Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-03-31
FIFTEENTH AMENDMENr.
Message Of the President.

The STAR of yesterday afternoon contained
the proclamation of the Secretary Of State pub
fishing the ratification of the fifteenth amend
ment to the Constitution by twenty-nine States.
After our paper had gone to press the President
sent the following message to Congress, accom-
pany ing said proclamation:
To the Senate and House Of Representatives:
1t is unusual to notify the two houses OF Con-
sress by message, Of the FORMULATION by
proclamation of the Secretary Of State of the
ratification OF q constitutional amendment In
view, however, of the vast Importance OF the
fifteenth amendment Of the Constitution this
day declared a part of that revered instrument.
deem a departure from the usual custom justi-
fiat lie. A measure which makes at once four
million Of people voters, who were heretofore
declared by the highest tribunal i'm the land not
citizens of the United States, nor eligible TO
become 30, with the assertion that =" at the time
of the Declaration Of Independence the opinion
was fixed and universal in the civilized portion
OF the white race, regarded as an axiom in
morals as well as in politics, that black men
had no rights which white men were bound to
respect, Is indeed measure of grander i'm
Iottance than any other one act Of the kind,
Iiom the foundation Of our free Government 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. 4 call the attention therefore, Of the
Dewly-enfranchised race to the Importance of
Their striving, In every honorable manner, to
make themselves worthy OF their new privilege.
10 the race more favored heretofore by our
laws would say withhold no legal privilege OF
Advancement to the new citizen. The trainers
of our Constitution firmly believed that re-
publican form OF government could not s-n-
dure without intelligence and education gem
orally diffused among the people. The Father
of his Country" in his Farewell Address, uses
this language:
Promote, then, as a matter of primary i'm
portaDce, institutions for the general diffusion
OF knowledge. In proportion as the structure
OF Government gives force to public opinion it
is essential that public opinion should be en-
hghtened.
In his first annual message to Congress the
same views were fOrcibly presented, and are
again urged in his eighth message.
i repeat, that the adoption Of the fifteenth
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 bene-
fetal in proportion to the heed that is given to
the urgent recommendations of Washington.
III these recommendations were important then,
mnch more important now with population
of forty millions, and increasing in rapid ratio
would therefore call upon Congress to take
all the means within their constitutional powers
TO promote and encourage popular education
throughout the country; and upon the people
everywhere to see to II that all who possess and
exercise political rights shall have the oppertu-
nifty TO acquire the 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 secured. U. 5. GRANT
EXECUTIVE MANSION, March 80. 1870.