The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-04-07

The following is the message sent by Presi-
dent Grant to Congress on Thursday, accompa-
nying the proclamation of the Secretary of
State, publishing the ratification of the Fif-
teenth Amendment to the Constitution by
twenty-nine States:
To the Senate and House of Representatives:
1t is unusual to notify the two Houses of Con-
gress, by message of the promulgation by pro-
clamation of the Secretary of State of the rati-
6cation of q constitutional amendment. In
view, however, of the vast Importance OF the
fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution, this
day declared part of that reyered instrument,
deem a departure from the usual custom JUS
tifable. A measure which makes at once four
millions of people voters, who were heretofore
declared by the highest tribunal in the land not
citizens of the United States, nor eligible to be-
come 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 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 i'm
portance than any other one act of the kind
from 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. / call the attention, therefore, ofthe
newly enfranchised race to the Importance of
their striving, in every honorable manner, to
make themselves worthy of their new privilege.
I would say, withhold no legal privilege of ad-
vancement to the new citizen. The trainers of
our constitution firmly believed that republi-
can form of government could not endure with
out intelligence and education generally diffused
among the people. The Father of his Coun-
try." in his Farewell Address, uses this Ian
guage:
"Promote then. as matter of primary i'm
portance, 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-
ightened
In his first annual message to Congress, the
same views were forcibly presented and are
again urged in his eighth message.
! 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 BEN
efcial in proportion to the heed that is given to
the urgent recommendations of Washington.
with population of but a few millions, how
much more important now, with population of
forty millions and increasing in a rapid ratio.
| Iwould, 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 it that all who possess and
exercise political rights shall have the opportu-
nifty to acquire the knowledge which will make
their share in the government blessing, and
not a danger. BY such means only can the
benefits contemplated by this Amendment to
the Constitution be secured.
u. S. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, March 80, 1870.