Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1870-04-09
rcIt itsekO
Washington.
THE FErEESrn AMENDMENT PROCLAIMED.


sage to Congress;
ExGCUTIvE MANSION, March 80, 1870.
To TIE SENATE AND House OF RFPRE-
sENTATIvEs; 1t is unusual to notify the
two Houses of Congress by message of
the PRONUNCIATION by proclamation Of the
Secretary of State of the ratification of Il
constitutional amendment. i'm view,
however, of the importance of the fiji
teenth amendment of the constitution,
this day declared part of that revered
instrument, deem u departure from usu-
al customs justitiable. A measure which
makes at once four millions of people vo-
tiers, who were, heretofore declared, by
the highest tribunal in the land, not ciii'
zcns of the United States nor eligible to
become so, with the assertion that at the
time of the Declaration Of Independence
the opinion was fixed and universal in the
civilized portion 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, measure OF grander
importance than any other one act of the
kind from the foundation of our free
government to the present time. Insli-
tutions like ours, in which all power is
derived directly from the people, must
depend mainly upon their intelligence,
patriotism and industry. call the a,ten-
ton therefore, of the newly enfrauchised
race to the Importance OF their striving
in every honorable manner to make them
selves worthy of their new privilege.
To the race more favored heretoi re by
our laws, l withhold no legal privilege to
advancement to the new citizens. The
trainers of our constitution firmly believ-
ed that a republican form of government
could not endure without intelligence and
education ce!erally being diffuspd among
the people. The Father of his Country,
in his farewell address, uses this language: ::
"Promote, then; as a matter of primary
importance, institutions for the general
diffusion of knowledge. In proportion
as the structure of the government gives
force to public opinion, it is essential
that ptblic opinion should be cnlighten-
ed". In his first annual message to Con-
gress, the same views were more fOrcbly
presented, and are again urged in his
eighth message. 1 repeat that the adop-
ton of the fifteenth amendment to the
constitution, completes the greatest civil
change and constitutes the most impor-
tant event that has occurred since the
nation came into life. The change will
be benificial in proportion to the heed
that is given to the urgent recommends
tions of Washington. If these recon-
mendations were important then, With a
population Of but a few millions, how
much more important now with n popnla-
tion of forty millions, and increasing i'll a
rapid ratio. | would, therefore, call up
on Congress to take all means within
their constitutional power to promote and
encourage popular education throughout
the country, and spm the people every
where to see to it that all who possess
and exercise political rights, shall have
the opportunity to acquire knowledge
which will make their share in the gov
ernment a blessing and not danger. by
such means only can the benefits conten
plated by this amendment TO the constl
iuion be secured. L. S. GRANT.
SECRETARY FIsn's PROCLAMATION.
Hamilton Fish, Secretary of State oI
the United States, to all to whom these
presents may come, greeting:
Know ye that the Congress OF the
Uni.cd States, on or about the 27th day
of February in the year 1869, passed Il
resolution in words and figures following,
to wit:
A resolution proposing en- amendment
to the constitution Of the United States
Resolred, BY the Senate and House of Rep
resentativcs of the Cnhed States OF America
! in Congress assembled, tNo-thirds of both
houses concurring, That the following article
be proposed to the legislatures OF tue several
States on an amendment TO the constitution 0
the United States, which, when ratified by
three-quaIters of said legislatures, shall be var
| id as apart of the constitution, namely:
ART. 10, SEC. /. The rights of citizens OF
the United States 10 vote shall not he denied
or abridged by the United States or any State
on account Of race, color or previous condlllon
| of serVHude. g,
SEC 2. Congress shall'have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation
And further, that it appears from ofilc'
ial documents on file in this department
that the amendment to the constitution
of the United States, proposed as aiore'
said, has been ratified 10y the legislal nreS
of the States of North Carolina. West
Virginia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Maine
Louisiana, Michigan, South Carolina
Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Florida, Con
necticut, Illinois, Iowa, lndiania, Ne"
York. New Hampshire, Nevada, Yer
mont, Missouri, Virginia, Alabama, Kan
sas, Mississippi, Minnesota, Ohio, Rhode
Island, Nebraska and Texas, in,all twep
ty-nine states; and farther, that tn
states whose Legislatures have ratiiied tn
said proposed amendment conetHut