Litchfield enquirer., 1870-04-07
THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT. osais. -ree --} 3ols.I ,s.,s,
 OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF ITS RATUTcA- TON.
MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT GRANT.

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 To the Senate and House of Representa- tives: It is unusual to notify the two hous. es of Congress by @ message .of the pro- mitigation by 8 proclamation of the secre- tary of state, of the ratification of con- stitutional amendment. h view, however. of the vast importance of the fifteenth amendment of the constitution. this day declared part of the revered instrument, I deem departure from the usual custom iustifable. A measure which makes at once four millions of people voters. wbo were heretofore declared by the highest tribunal in the land, not citizens of the l 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 world, and the white race regarded as an axiom in morals, as we'll 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 tLe present time. a.. ....
 Institutions like ours, in which all pow CT is derived directly from the people, must depend upon their intelligence and indus try. call the attention, therefore, of the newly enfranchised race to the importance of their striving in every honorable man ner to make themselves worthy of their new privileges. To the race heretofore more favored by our laws. would say, withhold no legal privilege of advance ment from new citizens. The framers of the constitution firmly believed that re- 1 publican form of government could not endure without intelligence and education morally diffased among the people. The father of his country in his farewell ad- dress uses the language: |" Promote, then, as matter of primary importance, insti- tutions for the general diffusion of knowl- edge. In proportion as the structure of the government gives force to public opin- ion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened" In his first an- nual message to Congress, the same views were forcibly presented, and are again urged in his eighth message.
 repeat that the adoption of the fif- teenth amendment to the constitution completes the greatest civil change, and constitutes the most important event, that has occurred since the nation came into life. The change will be beneficial in pro. portion to the heed that is given to the ur- gent recommendations of Washington. If these recommendations were important then, with population of but 8 few mill ions, how much more important now, with Q population of 10000, 900, and increasing in rapid ratio. I would, therefore, call upon Congress to take all the means with in their constitutional power, to promote and encourage popular education through out the country, and upon the people eve. rywhere to see to it, that all who. possess and exercise political rights, shall have an opportunity to acquire knowledge, which will make their share in the government a blessing and not danger. By such means only can the benefits contemplated by this amendment to the constitution be secur- ed U. S. GRANT.
 HAMILTON FISH, Secretary of State of
 the United States. ..-.-.
 SECRETARY F1sH's PRONUNCIATION.
 To all to whom these presents may come greeting: g:-Kuow ye that the Congress of the United States, on or about the 27th of February, in the year 1869, passed a resolution in the words and figures follow ing, to witt a- 4 10 ,4-c
 resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution of the United States:-ResoLued, By the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled two-thirds of both houses concurring, that the following article be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States as an amendment to the con. stitution of the United States, which, when ratified by three-fourths of said Legislatures, shall be valid as part of the constitution, namely:- -s- ARTICLE xY s+
 Section l. The rights of the citizens of the Uni ted States to vote shall not be deniad abriged by the United States, or by any state on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude
 Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce l fhIsa hv lpORIaki0R
 And, further, that it appears from official documents on file In this de- partment that the amendment to the con- stitution of the U aited States, proposed a; aforesaid, has been ratafed by the legisla tnres of the states of North Carolina West Virginia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin Maine, Louisiana, Michigan, South Caro lima. Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Connecticut Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New York, New Hampshire, Nevada, Vermont. Virginia Alabama, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Iowa Kansas, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Ne braska, and Texas, in all twenty-nine states and, further, that the states whose legis latures have so ratified said proposed amendment constitute three -fourths of the whole number of states in the United States; and, further, that it appears from official documents on file in this depart ment that the legislature of the state ol New York has since passed Q resolution claiming to withdraw said ratification ol the said amendment which had been made tby the legislature of that state. and oi which official notice had been filed in this department; and, further, that it appears from official documents on file in this de, partment that the legislature of Georgia has, by resolution, ratified said proposed amendment.-- eo4 .ar
 Now, therefore, be it known that I, Ham. ilton Fish, Secretary of State of the Uni. ted States, by virtue and in pursuance oi the second section of an act of Congress, approved on the 2Oth day of April in the year 1918, entitled ''An act to provide fo1 l.the publication of the laws of the United States and for other purposes" do hereby certify that the amendment aforesaid has become valid to all intents and purposes as part of the constitution of the United I States. .e43g aE
 In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the l Department of State to be affixed.
 Done at the city of Washington this 3Oth day of March, in the year of ouI Lord, 1870, and of the independence oi the United States the 94th.
 4 HAMILTON F1sE.
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