Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-02-25
CAPITALIZATION A FIXED FACT.

The Radical party is placing its own
INTERPRETATION on the Fifteenth Amend
ment. as we feared it would do from the
frat. We are to have Radicalism in all
it's disgusting forms whether the people
desire it or not. Congress is determined
to absorb all the powers once exercised
by the States, and place these sovereign
ties en- the same level with county and
city corporations. In late act passed
by the House, it has been decreed that
the people of the States are not compe-
tent to hold elections for members OF
Congress and for President and Vice.
President The Fifteenth Amendment,
it is said, empowers Congress to take
charge of these elections and conduct
them according to rules and regulations
laid down by that body. The bill intro
duced and passed the House reads as
follows:
An Act to enforce the Fifteenth Amendment
to the Constitution.
SECTION /. Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives of the
United States of America, in Congress
assembled: 1t shall be the duty OF the
Secretary of the Interior to appoint, or
cante to be appointed, three commission
ers for each election district of the sew
eral Congressional districts of the United
States. to enforce the provisions of the
Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitn-
tiop. The said commissioners for such
purpose shall have the sole right to de-
eide on the qualification OF all voters
who shall offer to vote for members Of
Congress or electors for President and
President, and the exclusive sg-
thorify to receive the ballots cast at any
! such election.
SIC 2. 1t shall be the dniy Of such
commissioners to certify the resHit of the
election in their districts respectively,
duly sealed, to the said Secretary of the
Interior.
SIC. 3. The Secretary of the Interior
shall certify under HE hand and seal the
names of the persons whosppear 10 him
by the aforesaid returns 10 be elected
members of Congress or electors tos
President or v ee- President, and The per-
sous who shall receise such certificate Of
election shall hold The. alice or exercise
the sathorisy therein des'g0stsS, sptJeci
to The sixin section Of this act
SEc 4 1t shall be the duty of the
Uui,ed States Msrshals their respective
districts 10 sustsiB the Com missloners OF
Election herein provided for 10 the per-
formance Of her duties, eEd shall detail
a sufficient force Of deputies 60 sAegre or
der at the elections herein provided Tor;
and IN the eyest Of the force OF any such
Marshal proving Inadequate, the Marshal
shall have the right 70 ssll on the nesrsst
commanding officer a troops OF the
United States 10 sid such Marshal 70 pre-
serve order
SEC. S. 1t shall be the duty Of the
Secretary OF War to 80 station the troops
of the United States, Immediately pre-
ceding any election herein provided for.
at Convenient points adjacent 70 the
principal polling places OF the several
Congressional districts; and IN the prin-
cipal cities q commanding force Of such
troops shall be eHesmped 10 the parks
or other suitable places Of such-oitiss, at
apd preceding any election IS aforesaid.
SIC c. All questions 10 regard to the
regularity sud fairness Of the election OF
members of Congress shall be referred
nv the Secretary Of the Interior 10 the
House of Representatives., who shall
have exclusive Jurisdiction thereof; and
ia ike manner sll questions relsting TO
she election Of electors for President and
Vice-President shall be referred 70 tbs
President, Who shall appoint q committee
of not less than three suitable persons 10.
examine and decide ell such questions,
whose decision shall be 6nsl and conclu-
awe.
SIC. Z. This act shall 70 into eject
when Congress shall, by resolution, duly
declare that thres-fourihs "a the States
have ratified the proposed flfaAenth
Amendment, and have decreed that tbe
Constitution il amended accordingly
To make this the Law Of the land re-
CURES that it now psss the Senate, and