Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-03-31
FROM WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON, March so.
Communication from Gen. Grant to the
Senate and House of Representatives.
in regard to the 18th Amendment.


To the Senate and House of Representatives I:
1t is unusual to notify the two houses of
Congress by message OF the PRONUNCIATION by
proclamation of the Sec'y of State. of the rat
itication of the constitutional amendment. In
view, however, of the vast importance of the
18th amendment OF the constitution, this day
declared part of that revered instrument, |
deem departure from the usual custom JUS
ttiable.
The measure which makes at once four mil
lions of the people voters who were heretofore
declared by the highest tribunal in the land
not citizens of the United States or eligible to
become so. with the assertion that at the time
OF the Declaration of independence the opin-
ion was fixed and universal in the civilized
portion of the white race, and regarded as an
axiom in words 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 gov
crnment to the present time. Institutions like
ours, in which all power is derived directly
from the people, must depend mainly upon
their intelligence, patriotism and industry
| call the attention. therefore of the newly
entranchised race 10 the Importance of their
striving in every honorable manner, to make
themselves worthy of their new privilege. To
a more favored heretofore by onr laws
would say, withhold no legal privilege of adj
vancement to the new citizens. The trainers
of our constitution firmly believed that a re-
| publican form OF government could not endure
without intelligence and education, and it was
generally dtiused 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 pro-
portion as the structure of government gives
! force to public opinion, ii is essential that
public opinion should be enlightened" In
his first annual message to Congress the same
views were forcibly presented and are again
urged in his eighth message. l repeat that
the adoption OF the 18th 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
proportion to the head that is given to the ur-
gent recommendations of Washington. If
these recommendations were OF importance
then, with population of but few millions,
how mnch more are they now with popula-
| ton of forty millions, and increasing in rapid
ratio | would therefore call upon Congress
| to take all the means within their constitutions
al power to promote and encourage popular
education throughout the country, and upon
| the people everywhere TO see to it that all who
possess and exercise political rights shall have
an opportunity to acquire that knowledge
which will make their share in the govern
ment blessing and not danger. BY such
means only can the benefits contemplated by
this amendment to the constitution be Sc
cured. s--. .-.s 81, a ..s en-.
(signed) L. 8. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, March 20, 1870.
Hamilton Fisk, Sec'y of State of the L. S.
To all whom these presents may come,
,..-. GREETING.
Know We, That the Congress of the United
States onor about the 27th day of February
in the year one thousand eight hundred and
sixty mine, passed a resolution in the words
and figures following, to Wit. "a .sse sR
A resolution proposing an amendment to
the constitution of the United States. Re-
solved by the Senate and House of Reprcsen-
tauyes of the United States of America in
| Congress assembled, two thirds of both houses
concurring, that the following article be pro-
posed to the legislatures OF the several states
as an amendment to the constitution of the
United States, which when ratified by three
fourths of said legislatures shall be valid as a
part of the constitution, namely;
y Article 10, Section /. The right of citizens
of the United States to vote shall not be- de-
MED or abridged by the United States or by
any. state on account of race, color, or previ-
Gus condition Of servitude. IA " 81 . iA A. F+~
Sect.2. Congress shall have power to en-
force this article by appropriate legislation,
and further, that it appears from official doc
uments on file in this department, that the
amendment to the constitution of the United