The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1870-06-27
The Law Enforcing the Fifteenth
Amendment.

OF all the offences committed by tho
radical party against the constitution of
the country and tho rights Of the States
as defined by that instrument and prac-
liced for three quarters ofa century by
the wise and good men of the Republic,
the recent act Of Congress to enforce the
Fifteenth Amendment is the most shame
less invasion upon the liberties Of the
people. From the foundation of the
government the right to regulate suf-
rage in all It's phases has been reserved
and practiced by the States. Congress
never dared to interfere with it either in
Massachusetts or in South Carolina, be-
cause it was the most sacred Of all rights
and the most clearly expressed BY the
constitution aud laws. And SO guarded
were the founders of the Republic upon
this question that the military were al
ways prohibited from approaching the
ballot or being quartered within its sa-
cred precincts. But under this act Of
Congress to which we now refer, the
whole question of suffrage has been vio-
lcntly wrcsted from the States and placed
under the control and arbitrary authority
not only Of tho civil officers Of the Fcder-
al Government. but in specified contin-
gencics under the control and direction
of the military. So that in any election
hereafter to be held in any State or Ter
rilory under this law, State Constitutions
and laws regulating suffrage are complete
nulli,ies, and at the instance Of any citi-
zen, good or bad, the officers appointed
BY Slate authority to conduct an election
can be robbed Of their functions. and
fined and imprisoned for the discharge Of
their clearly defined duties.
This Infamous bill was of course enact
ed to secure universal suffrage to the ne
gro, because it was feared by the radicals
that perhaps some Of the Southern States
woule exclude the colored man from the
baAEt4 It was intended doubtless 10
haYc particular bearing upon Maryland
aid Kentucky, because in those States
the negro had not yet been admitted to
suffrage by the Legislatures thereof. But
in perpetrating this monstrous Outrage
upon tho States and the people, with a
view to protect the negro in his rights.
4 Congress seems to have been unmindful
of the fact that in West Virginia it is the
phite man and not the negro who is ex-
cluded from the ballot Hnder the odious
constitution and laws Of tho State, and
that by the stringent clauses it contains.
the white nan Of this State is given some
power, as we'll as the negro Of Kentucky
or Maryland. But such is the fact, as
the reader will readily perceive by read
reading the first second and third clauses
Of the bill. .1H
These provisions of the bill to enforce
the Fifteenth Amendment clearly admit
to the ballo. every citizen qualified under
the Fourteenth aud Fifteenth amend
mcnts to the constitution, without regard
to race, color or previous condition, who
conforms to the requirements of the law,
and if any citizen so applying to the reg
istrars 10 have his vote recorded and ta-
ken is refused, fno Of five hundred dol.
lars to the party aggrieved, and IN addi-
tiopal fne of five hundred dollars and
imprisonment if convicted, is the severe
penalty imposed upon all such officers.
And it will be observed thas these rights
of registration and voting are reserved to
citizens regardless Of any State Cop'.litu-
ton or iars to The eontra,yi THUS is the
radical negro aud Fifteenth Amendment
party in West Virginia hoisted upon
their own pctard, and in their Infamous
attempt to cnfranchise the negro in every
State and Territory, they have uninten.
tionally enfranclliscd and opened the bal
lot to thousands Of white men in this
State who have been shamefully robbed
Of their rights for the last dvc years.
We call now upon every white man Of
this State twenty-onc years Of age. and
who is not disfranchlsed under the Four
tccnth Amendment to the Federal Cons.
titution, to apply for registration, and il
any one is ui,justly refused by the regis
trar, b privilege and duty are clearly
pointed out to hin by the law we IRE dis.
cussing. He must make bis complaint
and affidavit at once, and have the full
penalties visited upon the offending reg
istrar. By these men, some Of whom are
vile and unscrupulous, thousands Of our
bost ciiizens hn ye had their nnmns sttirh-