir,
the Committee to report their DISPOSE
ton of it at stated time. was voteC
down by a. still larger Democratic
majority. The colored men have con
sequently been compelled to seel
other accommodations for their pro
posed convention"
These facts speak louder to coloreC
men than the professions of unauthor
lied opponents of the Democratic
party who seek to wheedle them GU
of their votes, on the assumption tha
they do not possess sufficient intelli
gence to know who are. and Away:
have been, their real friends. They
also demonstrate beyond the posi-.