The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1870-05-06
The fourteenth and Fifteenth
amendments.

fifteenth amendment, and ascertain fally
what is proposed 10 be accomplished
by it. is. perhaps indispensable that the
fourteenth amendment, which was said
to have been adopted SOME two years
since, should be- read in connection with
il. The fourteenth amendment provides:
THAT all persons born and naturalized
in the United States are citizens thereof;
and that no State shall abriGge the priv
ileges or deny TO citizens tho equal pro-
lection of the law"
1t will be perceived that the language
here used Is, that all persons" not all
male persons. but "ali persons born or
naturalized in the United States are citi-
xens thereof, and that no State shall
abridge the privileges br deny to citiscns
the equal protection Of the law" Tho
fifteenth amendment provides that.
"Thc right Of citizens OF the United
States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States, or by
any State, ON account Of race, color, or
previous condition Of servitude."
In his proclamation announcing the
ratification Of the fifteenth amendment.
the President says that the negroes are
to-day legal and qualified voters in eve-
'ry State in the Unioih If that be true,
liz can only be because the fifteenth
amendment declared those Of them who
were born in the United States TO be
citizens, for the fifteenth amendment
goes only to the right Of citizens to vote.
| And now, under the fourteenth amend
mcnt, arc not the women citizens? Does
not that amendment" say that "all per-
sons born or naturalixed in tho United
State are citizens!" If SO, then; under
the fourteenth amendment, they are citi-
zens. Then what does the fourteenth
amendment say about the privileges Of
lcitizens! 1t saws that no State shall
labridge the privileges or deny tn citizens
the equal protection of the law" Ia not
the elective franchise one of tho privi-
Ieges Of citizens! Can any State. with
.;out Violating the fourteenth amendment,
l.abridge" that or any other privilege"
of the citizens? Can any State therefore,
!, deprive women, who are not citizens, OF
/, the privilege of voting!
) a gain, the fourteenth amendment says
e that '.no State shall deny to citizens the
: equal protection of the law" Does not
law protect all other citizens in the
lexcrcisc OF the privilege of the elective
franchise? The women being citizens.
ARE they not thus guaranteed 1.-The equal
.lprotection of the law" in theexercise of
y the privilege Of voting! As the privi-
: Ilegc Of voting is thus guaranteed to 9th
y er citizens. how can ii he denied 10 the
',women citizens. in the face of the dccla-
Itration of the fourteenth amendment that
a "no State shall obridge the privileges OF
;. deny to citizens the equal protection o!
II the law
Z, Ii is proper TO remark here that j,
'-ithcse propositions he correct and the
women are thus made voters, that ths
franchise is conferred upon thf
clnegro women equally with the white
q because the fifteentlt amendment
iilprovides that mo State shall abridgc tho
fright of citizens to vote OH account O
+ race. color. etc" There are other beau
ietics about the fourteenth and fifteenth
y amendments that remain 70 be develop
,rled. An the States, VIC believe. have law
Al in existence that deny the elective fran
"a chise 10 criminals who have served il
ethc penitcntiary. unless they have beer
IN restored 10 all the privileges Of citizen
~ ship by having been pardoncd out: Un
IN der the operation Of the fifteenth amend
I'd ment the inmates Of all the pcntentiarie
ofibecomc voters also. That amcndmen
nc declares that ";he right OF citizens 4
n vote shall not be abridged on account Q
'r.Irace. color or previous condition OF ser
lyitudc.'
es There IL another large class of citizen!
n n-ithough much more respectable cias
ot than the one last referred to, that ar
id made voters under the operation OF IN
ch fifteenth amendment. if that amcndmcr
- shall be fairly carried tiln Under tn
ig laws Of Congress. and under the laws 9
he the Southern States, the right to vote
denied to citizens "on account Of prey
erous conditions of serviiudc" in the rcb.
army. AS, under the fifteenth amcnc
ment. in no State cal, ''thc right Of cit
ry 2ens 10 vote be abridged rn account {
ID, race. color, or previous condition Of sci
1T vitude." ii follows, Of course, that scry
ell tude in the rebel army can not hercaftc
sk disqmlify citizens from the right IN
er privilege of exercising the elective frat
nd chisc II will thus be seen that under
ly, strict construction of the articles, inuc
NJ, more has been accomplished. by IN
adoption of the fourteenth and fificent
amendments, than was generally SUI
ry posed 10 be the object of those who cor
an coctcd and ratified them.
,rs lQuiucy Herald.
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lc. or LOUIS XIV. once said: "Whc
Tr.I 90 away, after hearing some OF IN
court preacher, say: .'What won