The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1870-03-04
Use Magnetic Equine Remedies.
THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT.


A Few Words About the Great Fraud.
MACK" the Washington correspond
cnt of the Cincinnati Enquirer, says of
the Fifteenth amendment:
Writing some time ago about the Fiji
tecnth amendment, and the publication
of its PRONUNCIATION by The State Depart
men; at an early day, said it would be
declared part of the Constitution be-
fore the lst of March. ! know from
conversations with leading Radicals that
this was the programme, and that they
Irlt able to cary it out. This was indie
pcndcnt of Ohio, and without counting
New York. the validity of whose recent
action might be considered doubtful, or
at least might make case for the courts.
Il is now believed that the Secretary of
State will issue his proclamation on Sat
urday next declaring the Fifteenth
amendment the law of the land, the un-
dcrstanding being that Nebraska will
ratify in the meantime, and thus make
the requisite number of Sratcs-twenty-
eight What next? 1t is easier to talk
IF redress than to tind it. Ind there is
really no redress this side of nuIlltica-
tinn--an experiment which il is hardly
desirable to embark in at the present
tim, and which would not be support
ed by the people save in very few
States. The proposed appeal 70 the Sup
rcmc ConFl would be we'll enough if it po-
scsscd aspcedy result in accordance with
the wishes oflhase who mac cit: but it does
not. In the first place, | am satisfied
the court would either cvade the qncs-
ton or affirm the amendment; aud in
the SECOND place, even an adverse decls-
ion would come too late To be OF amy
avail. 1t wouii take months TO make
up the case, and perhaps more than a
year to decide it. Aud they know little
of human nature who believe that four
millions of people once endowed wi Ii he
right of suffrage could be stopped in The
exercise Of that right. and RENTED t"
lasting Acknowledgement by the opinion
of majority Of nine men. TIE cur
taiAment of >uarage has never been &C
com uHshed except by reVolutlon-and
this, too, entirely independent of the
mra.s by which the light was originality
conferred.
These facts may as we'll be looked
squarely in the face now. The amend
mcnt is upon US by fraud and violence,
yet it is just one Of those unfortunate
cases in which there is 40 escape from
the dilemma. Suppose we go into court
about it. While the matter is under
consideration the negroes are voting all
over the land, and cl-cting mrIi to office
who are Pied ed t" prevent decision
to them by changing the
character Of the court, or abollNhing IT.
if necessary. The people of the Month,
too will be rallied by the false fear of
war aud revolution TO sustain the Repub-
lican party, just as they have been raj
lied into the support and endorsement of
all the hideoua features Reconstruction
since loti3 omce had some faith IL
All inherent love of fair play and fair
dealing as constituent clement of Amer
can citizenship; but the record of the
last five years has shaken it, and as |
look back and see every act of legisla-
tive vengeance and brutality endorsed
by the repeated success of their origina-
tors, am prepared to believe that par
" ties are stronger than popular vir-
tue or p,pula justice. When for the
sake of political supremacy, men, VIII"
in private and social life would Scorn an
unworthy act, will so to the polls and
vote "iamy after nfany, and degrade
ton after degradation npon a people with
whom they went to war for the sake ct
'Union people always brave in " ar ard
honorable in peace; when men in The
Notrh will roll up immense majorities in
favn" of military tyranny and negro suf-
frage-the twin bastards of Congression-
al reaonstruciion- is sheer nonsense
to hope that this matter of the Fifteenth
there will ever be that ''sober
second thought" which has il times past
been corrective of great wrongs. Let
MS lay no such hattcring JUNCTION to our
souls.